Ramón Acha Caamaño

Ramón Acha Caamaño (April 24, 1861 – November 26, 1930) was a brigadier general in the Spanish Army. As Captain in charge of the Spanish Artillery in San Juan, he defended Puerto Rico against U.S. attack during the Spanish–American War.

Caamaño was awarded the Cruz de la Orden de Merito Naval Primera Clase (The Cross of the Order of the Naval Merit 1st class) by the Spanish government for his role in the rescue of the cargo of the SS Antonio López, a Spanish transoceanic steamer. In 1921, while Spain was involved in the Rif War, Caamaño served as commander of the Artillery Corps in defense of Valladolid, Spain.

Early years Caamaño was born in San Juan, the capital city of Puerto Rico, to Antonio Acha Arrigoitia and Dolores Caamaño Federico. He received his primary and secondary education in his hometown. On September 1, 1878, he was sent to Spain where he attended the Military Artillery Academy of Segovia. Caamaño graduated from the academy on July 24, 1882, and was commissioned a lieutenant in the Spanish Army.

Bombardment of San Juan

The Bombardment of San Juan, or the First Battle of San Juan (not to be confused with the Battle of San Juan Hill or the Battle for the Río San Juan de Nicaragua), refers to an American naval attack on the fortifications of San Juan, Puerto Rico during the Spanish–American War.

On May 12, U.S. Admiral William T. Sampson and a fleet of ten American ships arrived in San Juan to bombard the city's citadels. Caamaño and Capt. José Antonio Iriarte were among those who defended the city from their positions in Fort San Felipe del Morro. They had three batteries under their command, which were armed with at least three Ordóñez cannons each. The battle lasted three hours and resulted in the death of Justo Esquivies, the first Puerto Rican soldier to die in the Puerto Rican Campaign. Caamaño was awarded the Cruz de la Orden de Merito Militar Primera clase (The Cross of the Order of the Military Merit 1st class) for his actions.

On June 28, 1898, two American cruisers fought with a squadron of Spanish warships. This squadron consisted of one cruiser, two gunboats and one blockade runner. During the engagement the "SS Antonio López," a transoceanic steamer belonging to the Compañía Transatlántica Española which had a cargo of military supplies, was pursued by until it ran aground at Ensenada Honda, Puerto Rico with its valuable cargo. The men under Capt. Caamaño's command quickly removed as much as possible of the stranded ship's cargo. The desperate efforts proved fruitful, and nearly the entire cargo was salvaged from the hulk. Only one cannon and some minor articles fell overboard during the salvage operation.

On 15 July, arrived to relieve Yosemite, and the next day it quickly finished off the "SS Antonio Lopez" by firing twenty incendiary shells into the vessel and sinking it. Though the Antonio Lopez had been sunk, she successfully delivered her cargo, ensuring that any American assault on San Juan would be met with stronger resistance. Caamaño was awarded the Cruz de la Orden de Merito Naval Primera clase (The Cross of the Order of the Naval Merit 1st class) by the Spanish government.

Return to Spain Caamaño continued to serve in the Spanish Army once he arrived in Spain. In 1904, he was named director of the commission in charge of recovering Spanish military equipment left behind in Puerto Rico. He was sent to Puerto Rico and to Washington, D.C., on this mission. He served in various positions in the military and in 1908 was promoted to lieutenant colonel. He moved to Madrid and, on August 28, 1925, was named president of the Defense of the National Production of the National Economic Counsel.

Military decorations Among Caamaño's military decorations are the following: