Hispano-south-American War

The hispano-south-American war opposed the Spain to the republics of the Chile and the Peru, and to a lesser extent with the Bolivia and the Ecuador. The conflict began in 1864 with the occupation with Spain of the islands Chincha and ended with the peace treaty signed to Lima, the June 12th 1883. This war is known like the war against Spain in Chile and Peru, and in Spain like the war of the Pacific or rather first war of the Pacific , because the term Guerre of the Pacific also refers to the conflict which opposed Chile to Peru and Bolivia between 1879 and 1883.

Origins and context of the conflict

This conflict originates in the war of independence of Peru, which was held 1820 with 1824 and which ended in the battles of Ayacucho the December 9th 1824 and the Capitulation of Ayacucho.

Peruvian debts towards the “motherland”

In the text of the capitulation, Peru recognized certain debts towards Spain. But he refused thereafter to honor them as long as Spain does not recognize its independence. In 1864, Spain, which by had not always recognized the independence of Peru, intended to recover them under the pressure of the holders of Spanish and Peruvian titles residing in Europe.

Political situation in Peru and in Spain

In October 1862, the marshal Ramón Castilla Marquezado finished its mandate of president of the Republic of Peru. After the elections, the general Miguel de San Román reached the presidency. This one died the March 3rd 1863 before the end of its mandate. The Castilla marshal, then the general Pedro Diez Canseco took over temporarily successively the duties. But under the terms of the Peruvian constitution, the general Juan Antonio Pezet, as a vice-president, took the report heading the August 5th 1863 on his return of Paris.

In Spain, the Unión Liberal was with the capacity under the reign of Isabelle II. The government chaired by the general O'Donnell, anxious to continue the expansionist policy started at the time of the previous decade, had decided to send a maritime forwarding in the Pacifique. Spain was then the fourth naval power in the world.

Spanish maritime forwarding in the Pacific

This forwarding had in particular as an unavowed objective to negotiate with the Peruvian government to regulate the accounts still outstanding colonial time. At the end of May 1862, it was decided to associate with forwarding a scientific expedition, named Comisión Científica del Pacífico made up of three zoologists, a geologist, a botanist and an anthropologist, accompanied by a taxidermist and a draftsman-photographer. Forwarding started from Cadiz on August 10th, 1862. It was formed by the ships of the Spanish Marine Resolución , Triunfo , Vencedora and Covadonga , under the command of the Rear-admiral Luis Hernández Pinzón.

The Spanish squadron arrived at the Chilean port of Valparaiso the April 18th 1863. Spain had recognized the independence of Chile in the Années 1840, and the two countries had diplomatic relations. Forwarding was accepted by the local authorities. It left Chile in July in direction of north. The Spanish squadron arrived at the port of Callao at Peru, the July 10th 1863. Although there did not exist at the time of diplomatic relations between the two countries, the general Juan Antonio Pezet authorized his entry in the port. The Spaniards were well accommodated. They made steps with an aim of obtaining the payment of the debt of independence.

The incident of Talambo

Whereas the Spanish squadron had started from Callao since July 27th, birthday day before of the independence of Peru, bound for San Francisco, one learned that an incident had burst on August 4th in the hacienda of Talambo, between Trujillo and Chiclayo in north from Peru. A confrontation between peasants and the owner of the hacienda had shown the death of a Spanish colonist. The incident served as a pretext for the Spaniards of forwarding to return in Callao on November 13rd. The Spaniards protested near the Peruvian government and required excuses and repairs. For this last, it was not that about an private affair within the competence of Peruvian justice.

Beginning of the hostilities

The catch of the Chincha islands

So that an military intervention in an old colony is not perceived in a negative way in the world, Spain sent initially to Peru Eusebio Salazar there Mazarredo, with the title of " Special and Extraordinary Police chief of the Queen " , a title which was allotted to the inspectors at the time of the colonies. It was also charged to require the payment of the Peruvian debts dating from independence. Salazar arrived at Callao the March 18th 1864 and required to be received by the Chancellerie.

