The Cazador was a

steamboat A steamboat is a boat that is marine propulsion, propelled primarily by marine steam engine, steam power, typically driving propellers or Paddle steamer, paddlewheels. Steamboats sometimes use the ship prefix, prefix designation SS, S.S. or S/S ...

built 1848 in

France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...

and bought 1851 by the

Chilean Navy The Chilean Navy ( es, Armada de Chile) is the naval warfare service branch of the Chilean Armed Forces. It is under the Ministry of National Defense. Its headquarters are at Edificio Armada de Chile, Valparaiso. History Origins and the Wars ...

for the transport of military and cargo along the coast of Chile. On 30 January 1856, the ''Cazador'' sailed off

Talcahuano Talcahuano () (From Mapudungun ''Tralkawenu'', "Thundering Sky") is a port city and commune in the Biobío Region of Chile. It is part of the Greater Concepción conurbation. Talcahuano is located in the south of the Central Zone of Chile. Geo ...

bound for

Valparaíso Valparaíso (; ) is a major city, seaport, naval base, and educational centre in the commune of Valparaíso, Chile. "Greater Valparaíso" is the second largest metropolitan area in the country. Valparaíso is located about northwest of Santiago ...

at 11:30 AM carrying the 2nd Company of the Battalion ''Maipo'' and their families. In addition, she carried supplies, horses and guns. She sailed 6 miles from the coast at 9 kn. At 20:00, the ship was driven onto a reef off Point Carranza, 10 km south of Constitución. The sinking of the ''Cazador'' resulted in the greatest single-incident maritime loss of life in the history of Chile. Sources disagree on the number rescued and the final death toll. The ship's captain,

Ramón Cabieses Ramón Cabieses (July 22, 1814 – December 7, 1893) was a Chilean sailor. His father was the Spanish naval officer Manuel Cabieses Álvarez, and his mother was María Mercedes Alzamora Cantuarias. He graduated from the in 1838. That same year, ...

, in his report gives 23 rescued and 307 dead, but author Carlos López Urrutia gives 400 dead. After the sinking, Captain Cabieses faced a

drumhead court martial A drumhead court-martial is a court-martial held in the field to hear urgent charges of offences committed in action. The term sometimes has connotations of summary justice. The term is said to originate from the use of a drum as an improvised ...

El Mercurio de Valparaíso ''El Mercurio de Valparaíso'' () The oldest continuously circulating periodical, published under the same name, in Spanish language. It was founded on September 12, 1827. It is based in Valparaíso, Chile. See also *''El Mercurio ''El M ...

, 28/02/1856 ''«Naufrajio de Vapor Cazador»'' to determine his responsibility in the deaths of those on board. Public opinion at the time demanded that he be beheaded - however, thanks to his influence, his distinguished service in earlier naval campaigns, and that at the time there were few officials familiar with the coast of Chile, the

commuted his sentence.

References

External links

* Chilean Navy websit
Cazador
retrieved on 31 December 2012 * , also sunk off Punta Carranza {{1856 shipwrecks 1848 ships Corvettes of the Chilean Navy Shipwrecks in the Chilean Sea Maritime incidents in January 1856 History of Maule Region