The Battle of Angamos (Spanish: Combate de Angamos) was a naval encounter of the War of the Pacific fought between the navies of Chile and Perú at Punta Angamos, on 8 October 1879. The battle was the culminating point of a naval campaign that lasted about five months in which the Chilean Navy had the sole mission of eliminating its Peruvian counterpart. In the struggle, two armored frigates, led by Commodore Galvarino Riveros Cárdenas and Navy Captain Juan José Latorre battered and later captured the Peruvian monitor Huáscar, under Rear Admiral Miguel Grau Seminario.
After the loss of the frigate Independencia at Punta Gruesa, Grau sought to challenge the outnumbering Chilean fleet with a harassing strategy, focused on inflicting as much damage as possible while avoiding a full-scale engagement. As Grau moved along the Pacific coast, he was chased by Admiral John Williams Rebolledo, who had been ordered to catch Grau no matter what. His failure cost him his commission, and was replaced by Riveros.
With a different strategy, Riveros managed to encircle Grau at Punta Angamos, about 80 kilometers north of Antofagasta. Falling in a trap set by Riveros and Latorre, Grau was forced to present battle after ordering the corvette Unión to escape to Perú.
Latorre, aboard Almirante Cochrane, engaged first. Taking advantage of the powerful Armstrong-type batteries with armour-piercing projectiles, Latorre shelled Huáscar for almost two hours. The monitor Huascar, with only ordinary elongated shot, could cause little damage to the Chilean ironclads and Grau was killed in action. However, his flagship continued the fight, while Riveros engaged her with the Blanco Encalada as well. After being battered for almost three hours, the Huáscar, unable to sustain combat, was boarded and captured and the battle ended.
The result was a complete success for the Chilean Navy, and secured its dominant position for the rest of the war. It allowed to prepare the invasion of the Tarapacá department, carried out on early November.
Chilean Navy dominance off the Pacific coast contributed significantly to success in the following land campaigns across the Atacama Desert that ended with Lima's fall in January 1881.
The Huáscar was repaired and served under the Chilean flag until its decommission, and now sits as a floating museum in the port of Talcahuano.
After the naval battle of Iquique of 21 May, the Peruvian fleet lost the armored frigate Independencia to a wooden schooner, Covadonga. This obliged Rear Admiral Miguel Grau to renounce to attack and to adopt a harassing strategy, avoiding by all means a direct encounter with the bulk of the Chilean navy.
Aboard the monitor Huáscar, Grau made several incursions into Chilean waters, successfully challenging the enemy's domination along the coast. Under his command, Huáscar sank or captured 14 transports, one of them carrying an entire cavalry regiment.
This last setback was considered a humiliation by the Chilean public opinion, and sparked several protests against the government. Besides, the Commander of the Chilean fleet Juan Williams Rebolledo resigned on 5 August. His poor command left his ships incapable of sailing without important repairs. The Chileans lost almost a month restoring the vessels to combat condition again. Therefore, the newly appointed Commander of the Navy, Commodore Galvarino Riveros Cárdenas, couldn't sail until September.
By 30 September, Riveros was notified that the corvette Unión was sailing to Panamá to escort five small ships with torpedoes bought from the United States. The Chilean fleet sailed again on 1 October, now carrying War Minister Rafael Sotomayor. The preceding week, the government had ordered the fleet to hunt down the Huáscar at all cost.[2] In a council held aboard Riveros' flagship, the armored frigate Blanco Encalada, it was decided to set course to Arica, hoping to find Huáscar there.
But, on 7 October, Riveros was informed that Grau had been sighted sailing north at Coquimbo, halfway between Arica and Valparaíso. Therefore, a new strategy was set up to capture the Peruvian monitor.
Divided in two divisions, Riveros with the slower ships would move close to shore, while Latorre would sail about 35km from shore with the faster ships. So, the fleet was divided as it follows:
On 1 October, Riveros gathered his officers and communicated the order of hunting down the Peruvian vessel at Arica. The same day, Grau in his flagship Huáscar ordered to sail along the coast as far south as Coquimbo, accompanied by the corvette Unión. Since the Chilean fleet sailed close to the shore and the Peruvians were farther out in the open sea, both formations didn't spot each other.