For the Peruvian government, it was a provocation deliberated on Spain and did not recognize the title of the “police chief” not more than the mission which was entrusted to him. Salazar was not accepted nowhere on a purely official basis.

On this end not-to receive, the Spanish squadron left the roads of Callao, travelled in the south towards the islands Chincha and seized some. The Drapeau of Peru was brought and the Spanish flag was hoisted the April 14th 1864. The Peruvians who extracted the Guano on the island were expelled. The Chincha islands constituted a very important financial resource for the Peruvian government at the time, therefore a currency of exchange valid for the Spaniards.

The Spanish squadron also subjected to the blockade the Peruvian main ports, which caused to disorganize the trade and caused the disapproval in all the Latin America. The Spaniards awaited little resistance on behalf of Peru from which they considered the value military negligible. During the blockade, the Spaniards lost the Triunfo , destroyed by an accidental fire.

Reaction of the president of Peru

Hesitating, the general Juan Antonio Pezet, entered into negotiations with the Spaniards. The newspapers of the time compared it with new a Atahualpa, criticizing its weakness. But it is true that Pezet knew that Peru did not have a good navy of war, this one being only consisted of the frigate Amazonas and of the Goélette S Tumbes and leasing . The Spanish squadron thus appeared invincible to him.

He wanted to save time and hastened to send the colonel Francisco Bolognesi Cervantes in Europe to acquire of ships and other weaponries. Peru took ordering of the ships '' Huáscar '', Independencia , Unión and América . The last two ships will arrive in time on the theater of the operations, while the two first will arrive after the end of the conflict.

Spanish side, new the Prime Minister, Ramón María Narváez, was not agreement with unilateral decision makings of the admiral Pinzón on the ground and made it replace by the Vice-amiral Juan Manuel Pareja, former minister for the marine. This last had been born in Peru and his/her father had taken part in the engagements at the time of the war of independence of Chile. Very quickly however, Narváez changed opinion and sent 4 other warships in reinforcement for the fleet of the Pacific: the Blanca , the Berenguela , the Villa of Madrid and the armoured frigate Numancia .

The admiral Pareja arrived at Peru in December 1864, and immediately started diplomatic negotiations with the general Manuel Ignacio de Vivanco, special representative of the president of Peru.

The Vivanco-Pareja treaty

The negotiations started by Pezet and Vivanco failed in front of the Spanish requirements. The January 25th 1865, the Spanish squadron started the blockade of Callao and gave a 24 hours deadline so that the Peruvians accept its conditions. Always in prey with the doubt about the military possibilities of its country whereas the Spanish fleet had just been reinforced by powerful units, Pezet signed without delaying the Traité Vivanco-Pareja on the Spanish ship Villa of Madrid the January 27th 1865.

The treaty recognized the police chief Salazar there Mazarredo and granted to Spain a compensation for 3 million Peso S under the expenditure caused with the Spanish squadron in the Pacific. This treaty humiliating for Peru was pushed back by the Peruvian congress. Napoleon III which will send thereafter, in secrecy, support and armament with president Mariano Ignacio Prado. (not of sources, to check)-->

Civil war in Peru

Much in the country was opposed to this agreement, there-included/understood the vice-president Francisco Diez Canseco. The marshal Ramón Castilla, then president of the senate, representing the department of Moquegua, protested in a vehement way. In a rough discussion with Pezet which had come to the room to explain the situation, Castilla denounced the weakness of the government, struck president Pezet and the jaw broke to him. Furious, this last made exile Castilla in Europe, in February 1865.

The rising of Arequipa

The wick lit by the marshal Ramón Castilla was propagated in other areas of the country. The February 28th 1865, with Arequipa, the colonel Mariano Ignacio Prado was raised.

