Battle of Tarapacá

Infobox Military Conflict
conflict=Battle of Tarapacá


caption=
partof=the War of the Pacific
date=November 27, 1879
place=San Lorenzo de Tarapacá, Peru
result=Peruvian victory
combatant1=flag|Chile
combatant2=flag|Peru|1825
commander1=flagicon|Chile Luis Arteaga
commander2=flagicon|Peru|1825 Andrés Cáceres
strength1=3,000 infantry
10 field guns
strength2=4,200
casualties1=516 killed,
176 wounded,
60 captured
casualties2=236 killed,
261 wounded,
76 missingThe Battle of Tarapacá occurred on November 27, 1879 during the War of the Pacific.

Background

Following a significant defeat during the battle of San Francisco at the hands of the Chilean invaders, the remnants of the Peruvian army were scattered, demoralized and almost leaderless.

Upon realizing that a column of exhausted Peruvian soldiers under the command of Andres Avelino Caceres had stopped near the town of Tarapacá to rest and obtain water, the Chilean colonel Luis Arteaga decided to take advantage of the situation.

Thus, Arteaga dispatched a party of five hundred men hurriedly in a desperate attempt to crush the Peruvians. However, Arteaga soundly underestimated the battle capabilities of his enemies, who fought energically and managed to capture many artillery pieces after a series of brilliantly planned ambushes.

Despite this unexpected success, Caceres' victory proved Pyrrhic for the Peruvians, who were unable to obtain any strategical advantage from the skirmish. Ironically, the Peruvians were forced to bury their captured cannon upon being unable to carry them away due to insufficient logistics.

The battle of Tarapacá marks the beginning of Andres Avelino Caceres' career as one of the most distinguished military leaders in Peruvian (and South American) history.

The Chilean Eleuterio Ramírez Molina perished during this battle.

See also

*War of the Pacific