At Mejillones, on 7 October, a plan was approved to deceive the Peruvian ships. Riveros' division would wait for Grau at Antofagasta while Latorre would set up an east–west barrier-like formation about twenty miles (32km) from shore. If Riveros could spot Huáscar, he would follow and keep her from retreating to south until Latorre could engage.
During the night the Peruvian warships were sailing off the Chilean coast to Arica, when they saw the lights of Antofagasta. Admiral Grau decided to engage any Chilean vessel at the port, intending to inflict some damage.
At 01:10 h. on 8 October, Huáscar searched the bay without encountering any targets. She came up with Unión at 03:00 hrs, and both resumed their northward heading. At the same hour, lookouts on Blanco Encalada saw two smoke columns on the horizon. Simultaneously, Grau was informed that there were three smoke columns to north.
Both enemies spotted each other and the Peruvian ships turned back south. Riveros ordered a speed reduction of his to make Grau think it was possible to turn back north and sail for Perú. At 05:40 h., both Peruvian ships began to slowly turn once again north. Then, Riveros increased the speed of Blanco Encalada to get closer to the Peruvians and to discourage Grau from turning back south.
At 07:15 hrs, steaming northward, the two Peruvian vessels spotted smoke columns ahead; it was the incoming Latorre's division. Since the Peruvian Unión could manage 13 knots, she was able to sail northeastward and escape, but the Huáscar had to maintain course and fight.
The Struggle
Drawing of the Battle of AngamosBattle of Angamos
Around 8:30 h, the gap between Huáscar and Blanco Encalada reduced to 3,000 meters, and after Latorre modified his route, Cochrane was closing in too.[3]
Off Punta Angamos at 09:25 h. Grau opened fire over Cochrane, beginning the engagement. Latorre didn't answer, focused on approaching to Huáscar from its stern. About 15 minutes later, Cochrane retaliated from about 2,200 meters.[4] Her three starboard cannons caused serious damage to the monitor right from the start. The very first shot pierced Huáscar's turret, wounding the twelve crew members manning the 300-pound cannons. Another shot perforated the armor just above the waterline, cutting the left rudder chain and leaving Huáscar temporarily adrift. Meanwhile, Cochrane sustained little damage.[5] Grau's flagship listed hard to starboard and was hampered also by a deformation in the hull acquired when she rammed Prat's Esmeralda at Iquique five months ago. However, barely ten minutes later an emergency rudder was set up by Huáscar's crew.
At 10:00 h, a shot from Cochrane struck the bridge cabin, killing Admiral Grau and his adjutant, Diego Ferre.[6] Command fell to Captain Elías Aguirre. By this time Huáscar's stern was on fire since at least two more shells penetrated from the rear and shattered the rudder wheel (Cluny, pg. 230), and the forecastle was devastated too. Lt. Captain Gaona's gunners caused heavy casualties among the Peruvian crew: the Chileans were using Palliser type armor-piercing rounds, which exploded right after penetrating the hull.
At 10:10, the Huáscar's flag was brought down from its hoist by the intense gunfire. Latorre ordered a cease fire, thinking that the ship had surrendered. However, the monitor kept up its pace and within minutes an unidentified officer hoisted the flag again, resuming combat.[7] Meanwhile, the crew of the Huascar had again repaired the rudder wheel.
At 10:22 hrs, Blanco Encalada arrived to the fray. A shot from 200 meters perforated the Huascar's turret, killing almost all of the sailors within and damaging the rightmost cannon. Another shot from Cochrane passed through the officers' quarters and wrecked the emergency rudder station, which had been disabled already twice before. The Huáscar now could sail only in a wide semicircle to starboard. Once rudder control was regained, Aguirre tried to ram the Cochrane.[8] Latorre was also maneuvering to ram the Huáscar, but the Peruvian ironclad suddenly veered to port and both ships passed by each other. Another projectile pierced Huáscar's turret 12 minutes later, killing everyone inside, including Captain Aguirre. Command of the ship went to Lt. Pedro Garezon, who in conference with the remaining officers decided to scuttle the ship rather than allow it to be captured. At 10:54 hrs the order was given to evacuate the wounded from the engine room and open the main condensator to scuttle the ship and to prevent its capture.
