- Battle of Maipú
Infobox Military Conflict
conflict=Battle of Maipú
partof=theChilean War of Independence
caption=Battle of Maipú, painted in 1837
date=April 5 ,1818
place=Maipú plains, nearSantiago, Chile
result=Decisive Patriot victory
combatant1=
combatant2=flagicon|Spain|1785 Royalists
commander1=
commander2=flagicon|Spain|1785Mariano Osorio
strength1=c5,000
strength2=c5,000
casualties1=1,000
casualties2=2,000 dead
3,000 capturedThe Battle of Maipú was a battle fought nearSantiago, Chile onApril 5 1818 betweenSouth America n rebels and Spanish royalists, during the South American wars of independence. Victory came to the rebels commanded byJosé de San Martín , leader of the resistance toSpain in southern South America, and it completed the independence of Chile from Spanish domination.Background
In 1817, the Argentine General
José de San Martín led an army across the Andes and defeated the Spanish at the battles of Chacabuco and Chalchuapa and captured Santiago. The Spanish viceroyalty sent a Spanish army to Santiago under GeneralMariano Osorio , which defeated San Martin at theSecond Battle of Cancha Rayada . The drive for independence never diminished, however, and the following year San Martin launched a final offensive, which was to decide the outcome of the war.The battle
In April 1818, marched his army out from Santiago and scaled the Andes Mountains, some rising as high as 13,000 feet (4,000 m). Near the
Maipú River high in the rugged terrain of the Andes, San Martin caught the Spanish army under General Osorio off guard. The Royalists formed up on a ridge, but with their left flank separated from the main body. San Martin attacked this flank, driving off the Royalist cavalry with his own elite Horse Grenadiers, and isolated it, securing his right flank. He then attacked the Royalists in the centre, and was initially repulsed, but a Royalist counter-advance was met by effective artillery fire, and also driven back. At this point, General Osorio deserted the field, leaving the Royalist army under the command of Colonel Ordonez. San Martin committed his reserve to the attack, and the Royalists retreated, some making a stand at a nearby farm.Results
The victory produced tremendous results. The victory ended the struggle for
Chile an independence and so demoralized the Spanish army inSouth America that San Martin was able to easily sweep through and liberatePeru . The battle left 2,000 Spaniards dead and 3,000 captured; the patriots lost about 1,000 men.Order of Battle
Patriots Commander: General
José de San Martin
*"Las Heras' Division" (Colonel Las Heras):*11th Infantry Battalion (Argentinian):*"Cazadores de Coquimbo" (Chilean):*Battalion "Infantes de la Patria" (Chilean):*4 Squadrons ofHorse Grenadiers (Argentinian):*8 Field Pieces
*"Alvarado' Division" (Colonel Alvarado):*2nd Infantry Battalion (Chilean):*8th Infantry Battalion (Argentine):*"Cazadores de los Andes" (Argentine):*4 Squadrons "Cazadores a Caballo de los Andes":*9 Field Pieces
*"Reserve Division" (Colonel de la Quintana):*1st Infantry Battalion (Chilean):*3rd Infantry Battalion (Argentine):*7th Infantry Battalion (Argentine):*2 Squadrons Escort Cavalry:*4 Field PiecesTotal: 5,000 men with 21 gunsRoyalists Commander: General
Mariano Osorio
*1st Brigade (Colonel Ordoñez):*Battalion "Concepción":*Battalion "Infante Don Carlos":*1 Company Sappers:*Squadron "Lances del Rey":*Squadron "Arequipa Dragoons":*4 guns
*2nd Brigade (Colonel Morla):*Battalion "Arequipa":*Battalion "Burgos":*"Chillan Horse Dragoons":*2 Squadron "Frontier Dragoons":*4 guns
*3rd Brigade (Colonel de Rivera):*Amalgamated battalion (Grenadier and Cazadores Companies from Battalions "Burgos", "Concepción", "Infante" and "Arequipa"):*4 gunsTotal: 5,000 men with 12 gunsources
* [http://historicaltextarchive.com/sections.php?op=viewarticle&artid=642 Battle of Maipú: Its Causes, Events, and Effects Upon South America (Historical Text Archive)]
*"Compton's Home Library: Battles of the World" CD-ROMExternal links
* [http://www.maipuasuservicio.cl/nuevo/biblioteca/labatalla.htm Maipú a su servicio journal]
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