Juan Bautista Azopardo-Native name Ġann Patist Azzopardi (Born 19 February 1772 in Senglea, Malta –Died 23 October 1848 in Buenos Aires) was a Maltese privateer and military man who fought under the flags of the Netherlands, Spain, and Argentina. Early life Juan Bautista Azopardo was born in Senglea, Malta, the son of Rosina (née Romano) and Salvatore Azopardo. As a young man he studied naval architecture at the French arsenal in Toulon. Privateer Azopardo served with the French and the British fleets, the latter under the command of Admiral John Jervis. He captained the tartanes San Antonio and Anime del Porgatorio. He later served as a privateer with a Letter of marque from the Netherlands, and then with a letter of marque from Spain against England. Azopardo arrived in the Río de La Plata area in the first years of the 19th century. During the war between England and the Batavian Republic (the Netherlands), he served on the schooner De Hoop and took part in the capture of the ship Neptune. Neptune arrived at the port of Montevideo as a prize on 21 January 1804; she was carrying 256 slaves. The prize master was the Frenchman Hipólite Mordeille. Next, Azopardo served as second in command of the privateer Dromedario. Dromedario, with Mordeille, master, sailed with a letter of marque from Montevideo. She was armed with 22 guns and had a crew of 350 men under the command of Hipólito Mordeille, with Azorpardo as second captain. Spanish records report that in June 1805, Viceroy Sobremonte issued two letters of marque, one for Dolores (24 guns), Currand, master, and Berro y Errasquin, owner, and one for Dromedario (20 guns), Hippolito Mordel, master, and Canuerso y Masini, owner. The two sailed for the African coast, looking to capture enslaving ships. In three months of cruising Dolores captured three ships and one brig, carrying a total 600 enslaved people. Dromedario captured five ships, carrying a total of 500 enslaved people. British Invasions of Buenos Aires (1806 - 1807) The ship Dromedario transported some of the troops which fought against the first British Invasion (1806) of Buenos Aires. Along with his captain and the rest of the Dromedario crew, they fought in the final assault on the British position in Buenos Aires where the remnants of the British forces under general Beresford were. During the second British invasion (1807) of Buenos Aires they transported artillery