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“What did the Spanish See at St. George’s Caye?”
posted (September 7, 2016)

History Association added new grist to the dispute when it revealed the preliminary findings of a research project between academics in Belize and Mexico.  They pored over the Spanish Archival Records on the Battle of St. George’s Caye, to find out what the Spanish thought of the event.  They presented their findings to students today at the Bliss centre and at the University of Belize.  Here’s what we learned at the Bliss Centre:

Dr. Herman Byrd - BARS, Belize
"I think we've accomplished a gigantic task and that is we've completed the transcription of these 1,200 pages and as you'll see in a moment we have been able to kind of reconstruct a timeline of the battle from the point of view of the Spanish officials who were involved in it."

Dr. Angel Cal - UB
"What we presenting this morning is preliminary. There is no new major finding unknown to us in Belize from British or archival sources."

Dr. Herman Byrd - BARS, Belize
"One of the most fascinating aspects about the history of Belize is that you can understand it without looking at the histories of the region and that puts you into looking at sources other than English sources. Yes you have to work in English archives, in British archives but as you've heard today an event like the Battle of St. Georges Caye to really understand it you have to look at it through the eyes of the Spanish."

Dr. Angel Cal - UB
"The reefs, the shallows and the currents close to the coast all along the Yucatan coast very dangerous. In any case of the fleet that left Campeche 7 of the larger vessels could not get through. The plan called for the capture or destruction of St. George's Caye; all the marine defences at St. George's Caye and from that point as a base they expected to attack the mainland and to overrun the British."

"It is very likely that O'Neill expected to oversee the occupation of Belize. 10th of September O'Neill after trying going through Montego shoal and failing, after trying to manuever the channel so they can attack St. George's Caye and retreating; on the 10th he decided to push his way through the narrow channel and force the entire convoy towards the mainland where he expected to land his troops."

"At this critical point on the 10th of September Buckanegra that was the commander of the convoy, the convoy itself refused to lead the charge and therefore at the last minute Pedro Grajales, not Gonzales, Grajales took over; the battle started around 3:30 PM. According to the Spaniards, British artillery was much more superior. When Grajales got word that another British schooner and more sloops were on their way from the mainland he decided; no this is not going to work for us and he gave the signal to retreat and then went back to Caye Chapel."

"O'Neill and Grajales were ineffective war strategists. Except for the Spaniards reference to 3 white skilled and 4 drowned from the British sloop Sapit both sides claimed no casualties of their own. O'Neill even hinted at coming back on another day with more marine resources. The Spaniards were determined to remove the British from Belize and to take over from them to occupy Belize. Had those troops been landed it could have been a far different outcome."

Dr. Martin Ramos - UQROO, Mexico
"When it came time to disembark their soldiers for battle they were relying on very inaccurate information that had been provided to the convoy before expeditions launched."

"The battle which is so important to us does not seem to be so important in the historical records because they historical records do not devote many pages to this incident."

Jules Vasquez
"So then we call it a battle but for them it was misadventure, a foot note in history."

Dr. Martin Ramos - UQROO, Mexico
"Yes but these minor incidents then subsequently define the new future. Minor details change history."

Jules Vasquez
"If they had adequate information and intelligence might the history of this region be a different history?"

Dr. Martin Ramos - UQROO, Mexico
"Historians don't need to speculate about what might have been. Their task is now to examine what the details and historical facts of what actually occurred."

The lecture was named, “what did the Spanish See at St. George’s Caye.â€￾

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