21 Facts About Luis Piedrabuena

Luis Piedrabuena's biographers consider him one of the most important heroes of Patagonia.

Luis Piedrabuena was born in the port of Carmen de Patagones, Buenos Aires Province, on 24 August 1833.

Luis Piedrabuena was born in a large colonial house with large bricks, window grilles and a Spanish-style tile roof.

Luis Piedrabuena was under Captain W Smiley, who was leading an expedition in the South Atlantic.

Luis Piedrabuena's father entrusted him at the age of 15 to this sailor for seafaring instruction.

Luis Piedrabuena sailed with the whaler from Patagones on 23 July 1847, heading for the Antarctic.

In 1848, with his own schooner, Luis Piedrabuena touched at the Falkland Islands to load groceries and then continued to Cape Horn, reaching the Antarctic continent whaling grounds, and then returned to his hometown Carmen de Patagones.

In 1849 Luis Piedrabuena sailed from the port of Montevideo to Tierra del Fuego as an officer to supply the English missionaries.

Luis Piedrabuena displayed characteristic solidarity and courage as a seaman in the rescue.

Luis Piedrabuena explored the Fuegian channels where he met Tehuelche people, in whom he tried to instill a sense of the Fatherland.

In 1854 Luis Piedrabuena again helped 24 sailors shipwrecked by a storm.

Luis Piedrabuena set up a post in Puerto Cook, Isla de los Estados, offshore from Tierra del Fuego.

Luis Piedrabuena took him to Buenos Aires and got the authorities to designate him "Chief of San Gregorio".

Luis Piedrabuena made many voyages on the coasts of Patagonia, Tierra del Fuego and Falklands.

Luis Piedrabuena was the daughter of a Frenchman who served in the Rio de la Plata.

The couple had five children: Luis Piedrabuena, Ana, Maria Celestina and Julia Elvira and another son named Luis Piedrabuena, born after the death of his brother of the same name and of Julia Elvira.

Luis Piedrabuena had helped him and shared his ideals, and was the first white woman to land in Santa Cruz Province.

Commander Luis Piedrabuena died on 10 August 1883 at 2045 hours in 50 Tucuman Street in Buenos Aires.

Luis Piedrabuena is buried in La Recoleta Cemetery in Buenos Aires.

The town of Comandante Luis Piedrabuena is named in his honor.

Luis Piedrabuena wrote several reports submitted to the National Government, and established friendly relations with the tribes of Patagonia, in whom he tried in various ways to instill the feeling of nationality.