As the Spanish squadron also threatened Chile, Prado thought that the legal stability of all the old colonies of Spain in South America was in danger. This is why, whereas it was with Chincha on the way for Lima, it accepted Chilean delegates with whom it coordinated the actions to be carried out to defend the sovereignty of Peru and Chile.

Inversion of Pezet

Prado arrived at the doors of Lima, an army of 10.000 soldiers, then the army of Pezet took into account only 8.000 soldiers. Francisco Diez Canseco remained with a garrison in the Palais of the Government and Pezet left to the meeting Prado, going until Lurín. But there was no confrontation.

Misleading the vigilance of the troops of Pezet, the rebellious forces tried to enter Lima by the door of Guadalupe but were pushed back by an alarm of the barracks of Santa Catalina. They entered then by the door of San Simón. Without meeting almost resistance, they arrived until the principal place of Lima. They fought to it a hard battle against the garrison of the Palate of the Government. The battle of the November 5th 1865, lasted up to 10 a.m. The troops faithful to Pezet went only after having lost the three quarters of their manpower. The doors of the Palate opened and a crowd decided there penetrated, mainly with an aim of plundering it.

Resignation of the president of Peru

Pezet wanted to take again the Palate of the Government, but it could not be solved to attack Lima. Moreover there had been many defections within its troops. With its faithful last, it gained initially Callao then is established in the hacienda Concha, between Lima and Callao. It is there that it capitulated the November 8th 1865. Pezet and its closer collaborators took refuge on the British ship Shearwater , anchored to Callao. A few days later, it embarked with its family in direction of the England.

Dictatorship of Prado

Prado had entered to Lima and the vice-president Pedro Diez Canseco had seized the power, but for one short duration since as of the November 28th 1865, under the pressure of popular assemblies and by decision of the Peruvian army, colonel Mariano Ignacio Prado assumed de facto the presidency of the Republic with the title of " Supreme leader of Nation". It is him which will tie defensive alliance with Chile which meanwhile had declared the war in Spain.

Declaration of war of Chile in Spain

Since 1864 and the catch of the Chincha islands the feelings anti-Spanish had made only grow in other country of South America like Bolivia, Chile and Ecuador. Obviously, the Spaniards had neither the intention, neither the force, nor the resources to conquer their old colonies. But Peru and its neighbors nourished some doubts about the possibility of the re-establishment of the Spanish Empire in another form. It is thus not surprising only, when the Vencedora made slackening in a Chilean port to be supplied, the president Jose Joaquín Pérez Mascayano declared that the coal was a supply of war and could not be sold with a belligerent nation. But, for the Spaniards, this embargo could not be regarded as the proof of the Chilean Neutralité. Two Peruvian vapors had indeed left the port of Valparaíso with weapons and Chilean volunteers left to fight in Peru. Consequently, the admiral Pareja adopted a line still lasts and required sanctions against Chile, more severe than those which had been imposed on Peru. He then travelled towards Chile with part of his squadron limited to 4 ships, while the Numancia and the Covadonga remained in front of Callao.

The September 17th, 1865, Pareja arrived at Valparaíso on its vessel-admiral, the Villa of Madrid , and required that the Spanish flag be greeted by 21 blows of gun. It had chosen intentionally the previous day the birthday of the independence of Chile (September 18th) to present this requirement. The Chilean ones refused and the definitive answer of the Chilean president Jose Joaquín Pérez Mascayano was the declaration of war in Spain, approved by the Chilean Congrès the September 24th 1865.

Leopoldo O'Donnell, recently appointed Prime Minister to replace Narvaéz, ordered with the admiral Pareja to beat a retreat. This one was unaware of these orders from Spain. Not having troops to try an unloading, it decided to impose a blockade on the Chilean main ports. But to maintain a blockade total of the coasts Chilean, Pareja would have needed a fleet much more important than that it had. However the blockade of the port of Valparaiso made undergo economic losses in Chile and the foreign interests so much so that the neutral warships of the the United States and the United Kingdom emitted officially a protest.

