Juan Mackenna
| Juan Mackenna | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Born |
October 26, 1771 Monaghan, Co. Monaghan, Kingdom of Ireland |
| Died | November 21, 1814 (aged 43) Buenos Aires, United Provinces of the Río de la Plata |
| Allegiance |
 Spain Republic of Chile
|
| Battles/wars | |
Siege of Ceuta
War of the Pyrenees
Brigadier Juan Mackenna (October 26, 1771 – November 21, 1814) was an Irish-born, Chilean military officer and hero of the Chilean War of Independence. He is considered to have been the creator of the Corps of Military Engineers of the Chilean Army.
He was born John MacKenna (or Seán Mac Cionath in Irish) in Monaghan, Co. Monaghan, Ireland, the son of William MacKenna of Willville House near Monaghan town and Eleanora O'Reilly and, on his mother's side, a nephew to Count Alejandro O'Reilly. Count O'Reilly took an interest in the young Mackenna and took him to Spain where he studied at the Royal School of Mathematics in Barcelona. He also trained in the Royal Military Academy as a Military Engineer between 1785 and 1791.
In 1787 he was accepted into the Irish Brigade of the Spanish army, and joined the army fighting in Ceuta in northern Africa, under Lieutenant Colonel Luis Urbina, and was promoted to Second Lieutenant. In 1791 Mackenna resumed his studies in Barcelona and acted as liaison with mercenaries recruited in Europe. The following year he was promoted to Lieutenant in the Royal Regiment of Engineers. In the War of the Pyrenees against the French, Juan Mackenna fought in Rosselló under General Ricardos and there met the future liberator of Argentina, José de San Martín. For his exploits in defence of the Plaza de Rozas, he was promoted to captain in 1795.
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