To Bebe
The Royal Navy and the Peruvian-Chilean War 1879 1881
Rudolf De Lisle's Diaries and Watercolours
Gerard De Lisle
First published in Great Britain in 2008 by
PEN & SWORD MARITIME
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Pen & Sword Books Limited
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Copyright Gerard de Lisle, 2008
9781783409235
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Acknowledgements
A fter many years of gestation, I am delighted that the diary and watercolours of Lt Rudolph de Lisle RN (1853-1885) will now be published and available for a wider public to enjoy and learn of this unknown War. This could not have been accomplished without the help of my late cousin Everard de Lisle (1930-2003) and his wife Mary Rose, who continues to find me extra data in their archives; Brigadier Henry Wilson, Publishing Manager; Sylvia Menzies-Earl, book designer, and the staff of Pen & Sword Books.
On the Peruvian side, I must thank my wife for her patience whilst I have gleaned odd bits of information in strange corners of the globe; the late Eduardo Orrego (1933-1994), Mayor of Lima 1980 1983, and, last but not least, Dr Celia Wu-Brading who, with her husband Professor David Brading, has written a masterly perspective of this local war, refereed by the main Western powers.
Thanks are also due to numerous friends, acquaintances and institutions:
The Archivist, Admiralty, Whitehall; M.J. Modrell, American Embassy, London; H.A. Vadnais Jr, American Navy Dept, Washington; G. Fitton, Director, Antony Gibbs Holdings Ltd; Mrs D.M. Moss, Librarian and Sarah Hann, Enquiries, BBC Publications; Colin Steele, Bodleian Library (Printed Books); Pablo Butcher, Book Dealer, Dorchester & Miami; Col D.H. B-H-Blundell, British Army Training Team, Sudan; Mr Murphy, British Cemetery, Lima; Military Attache, British Embassy, Khartoum; Commander F. Bromilow RN and Captain F. Hefford RN, British Embassy, Lima; H.E. Roy Maclaren, Canadian Ambassador, London; George Green, Canning House; Fr Patrick McDermott, Catholic Priest, Sheerness, Kent; H.E. Jose Miguel Barras, Chilean Ambassador, Lima; Antonio Figari, Club Nacional, Lima; Paul Goyburu, Collector, Lima; M.M. Grimsley, Colophon Ltd, Leicester; Sr Carlos Milla B, Editorial Milla Batres; G. Greaves (Records), Foreign & Commonwealth Office; M. Esser, German Embassy, London; Herr German Foto-Druppel, Wilhelmshaven; Kurt Reimers, German Maritime Museum, Laboe; A.R.H. Cooper, mss, Guildhall Library, London; Mrs Liz Moore, Illustrated London News ; Bernard Naylor and Harold Blakemore, Institute of Latin American Studies, University of London; Capt Alfredo Civetta, Italian Embassy, London; Bernard Elliott (1914-1995), Leicestershire Historian; Commander R.D. Wall, Maritime Trust, London; Eduardo Orrego V (1933-1994), Mayor of Lima 1980-1983; Le Conservateur, Musee de la Marine, France; David V. Proctor and C.J. Ware, National Maritime Museum; Admiral Pierre ONeill, Paris; The Keeper, Public Record Office; H.E. Gilbert Chauny de Porturas-Hoyle, Peruvian Ambassador, London; Jose-Alberto Tejada L, Peruvian Banker; Dr Felix Denegri, Peruvian Historian; Alberto Rubio W, Peruvian Naval Commander (retired); Mariana Rubio, Peru; Cecilia Roeder, Peru; Chantal Langley Cookson, Sothebys; Jorge Rivera Schreiber.
Naturally, any errors are my responsibility. I would welcome comments of any kind and especially any further information to fill the gaps left blank, or to explain the paucity of data for some of the entries and footnotes.
Introduction by the Editor
L ieutenant Rudolph Edward March Phillipps de Lisle was born on 23 November 1853 at Grace Dieu Manor (built 1835), Leicestershire, an estate which had 1853 at Grace Dieu Manor (built 1835), Leicestershire, an estate which had belonged to the Family since 1692.
He first had tutors but, at the age of 12, he entered Oscott College, near Birmingham. He continued his studies at the Naval Academy, Gosport, and then on the training ship Britannia at Dartmouth. He was commissioned as a Naval Officer on 14 March 1873.
Being in the Queens Navy, he naturally sailed a lot on the high seas, and first came to Peru in HMS Cameleon , in November 1871. He returned to South America on HMS Shannon in December 1879 and witnessed the Peruvian-Chilean War, recording his experiences in the diaries published here. He left on the same ship in March 1881.
In 1884, General Gordon (1833-1885), who was then Governor of the Sudan, was threatened in Khartoum by fanatical Moslems and this stirred the Christian world. The British Government belatedly sent a rescue expedition with some special Canadian boats and boatmen hopefully capable of passing the Cataracts of the Nile. Unfortunately, it was discovered that these were very different to the rapids of the St Lawrence River and they encountered many problems. On 9 January 1885, it was decided to send a detachment led by Admiral Lord Charles Beresford (1846-1919), which Rudolph joined, across the desert to gain time for Gordon.
This contingent was attacked on 17 January and Rudolph died; Admiral Beresford states, De Lisle had his whole face cut clean off at the battle of Abu Klea, north-east of Khartoum. He was buried on the battlefield and the graves and memorial are still extant. The survivors continued towards the Capital but, on arriving nearby on 28 January, they were informed that General Gordon had been captured and assassinated on 26 January.
In the middle of the last century, people did not have the amusements of today and so they entertained themselves with music, painting and the arts in general. Rudolph, like the rest of his family, was no mean draughtsman and this proved useful in the Navy. He drew maps and pictures of the different places and events which he saw. He even had a few sketches published in the Illustrated London News.
Unfortunately, the majority of his letters (written regularly to his parents) no longer exist except as published in his Biography. His life, though short, was very interesting and there are three editions of this work. In a few letters he mentions his drawings and the places visited. For example, he writes from HMS Shannon at Callao 8 June 1880, Made several sketches prior to a preliminary climb in anticipation of Mt Meiggs (17000 feet). The author of this biography, Rev H N Oxenham (1829-1888) states in his Memoir of Lt Rudolph de Lisle RN :