During this time the two only warships of Chile were sent to Chiloé. It was of the corvette Esmeralda and the vapor Maipú , under the command of the commander Juan Williams Rebolledo. On the diplomatic level, Chile sought to form an alliance with Peru, in order to form a combined squadron being able to hold head with the Spaniards on the sea. But Peru was always in full revolution and even its navy of war was divided between partisans and opponents with the government into place. Thereafter, the Ambassador plenipotentiary Domingo Santa María managed to persuade colonel Mariano Prado, the chief of the revolutionists, to send to Chiloé the ships which were faithful for him under the condition which the Chilean ships come to the meeting from their Peruvian allies.

The Williams captain accepted the order to leave Chiloé in direction of the Chinchas islands, to make junction with the Peruvian squadron then return to the south with the latter starting from October 21st, 1865. But it did not meet anybody at the point of appointment. It decided to leave for Chilca, to the south of Lima, with the Esmeralda and sent the Maipú to Pisco with the meeting of the Peruvian fleet. In Chilca, the Chilean ones found the frigate Amazonas and the corvettes Unión and América . But the Peruvian commanders had now decided to await the exit of the revolution in progress in their country before considering any collaboration against Spain. Williams had to be solved with the return after this useless forwarding.

The possibility of a regrouping between the Peruvian and Chilean naval forces did not escape the Spaniards. The goélette Virgen de Covadonga thus left Callao on October 10th and was assigned to the blockade of Coquimbo.

The naval action of Papudo

The Williams captain made stopover with Lota to supply itself out of coal and was informed of these last events. He decided to attack the Virgen de Covadonga with the Esmeralda and installed in direction of north on November 21st. November 24th, the corvette Esmeralda wet with Tongoy, always in the search of information. Williams learned whereas the frigate Reina Blanca raised the goélette Virgen de Covadonga on the blockade of Coquimbo and that the latter weighed the anchor to go to block San Antonio. The Esmeralda thus left poster to a passage between Coquimbo and Valparaíso, with an aim of intercepting the Covadonga .

November 27th in the morning, the Chilean ones saw this ship and decided to attack it. Profiting from the effect of surprise, they damaged it sufficiently to hold it with their mercy.

The widening of the conflict

Declaration of war of Peru and Ecuador in Spain

The general Diez Canseco who directed Peru since the beginning of the month of November 1865 had tried like his Pezet predecessor to avoid the war with Spain. But this position was going to cause its fall. At the end of the month, the general Mariano Ignacio Prado, the chief of the nationalist movement and warmonger had reversed it. The new capacity immediately posted its solidarity with Chile and its intention to declare the war against Spain to wash the national honor. The December 5th 1865, Chile and Peru signed an alliance against Spain. The Peruvian congress ratified this alliance the January 12th, and Peru declared the war in Spain the January 14th 1866. A Peruvian squadron ordered by the captain Lizardo Montero and composed of the vapors Amazonas and Apurímac was formed to join the Chilean fleet.

Ecuador joined alliance the January 30th 1866 and declared the war in Spain the same day. The Bolivia, directed by the general Mariano Melgarejo, was going to follow the movement the March 22nd 1866. Thus, all the ports of the peaceful coast of South America were prohibited with the Spanish fleet. The Argentinian and the Brésil refused to join alliance because they were already engaged in the Guerre of Triple Alliance.

One strengthened Callao with dispatched artillery of Europe by Bolognesi. The ships Unión and América which had been bought in Europe had arrived by the Magellan Strait. The captain Manuel Villar was named chief of the reinforced Peruvian squadron, composed of the ships Amazonas , Apurímac , América and Unión . These ships were to join the Chilean vessels Esmeralda and Covadonga in Chiloé and to await there the ships armoured Huáscar and Independencia before undertaking actions against the Spanish fleet. The December 3rd 1865, the frigates Apurímac and Amazonas had already left for the south. The corvettes Unión and América installed in their turn 44 days later. The Chilean captain Juan Williams Rebolledo remained with the command of the allied fleet. The Amazonas , best of the Peruvian ships, was failed in the course of road on January 15th the Quilque point and was lost.