At 10:55 hrs Huáscar's flag chain was caught (a second time) by the intense gunfire. The Chilean warships, noticing that the Huáscar was decreasing speed, mustered their boarding parties. At 11:08 hrs, 14 to 20 sailors boarded the Huáscar, without resistance. They closed the main condensator water leaks (with 1.2 meters of water in the engine room) and extinguished several fires while the prisoners were transported to the Chilean vessels. Acting commander Pedro Garezon pointed out to the Chilean officers that the flag was on deck together with the chain because they had all been cut off by the enemy shots, thus the flag was never brought down, nor had the ship been surrendered by the Peruvians. One of the Chilean officers observed that something similar happened to the Chilean ship Magallanes.
Consequences
With this combat, the Chilean navy eliminated the menace of the Peruvian fleet. With Huáscar's capture, plus the previous loss of Independencia at Punta Gruesa, the firepower of the Peruvian Navy was drastically reduced, and Chile incorporated the monitor in its fleet. The loss of both vessels, plus the death of Admiral Grau, Peruvians' best naval officer, gave the Chilean navy uncontested control of the Pacific coast of Peru bringing the naval campaign of the War of the Pacific to its end. The decisive victory at Angamos allowed the Chilean Army to freely pursue the plan to attack the Allies, and the land invasion of Peru began.
At the same time, it prevented the allies from carrying out concentrations and resupplying of their armies in southern Peru,. Nor would Peru or Bolivia have the possibility of initiating a land attack on the Chilean forces in Antofagasta because it could not supply them by sea.
Technical learnings:
Effectiveness of the design of armored ships having rotating turrets with large caliber guns as the main weapon.
The 250 pound Palliser Ammunition had devastating effects against the "Huáscar". It was the first combat use of such anti-armor projectiles.[9]
Reports on the combat appeared in various European and American magazines.[10]
Huáscar is an ironclad turret ship owned by the Chilean Navy built in 1865 for the Peruvian government. It is named after the 16th-century Inca emperor, Huáscar. She was the flagship of the Peruvian Navy and participated in the Battle of Pacocha and the War of the Pacific of 1879–1883. At the Battle of Angamos, Huáscar, captained by renowned Peruvian naval officer Miguel Grau Seminario, was captured by the Chilean fleet and commissioned into the Chilean Navy.
Miguel María Grau Seminario was a Peruvian Navy officer and politician best known for his actions during the War of the Pacific. He was nicknamed "Gentleman of the Seas" for his kind and chivalrous treatment of defeated enemies and is held in high esteem by both Peruvians and Chileans. Grau is an iconic figure for the Peruvian navy, and one of the most famous naval officers from the Americas.
Juan José Latorre Benavente Chilean Vice Admiral, one of the principal actors of the War of the Pacific, and hero of the Battle of Angamos.
Almirante Cochrane was a central battery ship of the Chilean Navy in the late nineteenth century. She was built, like her twin, Blanco Encalada, in the UK in 1875. She participated in the War of the Pacific, with her most prominent action being her victory over the Peruvian turret ram Huáscar in the Angamos naval battle. Almirante Cochrane was part of the forces that defeated President José Manuel Balmaceda in the Chilean Civil War of 1891.
Carlos Arnaldo Condell de la Haza was a Chilean naval officer and hero of the Battle of Punta Gruesa during the start of the War of the Pacific.
Blanco Encalada was a central battery ship built by Earle's Shipbuilding Co. in England for the Chilean Navy in 1875. She was nicknamed El Blanco. She participated actively in the War of the Pacific, her most important action being the capture of the Peruvian monitor Huáscar during the Battle of Angamos.
The Naval campaign of the War of the Pacific or Saltpeter war, was a naval campaign that took place from 1879 to 1884, involving Peru, and Chile, undertaken in order to support land forces in the Atacama Desert. Although the conflict lasted until 1884, the primary naval engagements occurred between 1879 and 1880. Due to the rough terrain and few transport methods it was imperative to have control of the ports in order to have a good supply source in the region. It resulted in a successful campaign by Chile, and the success of their land campaigns eventually led to a Chilean victory, which cut off Bolivia's access to the coast.
The Tarapacá campaign was a short stage of the War of the Pacific in the last months of 1879, after the Chileans won definitive naval superiority at Angamos. It took its name from the region where it was fought.
