DNA confirms it: Assateague’s wild horses came from a Spanish shipwreck

La Galga’s Hurricane Wreck and Assateague’s Wild Horses

The Spanish warship La Galga set sail from Havana in August 1750, guarding six ships full of treasure. Near Bermuda, a fierce hurricane hit, pushing the fleet toward American shores.

For twelve long days, La Galga fought the storm, losing her masts before crashing onto Assateague Island with her decks underwater.

Captain Huony and most of his 200-man crew lived, thanks to Native Americans who paddled out to save them.

Meanwhile, Spanish horses aboard swam to shore, with most making it safely to land. Recent DNA tests now back up Assateague’s famous wild horses’ origin.

The shipwreck site at Assateague Island National Seashore still holds secrets from that fateful day, along with Spanish artifacts you can see firsthand.

Spanish Ship Sailed With Treasure and Horses

The Spanish warship La Galga left Havana on August 18, 1750.

Captain Daniel Huony from Ireland led the 54-gun ship with 200 crew members as it guarded six merchant ships full of treasure heading to Spain.

The ship also carried Spanish horses. The fleet included ships with names like Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe and El Salvador.

Built in 1731, La Galga had already fought in Mediterranean battles and protected treasure ships for nearly 20 years.

Giant Storm Broke Apart the Spanish Fleet

A huge hurricane hit the fleet near Bermuda on August 25, 1750, just seven days after they left Cuba. Strong winds and waves pushed all ships west toward America’s coast.

La Galga lost its masts during the week-long storm and started taking on water fast. The crew threw cannons overboard to make the ship lighter as they struggled to control it in the rough seas.

Crew Fought for Survival During Twelve Days at Sea

For almost two weeks, La Galga battled the hurricane while drifting toward American shores. Twisted ropes held the wooden sides together as waves pounded the ship.

Captain Huony and his sailors worked non-stop to keep the leaking vessel from sinking as waves washed over the decks.

Other ships in the fleet faced similar problems, with some crashing at Cape Lookout while others made emergency stops along the coast.

Ship Hit a Reef 25 Times and Lived

On September 4, 1750, during Saint Rosalia’s feast day, La Galga hit a reef 25 separate times off Assateague Island.

The crew thought they would die as the ship repeatedly crashed against the underwater obstacle. Somehow, La Galga slipped off the reef into deeper water, giving everyone one last chance to live.

The damaged warship made its final run toward the nearby shore.

La Galga Ended Up on Assateague Beach

The next day, September 5, 1750, La Galga ran into shallow water near Assateague Island with water covering its decks.

The ship got stuck in the surf zone close to land but didn’t sink completely. Everyone on board lived through the grounding, though the ship couldn’t be fixed.

Locals heard news that a Spanish ship had crashed “in Virginia at the border” between Maryland and Virginia.

Local People in Canoes Rescued the Spanish Sailors

Some crew members and English prisoners tried swimming to shore through the rough surf. One soldier and several passengers drowned while trying to swim with heavy money bags tied around their waists.

Native Americans came in canoes to help, pulling sailors from the churning waters. Thanks to these local rescuers, most of the 200 people made it safely to land.

The Horses Swam to Freedom

Spanish horses trapped on La Galga faced their own life-or-death swim to Assateague’s beaches.

Local stories say five horses drowned while trying to reach land through the rough waves. The rest swam ashore and found freedom on the wild barrier island.

These tough animals got used to their new home and started the famous wild horse population that still runs free on Assateague today.

Crew Spent Three Days Stranded From Their Wreck

The Spanish survivors stayed on Assateague for three days waiting for help.

Meanwhile, local people quickly started taking things from the wreck and told Captain Huony to give up all salvage rights.

The captain thought about burning the ship to stop English salvage efforts but didn’t want to make the locals angry.

Instead, he officially gave the wreck to “the Owner of the Land.”

The Survivors Traveled Toward Home

After their time on the island, local boats took the Spanish survivors from Assateague to the mainland.

The group traveled by land to Snow Hill, Maryland, looking for a way back to Spain. From there, they went to Norfolk, Virginia, to find ships for their trip home.

Officials did a survey to figure out if the wreck sat in Maryland or Virginia waters, which would decide who could legally salvage it.

The Shipwreck Disappeared Under Sand and Waves

The survey placed La Galga “two ship lengths” north of the Maryland-Virginia line, putting it in Maryland waters.

Captain Huony told Maryland Governor Samuel Ogle about this in November 1750. Sand quickly built up around the empty hull as fall storms hit the coast.

By early November, a strong northeast storm broke the gun deck loose, and the ship got permanently buried under the shifting sands of Assateague.

Modern Science Confirms the Spanish Horse Legend

Recent DNA tests on a 16th-century Spanish horse tooth from Puerto Real, Haiti, shows genetic links to today’s Chincoteague ponies.

The 2022 study provides scientific proof backing up the centuries-old legend of Spanish shipwreck origins. Genetic markers show the horses came from the Iberian Peninsula, matching Spanish colonial stock.

This DNA evidence supports the story that Assateague’s wild horses truly descended from La Galga’s survivors, connecting modern tourists to this maritime history.

Visiting Assateague Island National Seashore, Virginia

Assateague Island National Seashore has two entrances – Maryland via Route 611 and Virginia via Route 175. You’ll pay $25 for a 7-day vehicle pass or $45 annually.

The Maryland visitor center displays real Spanish artifacts from La Galga including an anchor, coins, and ship pieces that Spain loaned permanently.

You can’t drive between the Maryland and Virginia sections, so you’ll need to return to mainland to switch areas.

This article was created with AI assistance and human editing.

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