Naval action of Abtao

The ships of the allied fleet wet in the gulf of Ancud, precisely in bay of Abtao, an island of the Archipel of Calbuco on northern bank of the Canal Chacao. Juan Williams Rebolledo had arranged meanwhile a naval base with Abtao, in two splits of the island. This base was defended by artillery and it had envisaged to install there a building site of repair for the allied ships.

The Spanish admiral Casto Méndez Núñez wanted to recover the goélette Covadonga . The 10 and on January 14th, the frigates Villa of Madrid and Blanca started from Valparaíso to its research.

The February 7th, the Spanish frigates were located with broad of Abtao. They clashed with the 4 allied ships. The combat consisted of a remote artillery battle, without decisive results. The Spaniards withdrew themselves towards Valparaíso without to have been able to recover the Covadonga .

Bombardment of Valparaíso

The situation of the Spanish fleet became difficult. Four countries were officially in war, the allied fleet was going to receive the reinforcement of two important units (the Monitor Huascar and the Independencia and logistics (coal, vivres…) did not follow. Lastly, the maritime blockade with a too low number of vessels did not give the anticipated results. The commander of the Spanish fleet had received the order of the government in Spain to bombard Valparaíso and Callao until the goélette Covadonga is recovered, then to turn over to Spain. March 27th, Casto Méndez Núñez informed the governor of Valparaíso that it would bombard the city in four days. After ultimate and vain negociations via the British and of the states-uniens, Casto Méndez Núñez ordered the bombardment of Valparaíso in the morning of the March 31st 1866, causing great damage with the port. There were no victims because the population had been put at the shelter and the bombardments aimed mainly the public buildings.

Naval action of May 2nd, 1866

Then, Méndez Núñez travelled towards Callao, the port best defended of South America. The Peruvian government always awaited the reinforcement of the ships ordered in Europe. While waiting, it charged the navy and the army with the organization of defenses of the port. About fifty guns were gathered in various batteries and all the men were mobilized. The foreigners went voluntary in the brigades of firemen and the rescue stations. Casto Méndez Núñez joined the island San Lorenzo on board the Numancia the April 26th 1866. He announced the next day with the diplomatic corps in Lima which he would bombard Callao under a four days deadline. Actually, the confrontation took place only the May 2nd 1866. During several hours, the Spaniards bombarded the Peruvian positions which retorted not without some successes.

Reprocess Spanish squadron

In end-of-day, the Spaniards withdrew themselves on the island San Lorenzo which they left the May 10th 1866, ones in direction of Cape Horn, others towards the Polynésie and the Indian Ocean. Spain estimated to have achieved its goal which was to punish Peru and not to invade it. Peru asserted this victory since the Spaniards had beaten a retreat.

End of the war

An agreement of armistice was signed the April 11th 1871, Washington, for one indefinite duration between Spain, Bolivia, Chile, Ecuador and Peru.

Spain recognized the independence of Peru in 1880, establishes diplomatic relations and signed a final friendship and peace treaty the same year. Final peace between Spain and Chile was signed in 1883, in Lima, after the end of the Chilean occupation.

Consequences of the war

The war against Spain marked for its old colonies of South America the consolidation their independence, for Peru the recovery of the Chincha islands, for Chile of the important economic losses. A few years later, the Chilean and Peruvian navy, which had fought together and had reinforced their fleets in the face-to-face discussion with the Spaniards, clashed during an other war of the Pacific.

