Admiral Miguel Grau Seminario - Cartagena, Colombia
Posted by: 
neoc1
N 10° 25.275 W 075° 33.116
18P E 439589 N 1152040
A bust of Peruvian naval hero Admiral Miguel Grau Seminario is located in a plaza near the Naval Museum in Cartagena, Colombia.
Waymark Code: WMWCKB
Location: Colombia
Date Posted: 08/14/2017
Views: 1
A life size metal bust of Admiral Miguel Grau Seminario rests on a 6' high square limestone base. Admiral Seminario is depicted from the waist up in the ceremonial dress uniform of an admiral. He is wearing an double breasted jacket decorated with medals and epaulets. He has a receding hair line, a mustache and a beard which covers his cheeks. He is looking straight ahead.
A plaque on the front of the base is inscribed in Spanish:
ALMIRANTE MIGUEL GRAU SEMINARIO
27 DE JULIO DE 1834
8 DE OCTUBRE DE 1879
HEROE NAVAL DEL PERU
ADMIRAL MIGUEL GRAU SEMINARIO
27 OF JULY OF 1834
8 OF OCTOBER OF 1879
NAVAL HERO OF PERU
Miguel María Grau Seminario was born in Paita, Peru on July 27, 1834. He entered the Paita Nautical School and first went to sea aboard merchant ships when he was nine years old.
In 1853, he began his career with the Peruvian Navy. In 1854, he served as an officer of the steamer Rimac. In 1864, he was sent to Europe to oversee the construction of ships for the Peruvian fleet. He rose to the rank of Commander of the Navy. During the War of the Pacific which pitted Chile against Bolivia and Peru he led the Peruvian navy from the ship Huáscar. He was able to disrupt Chile's communications and supplies. He damaged, captured or destroying several enemy ships and bombarding port installations. These actions lead to his promotion to Rear Admiral.
Admiral Miguel Grau Seminario was killed on October 8, 1879 by an armor-piercing shell during the Battle of Angamos. He was initially interred in a mausoleum at the buried in Chile. In 1958 his remains were returned to Peru and re-buried with military honors at the Escuela Militar Naval del Peru, in El Callao.