The Defence of Santiago de Cuba against Vernon’s Attack in 1741: principles of Fortification for Warfare in the Caribbean

En julio de 1741, el vicealmirante Edward Vernon, poco después del desastre de Cartagena, dirigirá sus fuerzas hacia Santiago de Cuba, gobernada entonces por el coronel Francisco Cagigal de la Vega, quien con anterioridad al estallido de la guerra dispuso los preparativos para su fortificación y defensa. En este estudio nos proponemos documentar la labor que en este ámbito desarrolló el ingeniero francés Francisco de Langle, a fin de analizar y poner en valor su concepto de fortificación para la guerra en el Caribe, que resultará clave para el éxito de esta empresa.In July 1741, few weeks after the disaster of Cartagena, the Vice-Admiral Edward Vernon led his fleet towards Santiago de Cuba. At that time, the city was governed by the Colonel Francisco Cagigal who counted on the French military engineer Francisco de Langle to plan the fortification of the city and its surrounding. This article analyses his project as a contribution to the knowledge of the successful defence of the city by analysing unpublished sources. This example will permit us to study the meaning of the Caribbean fortifications as a concept applied to a specific context