Battle of Tortuguero

Infobox Military Conflict
conflict=Battle of Tortuguero
partof=the Dominican War of Independence


caption= The three Dominican schooners later on in Santo Domingo circa 1850.
date=April 15 1844
place=Tortuguero, Azua Province
result=Dominican victory
combatant1=
combatant2=flagicon|Haiti|civil Haiti
commander1= Lt. Juan Alejandro Acosta
commander2=Unknown
strength1=3 schooners: "Separación Dominicana" "María Chica" "Leonor"
strength2=1 brigantine: "Pandora" 2 schooners: "La Mouche" "Le Signifie"
casualties1=None
casualties2=1 brigantine 2 schooners

The Battle of Tortuguero, was the first naval battle of the Dominican War of Independence and was fought on April 15, 1844 at Puerto Tortuguero, Azua Province. A force of 3 Dominican schooners led by Commander Juan Bautista Cambiaso, defeated a force of 2 brigantines, 2 schooners and 2 sloops-of-war of the Haitian Navy. Though it was a minor naval battle engagement, it determined the naval supremacy of the Dominican Republic over Haiti until the end of the war.

The three schooners led by Commander Juan Bautista Cambiaso were the "Separación Dominicana" (flagship) led by himself, the "María Chica" led by Captain Juan Bautista Maggiolo and the "Leonor" led by Lieutenant Juan Alejandro Acosta. These were the original three Dominican vessels which were incorporated in the newly created Dominican Navy authorized by the Junta Central Gubernativa with the Naval Act of 1844 on April 23, 1844.