Thomas Charles Wright (1799–1868) was an Irish-born naval admiral. He was the founding-father of the Ecuadorian Navy, and a general in Simón Bolívar's army. He is regarded as a leading militarist in Ecuador's and other South American countries' struggle for independence.
Childhood
Thomas Wright was born in Queensborough, Drogheda, Ireland, on 26 January 1799, to Joseph Wright and Mary Montgomery. At the age of 11, he was sent to the Royal Navy college at Portsmouth, regarded at the time as the finest in the world, where he was educated to become an officer.
Career in the Royal Navy
Following his junior officer training, he embarked to a sea voyage, at age 14 on board under the captaincy of George Stuart. On this vessel he sailed to the east coast of the United States where he was engaged in blockading activities in the squadron of Admiral John Borlase Warren. In 1817 he returned to England having attained the junior officer's rank of midshipman.
South American campaigns for independence
Promotional opportunities were diminishing in the Royal Navy; while Wright had passed the Lieutenant's examination, he was not given a commission like many young junior officers in Britain. Collectively, Wright and others decided to enlist in Simón Bolívar's revolutionary army and sail for South America in support of the uprisings against Spanish colonial rule. In November 1817, Wright enlisted as an officer in the British Legion of Simón Bolívar, under the patronage of Luis Lopez Mendez, Bolivar's agent in London. Wright was one of the first volunteers to enlist. Originally setting off from the River Thames in November 1817, several snags delayed the departure until 2 January 1818. They departed from Fowey harbor and sailed on a brigantine named Dowson, under naval commander Captain Dormer, with 200 other volunteers armed with valuable weapons and ammunition. They landed in the Saint Thomas island after several weeks.
The Rifles Corps was an army corps of 200 men under the command of Colonel Campbell. These troops were further placed under the command of Colonel Pigott – His Majesty 54th Foot. Admiral Luis Brion arrived with his squadron on the Island of St Thomas and Pigott and his followers were shipped on Patriot vessels to Margarita Island off the coast of Venezuela, arriving on 21 April 1818.
They were sent to Guayana and then to Angostura, beginning the campaign in the Apure. At Angostura (present-day Ciudad Bolívar) Wright first met Simón Bolívar, for whom he developed a deep admiration. Bolívar opened the liberating campaign in Apure. During 1818–1819, one of his earliest battles with Wright partaking as an officer was at Trapiche de Gamarra on 27 March 1819. These encounters inspired Bolívar to begin his New Granada campaign and the march over the Andes. Wright accompanied Bolívar on the legendary crossing on which 25% of the British/Irish troops died.
He took part in the entire land campaign to liberate the northern countries of South America, and fought in numerous land battles with Bolívar's army, including, Pantano De Varges on 25 July, the Battle of Boyacá on 7 August 1819, Cienega de Santa Martha on 10 November 1820, and the Battle of Carabobo on 24 June 1821. Further battles included Bombona on 7 April 1822 and Pasto in September 1822.
Wright was to play leading roles in the Battle of Vargas Swamp, and later in the victory at Boyacá in August 1819, after which he was promoted to captain. In 1820 he returned with his Rifles regiment to the coastal plains to campaign in the jungles east of the Magdalena against the Spanish based on Santa Marta. He fought at the Battle of Ciénaga on 10 November 1820, the outcome resulted in the capture of the town. The Rifles Corp were then transported by sea to Maracaibo, and on 21 June 1821 took part in Simon Bolívar's decisive victory at Carabobo. Cartagena was also seized and the Rifles were brought in boats up the Magdalena en route to Popayán. They formed part of the forces led by Bolívar in the second of his famed Andean campaigns. After the successful battle at Bomboná on 7 April 1822, Wright was twice mentioned in Bolívar's order of the day for his exceptional skill and courage. Again he was promoted and from February 1822 Wright was an acting lieutenant-Colonel, a rank to which was later confirmed in 1823, when he was serving under General Sucre, who joined up forces with Bolívar in Ecuador.
In 1823 the Rifles were shipped to Peru.