Don Juan Caballero y Arigorri was a Spanish soldier. Born in 1713 in Logón - today Capoliveri on the island of Elbe - he became a cadet in Seville at the age of 16 and never looked back. In between taking part in a whole raft of battles and skirmishes - and Spain was involved in quite a few of these in the mid 18th century - he also took time off to study mathematics and become an engineer.
Don Juan Caballero
Although
he continued to impress as a fighting soldier it was his technical
skills as an engineer that were beginning to define his job definition.
In 1778 he was sent to Cadiz ostensibly to carry out a building
project but in reality to take part in some secret work for Julían de
Arriaga, Conde de Ricla, War Minister for Charles III of Spain.
Charles, who at that time was at war with Britain and was an ally of France, decided that the time was right for one more try to regain the Rock of Gibraltar which had been lost since 1704 during the War of the Spanish Succession. (See LINK) The result of this decision was the 14th siege of Gibraltar known in British history as the Great Siege.(See LINK)
Caballero’s secret work in Cadiz involved a series of suggestions - his were one of many - as to how to go about retaking the place successfully but as far as I can make out most his input consisted of a series of extremely well researched plans of the place and its immediate hinterland. Those shown below are simply the ones that I have been able to find - but I almost certain that he produced many more. In my opinion some of them are among the finest maps ever published in connection with the Great Siege.
Charles, who at that time was at war with Britain and was an ally of France, decided that the time was right for one more try to regain the Rock of Gibraltar which had been lost since 1704 during the War of the Spanish Succession. (See LINK) The result of this decision was the 14th siege of Gibraltar known in British history as the Great Siege.(See LINK)
Caballero’s secret work in Cadiz involved a series of suggestions - his were one of many - as to how to go about retaking the place successfully but as far as I can make out most his input consisted of a series of extremely well researched plans of the place and its immediate hinterland. Those shown below are simply the ones that I have been able to find - but I almost certain that he produced many more. In my opinion some of them are among the finest maps ever published in connection with the Great Siege.
Plan of Gibraltar and area of the Campo surrounding the Bay (1779)
Captions for the plan shown above
Northern section of plan shown above
Middle section of plan shown above
Southern section of plan shown above
Perspective of the North face of the Rock ( 1779)
Captions for the plan above
Plan of the isthmus probably as it was prior to hostilities (1779)
Captions for the plan shown above
Western section of plan shown above
Eastern section of plan shown above
Plan of Gibraltar (1780)
Captions referring to the Spanish side on plan shown above
Captions referring to the Rock on plan shown above
Northern section of plan shown above
Middle section of plan shown above
Southern section of plan shown above