Everand Logo

Welcome to Everand!

  • Discover millions of ebooks, audiobooks, and so much more with a free trial

    Only $11.99/month after trial. Cancel anytime.

    Spain's Royal Corps of Engineers
    Spain's Royal Corps of Engineers
    Spain's Royal Corps of Engineers
    Ebook130 pages1 hour

    Spain's Royal Corps of Engineers

    By A. J. Osorio

    ()

    Read preview

    About this ebook

    Fifth title in the Field Military Series covers the history of this elite military body from its early days until the early 1800s. Numerous photos and historical references support the accomplishments of the Corps in the Americas. This is the first in a planned set of three e-books, authored by a living history writer.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherA. J. Osorio
    Release dateSep 11, 2013
    ISBN9781301500758
    Spain's Royal Corps of Engineers
    Author

    A. J. Osorio

    Graduation from New York University led to a career in education. An M.A., supported by graduate work (Hofstra), and a doctoral program (CUNY), concluded my formal education. Old books, museums and musty libraries fascinated me. I wanted to bring my findings to life.I discovered a path to the past through living history. While a 12-year member of the Brigade of the American Revolution (1975-1986), I recreated el Regimiento de la Luisiana, which became a practical basis for writing.During the American Bicentennial, my group demonstrated from Canada to Florida. As reenactment-commander, I accepted the surrender of British colors at San Augustine. During my tenure, I participated in instructional exercises on the life and times of common Revolutionary War soldiers at the U.S. Military Academy. I received the prestigious Sons of the American Revolution medal. Research on the Bourbon Family’s role in the Americas triggered travels in Latin America, and Europe.I joined the Kingdom of Spain’s cultural effort to publicize its role during the American Revolution; participated in PBS and; Hollywood films (Sweet Liberty); and worked successfully for the issuance of a Bernardo de Gálvez Stamp.In Arizona, after horseback riding on the Gila River, where de Gálvez ventured, my ‘sketches’ twisted—nonfiction became historical fiction; then came the Journalist of the Magdalena Series, a saga of a family challenged with political upheavals, a border war, and drug expansion as they pioneer aviation.Why fiction? “Fiction, when presented with well-defined characters and plots, best pulls another time from dormant dusty pages and drawings.”Memberships included: Arizona Author’s, Company of Military Historians, Hispanic Society of America, NRA, Romance Writers of America, and Southwest Valley Writers.Past-time: rainforest travelsAuthors: Jeff Shaara, John Jakes, Thomas Fleming, Gary JenningsNext novel: The Eagles of the Sierra Madre

    Read more from A. J. Osorio

    Related to Spain's Royal Corps of Engineers

    Titles in the series (5)

    View More
    View More

    Related ebooks

    Wars & Military For You

    View More
    View More

    Related podcast episodes

    Related articles

    • Article

      Culture Chronicle

      Jul 4, 2021

      Culture Chronicle
      7 min read

    • Article

      Q&A YOU ASK, WE ANSWER

      Jan 20, 2022

      Q&A YOU ASK, WE ANSWER
      8 min read

    • Article

      The Age Of Transformation

      Jan 19, 2023

      The Age Of Transformation
      9 min read

    • Article

      Letters

      May 12, 2022

      I feel that the article concerning Napoleon (April) was unfair to its subject. While his later career frequently saw his original ideals undermined by the reality of power, he was from the first a believer in the revolution, as his letters and genera

      3 min read

    • Article

      Q&A YOU ASK, WE ANSWER

      May 12, 2022

      Q&A YOU ASK, WE ANSWER
      8 min read

    • Article

      Letters

      Mar 16, 2023

      Sam Willis's entertaining article about Charles Johnson's scandalous works popularising robbers, pirates and highwaymen (Murder and Mayhem in Georgian Britain, March) reignites a long controversy about the true identity of the author. Although the so

      4 min read

    • Article

      “England Was Seen As A Pariah State, Ruled By Regicidal Rebels Who’d Publicly Executed Their King”

      Sep 30, 2021

      ON THE HistoryExtra PODCAST Devil-Land: England Under Siege 1588-1688 by Clare Jackson (Allen Lane, 688 pages, £35) Ellie CawtHorne: Devil-Land looks at England from 1588 to 1688. Why do you think this is such a fascinating 100-year period of English

      9 min read

    • Article

      Britain’s Black Trailblazers

      Oct 1, 2020

      Britain’s Black Trailblazers
      14 min read

    • Article

      Q&A YOU ASK, WE ANSWER

      Apr 13, 2023

      Q&A YOU ASK, WE ANSWER
      8 min read

    • Article

      Q&A YOU ASK, WE ANSWER

      Oct 27, 2022

      Q&A YOU ASK, WE ANSWER
      6 min read

    • Article

      Q&A YOU ASK, WE ANSWER

      Dec 29, 2021

      Q&A YOU ASK, WE ANSWER
      8 min read

    • Article

      The History Of The Nation State

      Feb 27, 2020

      The History Of The Nation State
      8 min read

    • Article

      Incredible Journeys

      Jun 19, 2022

      If you were ever irrevocably lost and adrift on a strange ocean, Kingsley Smith is someone to have at your side. Not only is Smith a noted academic in the field of poultry science and breeding, he also has a deep interest in navigation and navigation

      1 min read

    • Article

      Q&A YOU ASK, WE ANSWER

      Feb 16, 2023

      Q&A YOU ASK, WE ANSWER
      6 min read

    • Article

      Ancient World

      Dec 21, 2023

      Ancient World
      7 min read

    • Article

      Q&A YOU ASK, WE ANSWER

      May 14, 2020

      Q&A YOU ASK, WE ANSWER
      8 min read

    • Article

      Letters

      Sep 29, 2022

      The story of a bricklayer placing a pound coin in the wall of a reader’s home (Letters, October) is an example of centuries-old apotropaic magic – intended to deter evil spirits. It’s exemplified in everyday actions such as crossing fingers and knock

      4 min read

    • Article

      An Adventurer’s Idol

      Oct 24, 2023

      An Adventurer’s Idol
      6 min read

    • Article

      When Young Men Headed East

      May 25, 2023

      When Young Men Headed East
      5 min read

    • Article

      Seeking the ‘Lost Legion’

      Jun 8, 2021

      Seeking the ‘Lost Legion’
      3 min read

    • Article

      The Last Kingdom

      Jul 12, 2022

      The Last Kingdom
      6 min read

    • Article

      Pasó Por Aquí

      May 21, 2019

      Pasó Por Aquí
      5 min read

    • Article

      Northern Exposure

      Jan 19, 2023

      What’s the historical context to your new novel? In the half century or so before Canadian confederation in 1867, there were several historical moments widely considered to have defined our national identity. For In the Upper ^ Country, I chose to fo

      1 min read

    • Article

      Q&A YOU ASK, WE ANSWER

      Aug 6, 2020

      Q&A YOU ASK, WE ANSWER
      8 min read

    • Article

      Home Of The Alamo

      Dec 21, 2021

      Home Of The Alamo
      12 min read

    • Article

      Q&A

      Sep 29, 2022

      Q&A
      2 min read

    Related categories

    Reviews for Spain's Royal Corps of Engineers

    0 ratings

    0 ratings0 reviews

    What did you think?

    Tap to rate

    Review must be at least 10 words

      Book preview

      Spain's Royal Corps of Engineers - A. J. Osorio

      Spain’s Royal Corps of Engineers:

      Volume 1

      The Early Years

      1710-1819

      Alfred J. Osorio

      Edition for e-books

      Copyright 2013 by Alfred J. Osorio

      All rights reserved

      Smashwords Edition, License Notes

      This e-book is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This e-book may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each person you share. If you are reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then you should return to www.smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

      This book is available at www.Llanos-Publishing.com

      Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

      Osorio, Alfred

      1. Military history. 2. Spain. 3. 1700s 3- Spanish Engineers

      ISBN 978-1-3015007-5-8

      Produced in the United States of America

      An Author’s Notes

      IN 1977, I WAS IN MY FOURTH year of participation in living history displays. It was the middle of the American Bicentennial Era, and I was then part of the Continental unit of the 3rd New York. Previously, I had spent several years, progressing in the activity, having also been a member of a historical Long Island militia organization. By 1979, I had developed an interest in the global conflict of the American Revolution that paved the way for the birth of the new nation, known as the United States of America. I founded a re-enactment organization known as el Regimiento de la Luisiana. We became part of a larger historical group, numbering over three thousand, known as the Brigade of the American Revolution. My research showed the European nations, to no surprise, had already formed highly specialized divisions within their armies for the purpose of building and sieging fortifications. These divisions had roots dating back to the late Middle Ages. The early American colonies, of the Atlantic coast had formed, with the aid of foreign advisors, several of groups beyond infantry, artillery, and cavalry sections. I was curious about one section, where no one had expanded into living history examples. No one seemed interested in the military engineers. Lots of information, for the French and British could be found; details describing their uniforms, roles, and successes were common. Still no one had developed a tangible uniform display for public review.

