Chilean occupation of Peru

The command of the Chilean Expeditionary Forces passed from Manuel Baquedano on to Cornelio Saavedra, then Pedro Lagos and finally to Patricio Lynch, who set down his military headquarters in the Government Palace of Peru in Lima.

In abcense of a Peruvian President who was willing to accept their peace terms, on 22 February 1881 the Chileans allowed a "convention" of Peruvian "notables" outside of Lima to elect Francisco Garcia Calderon as President. Also was allowed to him to rise and arm two infantry battalions (400 men each) and two small caballery squadrons in order to give more consistency to the provisional government.^[1]

At that time the Secretary of State of the new James A. Garfield's US-administration, James G. Blaine, who saw the war as an inadmissible intervention of British Capital in the US-Sphere of influence, outlined a new policy in June 1881 changing the previously neutrallity for a deny of any territorial annexation of territories.^[1] On 26 June 1881 the USA administration recognized President Calderon.

Middle April the Chileans started the Ambrosio Letelier Expedition to defeat the last forces of Pierola, but after many losts the expedition came back to Lima in early July, where Letelier and his officers were court martialed.

In Chile meanwhile has been elected a new administration, of Domingo Santa Maria and she pushed for finish the costly war. Because of Calderon's refusal to accept the Chilean peace conditions, he was place under arrest by the Chileans. His arrest achieved the unite of the Pierola and Caceres forces under the in last moment named vicepresident Montero and was taken by the US-administration as a direct affront.^[2]

References

1. ^ ^{a b} See Bruce W. Farcau, "The ten Cents War", Praegers Publishers, 88 Post Road West, Westport, CT 06881, ISBN 0-275-96925-8, Chapter 11, page 173
2. ^ See Bruce W. Farcau, "The ten Cents War", Praegers Publishers, 88 Post Road West, Westport, CT 06881, ISBN 0-275-96925-8, Chapter 11, page 176