Fights of Malpelo

Naval action delivered the August 31st 1828, off the Ecuadorian coasts, at the time of the war which opposed the Peru to the Grande Colombia (1828 - 1829)

The conflict enters Peru and Large-Colombia

Large Colombia was a confederation resulting from the wars of independence which ensanglantèrent the South America, at the beginning of the 19th century; it joined together the Colombia, the Ecuador, the Venezuela and the Panama of today. Though its soldiers took part in the fight émancipatrice of Peru (independent since December 1824), the good relationships with this country did not last. Large Colombia reproached Peru for having fomented a rebellion against its troops stationed in Bolivia since the end of the wars with the Spanish colonial occupant and to refuse n the other hand to pay an allowance of the military aid brought at the time of the independence conflict. In addition, a litigation of sovereignty also opposed them being the frontier provinces of Jaén and Maynas.

The dispute envenima and degenerated into confrontation armed in 1828. Peru took the initiative. Thanks to the efforts of the Admiral Jorge Martin Own way, the father of the Peruvian navy, this country had a navy made up of 16 war buildings and transport, operations by well trained crews. Initially, the Peruvian staff decided to make use of this marine, to block the ports Ecuadorian and Colombian and to seize Guayaquil, which was going to cause the first confrontation of the war.

The combat

August 31st, 1828, the Peruvian Corvette Libertad , armed with 24 guns and ordered by the Commander Carlos Garcia de Portal crosses off the Ecuadorian coasts when it is intercepted in broad island of Malpelo by two Colombian warships: the Goélette Guayaquileña (12 guns) and the corvette Pichincha (18 guns). The combat engages between the three buildings which are exchanged bordered on broadsides. The Libertad tries to approach the Guayaquileña , but this one manages to be concealed. However, the Peruvian artillerists are more precise than their adversaries and in front of broken down, the two Colombian ships admit their defeat and are folded up on Guayaquil, where they seek the protection of the batteries of the port.

Consequences

The first combat delivered by the young Peruvian navy thus ends in a success. The naval superiority of Peru does not cease continuing: the November 22nd following, its fleet gains a new victory at the time of the Combat of Cruces, which however costs the life the admiral Guise, and it takes an active part very in the operations which lead to the catch of Guayaquil the 1829. On the other hand, the terrestrial operations, determining for the exit of the conflict, are unfavourable in Peru, and its army is severely beaten the February 27th by the army of Large Colombia, ordered by the marshal Antonio Jose de Sucre with the Bataille of Tarqui.

Sources

External bonds

History of Spanish Peru

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