      In early 1980, I was well underway, in forming the first military re-enactment body of Spain for the Bicentennial commemorative dates. With the encouragement of the Brigade of the American Revolution, as well as the generous availability of the library research facility at the United States Military Academy, West Point, NY, the ground work for an additional separate re-enactment file grew: el Real Cuerpo de Ingenieros. From time to time, I added information from my trips to other research centers, including the Ann S. Brown University Library, RI, the Hispanic Society of America, NY, and subsequently my trips to Spain, South America, and to many military sights of Central America and eastern Caribbean islands showed they had received little credit for their work.

      This publication is, as far as I know, the only one title on the subject of Spain’s Royal Corps of Engineers, written in English for the time: 1492 to 1819. It is solely available in digital format, as an e-book through a simple Wi-Fi download. Various major e-book retailers, in nearly 50 countries, distribute the e-book. The principal publisher of the e-book is Llanos Publishing, LLC. At the end of this publication is a listing of other e-books available in their Military History Series.

      This publication does not pretend to be a scholarly work, though it does draw on the labors of many noted historians of the subject. This title attempts to pull together major ideas, facts and conclusions found in many places under one title. I’ve included a 12-page listing of important reference works that support this presentation.

      The illustrations are from the masters of the 1800s, rare books and archival manuscripts, and my own photographs. I hope this work gives a simple, clear description of some of the history of the military body.

      Alfred J. Osorio

      September 2013

      Former member of the Brigade of the American Revolution (1976-1978, Company of Military Historians (1976-1980), Huntington Town Historical Militia (1974-1976), Third New York (1976-1978), Queens Rangers (1979-1983), el Regimieto de la Luisiana (1978-1986).

      Forward:

      A NATION’S SUCCESS WAS ONCE measured by its ability to possess new territory, especially if that territory held valuable resources. Newly acquired land came at a price. If it were war, treasury and men were sacrificed in order to achieve land. The investment for engaging in a war had to be estimated in terms of quick military victories on battlefields or at sea. Long drawn out wars had to be avoided. It became apparent that a nation could acquire land as a result of low-budget exploration. Expensive travels into unknown land, filled with dangers, especially without a promise of ROI (return on investment) were not the way a nation achieved world power. Spain’s fortune, built upon the treasures of the Americas, made her prosperous, and taking from inhabitants who were ill equipped to repel existing European technology, showed the profits were there. A few dozen horses, a ship or two and a hundred or so men, all lured with the promise of fortune, could make for a profitable expedition; and if there were no competing nations in the vicinity, a monarch could do very well.

      In the Age of Exploration, Spain crossed the great seas, finding no other European nation had laid claim to the land. They found the Americas had people, who lacked muskets, swords, and horses. Initial conquests were relatively easy, even though the inhabitants numbered considerably larger than the invading army. However, empire building is more than conquest; it is about legacy. Some would argue that a most lasting mark was measured in what the nation left behind in the form of human civilization: art, language, culture, laws, architecture, religion, science, and so forth.

      The Court of Spain thrived lavishly for three hundred years: 1492 to 1792. The representatives of the Court not only did well on land and sea, but in the remote deserts and jungles of unexplored regions. By the mid-1700s, they had become the largest empire the world had ever seen. The administrators of the treasury had been rewarded by the advances in gunfire, and by the clever artisan designs in military swords. Conquest soon followed by colonization, left next the step, transporting the wealth home. Colonial explorers found new routes and charted them, and soon precious metals and gems filled the palaces of the kingdom. Unfortunately a portion was lost in too many misadventures, all recorded on the pages of history. By the mid-1500s, other nations had arrived in the Americas, and competition for finding newer profit yielding land began.

      Wars of the next two hundred years turned from religious conflict to rivalries over claims of territory. From the early 1500s to the middle of the 1700s, disputed borders fueled other wars. All the while a diligent and professional group of men worked. Though not so obvious, on a battlefield were the work of the Master Builders—the engineers. Their contributions have lasted more than a century after the last Spanish

      Enjoying the preview?
      Page 1 of 1