How Mosquitoes Helped a One-armed, One-eyed, One-legged Admiral Beat the British in the Battle for Cartagena

One of Cartagena’s most famous tourist attractions is the San Felipe Castle, a sprawling fort set apart from dozens of towering skyscrapers scattered throughout this modern Caribbean city. The Castle was the site of a massive battle between the English and the Spanish for Cartagena. A long-smoldering war – called The War of Jenkin’s Ear – was sparked in 1731 when a Spanish privateer boarded an English captain’s ship, accused him of smuggling, and cut off his ear. He told Captain Jenkins to deliver the ear to King George II, along with the message that if he dared to try something like that again, he’d do the same to the King.

Spanish Admiral Blas de Lezo bested British Admiral Edward Vernon, despite being vastly outnumbered in ships, soldiers, and limbs.

Ten years later, an English Admiral, Edward Vernon, brought an armada and thousands of soldiers to take Cartagena. The Spanish Admiral Blas de Lezo – with only six ships and far fewer soldiers – turned out to be a more formidable opponent than Vernon bargained for, despite the fact that Blas – at the ripe old age of 25 – had already lost a leg, an arm and an eye in previous battles.

After overrunning a few forts around the channel, the English ships sailed into the bay, unfurled their flags, and claimed victory. Vernon even had commemorative coins made to send back to England depicting Blas kneeling before him.

British Admiral Vernon had this commemorative coin made – prematurely – to announce his victory. Months later, he surrendered to Blas de Lezo, pictured here kneeling.

But, Vernon’s victory dance was a bit premature. Despite the fact that the English outnumbered the Spanish 1500 to 600, the Spanish soldiers continued fighting them from inside the San Felipe Castle, which is actually a fort. The Spaniards killed hundreds of British soldiers outside the walls of the fort, and many of the remaining soldiers were weakened by mosquito borne illnesses they contracted in the surrounding jungle. By the time they reached the castle a year after their first foray into the channel, they were sickened and weak, so Blas and his soldiers had little trouble finishing them off. In fact, locals in Cartagena often say that the mosquitoes actually won the war.

Vernon surrendered, but vowed to return after regrouping in Jamaica. Blas basically said, “Good luck with that. Your ships are no good for anything more than hauling coal from England to Ireland.”

Stunned by the embarrassing defeat after Vernon had claimed victory, the king of England supposedly ordered the court to never speak of the battle of Cartagena again.