Battle of Abtao

Infobox Military Conflict
conflict=Battle of Abtao


caption=Spanish ships "Villa de Madrid" and "Reina Blanca" during the battle.
partof=Chincha Islands War
date=February 7 1866
place=Abtao, near Chiloé
result=Inconclusive
combatant1=flag|Spain
combatant2=flag|Peru|1825
flag|Chile
commander1=flagicon|Spain|1785 Claudio Alvar González
flagicon|Spain|1785 Juan Topete
commander2=flagicon|Peru|1825 Manuel Villar
strength1=2 steam frigates
strength2=1 steam frigate
2 corvettes
1 schooner
casualties1=unknown
casualties2=2 crewmen killed|

The Naval Battle of Abtao took place on February 7, 1866, between a Spanish naval squadron and a combined Peruvian-Chilean fleet, at the island of Abtao in the Chiloé Archipelago of central Chile.

Background

Sent by Peruvian president Mariano Ignacio Prado, who had rallied the South Americans in defense against Spanish aggression, the allies had sailed in convoy from the town of Ancud to the island of Abtao to wait the arrival of two new corvettes acquired by Peru.

The Spanish commander Casto Méndez Núñez, informed about the location of the Peruvian-Chilean fleet, ordered than the steam frigates "Villa de Madrid" (Captain Claudio Alvar González) and "Reina Blanca" (Commander Juan Topete), lift the blockade on Valparaiso and sail towards Abtao to intercept the enemy fleet.

On January 16, 1866, the combined Peruvian-Chilean fleet, composed of the Peruvian frigates "Apurímac" and "Amazonas" and the recently captured and refurbished Chilean schooner "Covadonga", had convoyed from the port of Ancud towards the shipyards on the little island of Abtao, at the head of the southern Chiloé Archipelago. On Abtao island, the Chileans had also built some military fortifications, which were strategically located at the end of a shallow and treacherous channel. During the difficult trip, the 36-gun steam frigate "Amazonas", suffering from the force of currents, collided with a submerged rock near Punta Quilque and sank. The rest of the allied ships arrived without problems, and remain in Abtao with orders to wait the arriving of Peruvian corvettes "Unión" and "América" before to start the offensive against the Spanish force. This ships arrive the February 4, 1866, without been detected by the enemy ships.

Meanwhile. the Spanish force was informed by the aborigines of the presence from other ships near Abtao, and intermediately set course to the island.

Battle

The frigates "Villa de Madrid" and "Reina Blanca" appeared off the inlet of Abtao on February 7, 1866, but did not enter, fearing the shallow water.

Manuel Villar, Commander of the Peruvian First Naval Division and commander of the combined fleet, ordered the attack when the Spaniards began to proceed through the widest channel. The allied ships included "Apurímac", "América", "Unión", and "Covadonga" form a line of battle to cover both inlets of the channel with their artillery.

The Spanish fleet open fire at the 15:00 hours from 1600 meters, followed by the fire of the allied fleet which surprisingly showed great accuracy, as the "Covadonga" scored a hit to the frigate "Reina Blanca" shooting from a distance of 600 meters. The allied ships received damaged as well, the "Apurímac" was hit several times in the floating line forcing her to move north, the "América" was hit once and also was the "Union", where two crewman were killed; The "Villa de Madrid" received eleven hits and the "Reina Blanca" sixteen, some of them in the floating line.

After two hours of battle and more of 1500 shots form each side, the Spanish frigates slowly withdrew covered by the fire of their guns.

In his report to the Admiral Méndez Nuñez, the Spanish Captain Claudio Alvar González wrote:

"The most effective and precise shots came from the Peruvian corvettes Unión y América.

Aftermath

After the results of Abtao, the Rear Admiral Casto Méndez Núñez traveled south with the "Numancia", "Resolución" and "Reina Blanca" to try to force a new combat with the allies. But all his efforts were unsuccessful. The Allied fleet had moved to Huito, a position of much more difficult access than Abtao.

On March 25, the Peruvian corvettes "Unión" and "América" were sent to the Strait of Magellan to intercept the Spanish frigate "Almansa", that according to intelligence reports had been dispatched from Spain to reinforce the Pacific fleet. The Peruvian ships remained in the area for over a month, but were not able to locate it. The "Almansa" didn't arrive to the Pacific coast until the end of April. The Chilean government also sent steamer Maipú to the strait to intercept the Spanish steamers Odessa and Vascongada.

The rest of the Allied fleet remained on the defensive in southern Chile, awaiting the arrival of the ironclads "Huáscar" and "Independencia", destined to become the factor that would change the force equilibrium. Both ships had departed from Brest the 26 February, in what would be a long and difficult travel. They were accompanied by the Britanic vapor "Thames", which transported carbon and other provisions. On 30 March 1866, in front of Brazilian waters, the Peruvian ironclads caused a new turn to the Spaniards by intercepting the Peninsula's bergantines "Dorotea" and "Paco", the first was destroyed while the second, by moving quickly, was able to escape capture. On 22 August 1866 the Spanish frigate "Gerona" captured the Chilean schooner "Pampero" when this ship set sail from the jetty of Funchal to Chile.

Notable sailors in the battle

Sub-lieutenant Patricio Montojo y Pasarón, later to become an Admiral and commander-in-chief of the Spanish Navy in the Philippines during the Spanish-American War, participated in this battle from the frigate "Almansa".

Lieutenants Arturo Prat (Chilean) and Miguel Grau (Peruvian), who were later to battle each other at the Naval Battle of Iquique, were comrades in this battle.

External links

* [http://www.armada.cl/arm_tradicion_hist/site/artic/20030513/pags/20030513155020.html El Combate Naval de Abtao] (includes an animated reenactment of the battle) es icon
* [http://members.tripod.com/~Guerra_del_Pacifico/Abtao.html Abtao - GUERRA HISPANO-PERUANA 1866] es icon