Compared naval forces

Spain

armor-plated Frigates

Numancia - construction in 1863, tonnage 7.500tonnes, speed 12 nodes, armament 34 guns of 200 mm, crew 620 men. At the time one of the most powerful warships of the world. First ship armoured to carry out a round the world tour

Frigates with vapor

Villa of Madrid - construction in 1862, tonnage 4.478 tons, speed 15 nodes, armament 30 guns of 200-mm, 14 guns of 160 mm, 2 guns of 120 mm plus 2 howitzers of 150 mm and 2 guns of 80 mm for the operations of unloading.
Resolución - construction in 1861; tonnage 3.100 tons; speed 11 nodes, armament 20 guns of 200 mm, 14 guns of 160 mm, a gun of 220 mm on turret, 2 howitzers of 150 mm, 2 guns of 120 mm and 2 guns of 80 mm for the operations of unloading.
Triunfo - construction in 1861, tonnage 3.100 tons, speed 11 nodes, armament 20 guns of 200 mm, 14 guns of 160 mm, a gun on turret of 220-mm and 2 howitzers of 150 mm, 2 guns of 120-mm and two guns of 80 mm for the operations of unloading. This ship was lost in an accidental fire with the whole beginning of the war.
Almansa - construction in 1864, tonnage 3.980 tons, speed 12 nodes, armament 30 guns of 200 mm, 14 guns of 160 mm and 2 guns of 120 mm plus 2 howitzers of 150 mm and 2 guns of 80 mm guns for the operations of unloading. This ship arrived in the Pacific in April 1866, little time before the battle of Callao.
Reina Blanca - Tonnage 3.800 tons, armament 68 guns.
Berenguela - Tonnage 3.800 tons, armament 36 guns.

Goélettes

Virgen de Covadonga - construction in 1864, tonnage 445 tons, speed 8 nodes, Armament 2 guns on turret of 200 mm guns on the sides and 1 gun on turret of 160 mm in prow. Ship captured by the Chilean ones in 1865.

Corvettes

Vencedora - construction in 1861, tonnage 778 tons, speed 8 nodes, armament 2 guns on turret of 200 mm and 2 guns of 160 Misters

Transport

Marks of Victoria - 3 guns
Paquete del Maule - taken with Chilean the
Consuelo
Mataure

Peru

Frigates

Amazonas - construction in 1852, tonnage 1.743 tons, speed 9,43 nodes, armament 6 guns of 68 pounds, 10 guns of 32 pounds, 1 gun of 84 pounds, 1 gun of 12 pounds, 16 guns of 32 pounds
Apurímac - construction in 1854, tonnage 1.666 tons, speed 7 nodes, armament 12 guns of 32 pounds, 8 guns of 68 pounds
América - construction in 1863 with the Dubigeon building sites of Nantes (France) in 18, tonnage 2.016,66 tons, speed 13,7 nodes, armament 12 rifled bores of 68 pounds (162 mm), 1 gun of 9 books. Initially built for the confederated fleet.
Unión - construction in 1863 with the Dubigeon building sites of Nantes (France) in 18, tonnage 2.016,66 tons, speed 13,7 nodes, armament 12 rifled bores of 68 pounds (162 mm), 1 gun of 9 books.

Goélettes

leasing
Tumbes

Chile

Corvettes

Esmeralda - Construction in 1854 in England, tonnage 854 tons, speed 8 nodes, armament 20 guns of 32 pounds

Goélettes

Covadonga - ship taken to the Spaniards (see higher)
Maipú - Construction in 1855, tonnage 450 tons, speed 8 nodes, armament 1 gun of 68 pounds and 4 guns of 32 pounds

See too

External bonds

History of the Navy of Peru: The War against Spain (1863-1866)
Page of the navy of Chilean war on the war against Spain
Account of the war on the site Historia there Arqueologia Marítima (with photographs of the time
On the Spanish scientific exhibition
On the incident of Talambo and the combat of Callao of May 2nd
War against Spain 1864-1866

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