Battle of Arica

The Battle of Arica by Juan Lepiani depicts Bolognesi's final moments. Oil on canvas, Lima, Peru.

Date	7 June 1880
Location	Arica, Peru (present-day Chile)
Result	Chilean victory

Belligerents

Republic of Chile

Republic of Perú

Commanders and leaders

Col. Pedro Lagos

Col. Francisco Bolognesi †

Strength

5,479

1,628

Casualties and losses

474 dead or wounded

~1,000 dead or wounded
1 monitor lost

The Battle of Arica, also known as Assault and Capture of Cape Arica, was a battle in the War of the Pacific. It was fought on 7 June 1880, between the forces of Chile and Peru.

After the Battle of Tacna and the following Bolivian withdrawal from the war, Peru had to stand alone for the rest of the conflict. The need for a port near to the location of the army, in order to supply and reinforce the troops and evacuate wounded, made the Chilean command put its attention on the remaining Peruvian stronghold in the Tacna Department. The Chilean army, led by Colonel Pedro Lagos, launched a giant assault to Arica, where the 1600 men of the defense fought more than 8000 Chileans, from sea and land, who finally captured the Morro de Arica (English: Cape Arica ). The defending Peruvian troops under the command of Colonel Francisco Bolognesi died as heroes. In this fight the old Peruvian Commander died along with several officers and more than 1,000 men.

The Chilean victory ended the phase of the conflict known as Campaña de Tacna y Arica (English: Campaign of Tacna and Arica), resulting in the occupation of the entire Tarapacá and Tacna provinces. After this action, a new stage began named Campaña de Lima (English: Lima Campaign), which concluded with the fall of the Peruvian capital city seven months later.

The city of Arica never returned to Peruvian hands. It was temporarily ceded to Chile after the signing of the Treaty of Ancon, on 1884; the city remained occupied by Chilean forces until the later signing of the Treaty of Lima in 1929, when it was ceded permanently to Chilean sovereignty.

Since the outbreak of war in 1879, the initial naval stage came to an end with the capture of the ironclad ship Huáscar at Angamos, on October 1879. After this, the subsequent landing of the Chilean Army at Pisagua on 2 November drove the Allies inland. The Chilean army claimed a series of victories at Germania and San Francisco, but ended with the Peruvian success at Tarapacá, on 27 November. Despite this latter victory, the Allies lost the Tarapacá department. Popular discontent in the Allied countries led to the removal from office of both President Prado in Peru and Hilarión Daza in Bolivia, replaced respectively by Nicolás de Piérola and Gen. Narciso Campero.

On 27 February, the Chilean Navy began bombarding the city's ground defenses. These defenses had a range of 3.5 km, providing a large covering zone for the remaining Peruvian ironclad, the "Manco Cápac". The Peruvian warship "Huáscar", after its capture at Angamos, had been sent for repairs and fitted with two 40 lb Armstrong type guns, with a firing range between 6 and 7 km. The ironclad was put under the command of Captain Manuel Thompson. The Huáscar arrived in Arica on 25 February in order to take the place of the warship "Cochrane" in the port blockade. Later the "Magallanes", led by Captain Carlos Condell arrived to join the "Huáscar" in the operation. The Chilean ironclad fought an ongoing and inconclusive duel with the "Manco Cápac". Though outclassed, the Peruvian monitor, covered by the land defenses, managed to hold the Chilean ships at bay for 4 months. During this time, Thompson died, being replaced by Carlos Condell. On 9 April, the Peruvian port of Callao was also put under blockade.

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