pieces on the Paraná River for the city's defense. For his valor and gallantry, the Spanish Royal government made him a Lieutenant Colonel of the urban militias. After the defeat of the British army, the Royal Navy enforced a blockade on the River Plate. This moved the Viceroyalty authorities to resort to privateers in order to harass British shipping. On 17 November 1806, in Buenos Aires, Santiago de Liniers gave him a letter of marque for La Mosca de Buenos Aires, of four guns and 60 men, built by Anselmo Saénz Valiente. On 1 June 1807, the Mosca de Buenos Aires outran the brigs and as they chased her upriver. Later, two boats from the British warships attempted to seize Mosca de Buenos Aires in shallow waters. They failed, although they did manage to capture an enemy sloop. The letter of marque expired in 1808 whereupon Azopardo retired from privateering for the Spanish crown. Argentine service War of independence Azopardo joined the revolutionary forces on the May Revolution of 1810. He was given back the rank the Spanish viceroy had taken from him. After the poor results of the Paraguay campaign, Manuel Belgrano requested reinforcements from Buenos Aires in order to maintain his fight in the region. The Junta could not send them by land through Entre Ríos Province, as the rivers were controlled by the royalist navy under Gaspar de Vigodet. At the end of 1810 the government gave Lieutenant Colonel Azopardo, command of the first national navy, comprising three vessels, whose mission was to protect the advance of the reinforcements to Belgrano's force. The ships of this small squadron were the schooner Invencible, the brigantine 25 de Mayo and the sloop América. His second in command was captain Hipólito Bouchard. At the Battle of San Nicolás, on 2 March 1811, he was forced to confront a superior royalist navy with seven ships to his three. Azopardo was wounded and made prisoner, with his ships being captured. Belgrano would have to do without reinforcements and be forced to sign a document abandoning Paraguay. Imprisoned by the Spaniards, Azopardo was moved to Ceuta, where he shared a prison cell with the Inca Juan Bautista Túpac Amaru. The revolution of General Riego (1820) ended with the liberals taking power in Spain, and ordering the freedom of all political prisoners. Azopardo returned to Argentina, where he was received as a hero. He