José Galvarino Riveros Cárdenas was a Chilean naval officer, Commander of the Chilean Squadron during the War of the Pacific.
The Naval Battle of Arica was a naval battle which took place on 27 February 1880 during the Blockade of Arica as part of the War of the Pacific.
BAP Unión was a corvette of the Peruvian Navy, originally ordered by the government of the Confederate States of America during the American Civil War. Built in France it was bought by the Peruvian Navy and during its service participated in the Chincha Islands War and in the War of the Pacific in which it was scuttled following the Blockade of Callao to prevent it falling into Chilean hands. The current Peruvian training ship; BAP Unión, is named after this vessel.
Aurelio García y García was a Peruvian Navy officer, diplomat and politician. García was a friend and comrade-in-arms of Miguel Grau, Manuel Ferreyros and Lizardo Montero, all of whom were known as the "Four Aces of the Peruvian Navy". He was also elected Mayor of Lima in 1877. He was also a man of wide culture, who was fully fluent in the English language and who had scientific inclinations.
The Pilcomayo was a gunboat of the Peruvian Navy which was involved in several actions during the War of the Pacific. Captured by the Chilean Navy on November 18, 1879, she was repaired and participated in the blockade of the Peruvian ports. After the war it was used for hydrographic research, then as a training ship. In service until 1909, Pilcomayo was finally used as a pontoon at Talcahuano.
The Raids of the Huáscar were a series of raids that occurred by the Peruvian ironclad Huáscar under the command of Miguel Grau Seminario during the War of the Pacific. The actions kept the Chilean government in check for nearly five months which ended after the Battle of Angamos.
The Second Battle of Iquique was a naval battle of the War of the Pacific that occurred on July 10, 1879. During the battle, the Huáscar faced the 2nd Chilean Naval Squadron which was blockading the port which lead to both forces to face each other.
The Capture of the steamer Rímac or the Hunt and seizure of the Chilean transport Rímac was a part of the Raids of Huáscar during the Naval campaign of the War of the Pacific. During an expedition over the conflicting seas, the Peruvian Navy ships, Huáscar and Unión, apprehend the Chilean war steamer Rímac, which was an artillery transport, taking all its cargo and capturing its crew, including a squad of the Carabineros de Yungay. In Chile, the news of the capture of the Rímac detonated a political and social crisis that led to the resignation of several government officials, including Rear Admiral Juan Williams Rebolledo, Commander General of the Chilean Navy.
The Second Battle of Antofagasta took place during the Naval campaign of the War of the Pacific between the Peruvian ironclad Huáscar against the Chilean corvettes Abtao and Magallanes as well as the land defenses at Antofagasta.
The Capture of the corvette Pilcomayo was a battle of the Naval campaign of the War of the Pacific. In the battle, the Peruvian gunboat Pilcomayo was captured by the Chilean ironclad Blanco Encalada after a brief confrontation.
Luis Anacleto Castillo Goñi (1844-1928) was a Chilean vice admiral who was a participant of the War of the Pacific. During the war, he was a commander of the Blanco Encalada, participating in numerous battles throughout the Naval campaign of the War of the Pacific and going on to serve an extensive military career after the war.
The Rupture of the Blockade of Arica was a naval battle of the War of the Pacific during the Blockade of Arica. The rupture was carried out by Manuel Villavicencio who commanded the BAP Unión of the Peruvian Navy. The Unión broke the Chilean blockade of the port twice in less than 8 hours on March 17, 1880.
References
Notes
↑ Bulnes, Gonzalo. Guerra del Pacífico, Tomo I, p 490
Ahumada Moreno, Pascual (1884–1892). Guerra del Pacífico. Recopilación de todos los documentos oficiales, correspondencia y demás publicaciones referentes a la Guerra que ha dado a luz la prensa de Chile, Perú y Bolivia, conteniendo documentos inéditos de importancia. Imprenta del Progreso.
Farcau, Bruce W. (2000). The Ten Cents War: Chile, Peru, and Bolivia in the War of the Pacific, 1879-1884. ISBN0-275-96925-8.
Navies in Modern World History (2004). Sondhaus, Lawrence. ISBN1-86189-202-0.
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