Battle of Tarapacá

Battle of Tarapacá

Date	November 27, 1879
Location	San Lorenzo de Tarapacá, Peru
Result	Peruvian victory

Belligerents

Chile

Peru

Commanders and leaders

Colonel Luis Arteaga

General Juan Buendía

Strength

2,300 infantry cavalry and artillery
10 field guns

Tarapacá:
3.046 infantry
Pachica:
1.440 infantry

Casualties and losses

516 killed
176 wounded
66 prisoners
10 field guns captured

236 killed
261 wounded
76 missing

The Battle of Tarapacá occurred on November 27, 1879, during the Tarapacá Campaign of the War of the Pacific. A Chilean column of 2,300 soldiers led by General Luis Arteaga recklessly attacked an outnumbering Peruvian contingent of 4,500 troops at Tarapacá commanded by Gen Juan Buendía, resulting in a harsh defeat. The Chilean 2nd Line Regiment was the most damaged unit, losing almost half of its force, along with its commander Col. Eleuterio Ramírez and his second in command, Lt. Col. Bartolomé Vivar. Also, the unit lost its banner, which was recovered six months later after the battle of Tacna. Despite the victory, the Allies could not contest for the domination of the Tarapacá department, abandoning it to Chilean control.

Following a significant defeat at Dolores well inflicted by an outnumbered Chilean contingent - which cost the Allies all their artillery - the remnants of the Peruvian army were scattered all across the desert, demoralized and almost leaderless. Suárez’s soldiers marched to Tarapacá, the former administrative Peruvian capital of the department, to join Buendía. Buendía’s army gathered at Tarapacá, reunited with Suárez, whose men had marched across the harsh desert terrain. When Buendía arrived at Tarapacá, he dispatched emissaries to gather more of those troops dispersed from the battle at Dolores. Within a few days, his force now numbering 2,000 men, on the 26th Rios’ division arrived from Iquique with supplies, Rios' column supplementing the food and water already existing at Tarapacá. By now, 4,500 allied soldiers were stationed at Tarapacá.

Meanwhile, as these events unfolded, acknowledging that a column of exhausted Peruvians under Buendía had stopped near the town of Tarapacá to rest and regain strength, Lt. Col. José Francisco Vergara asked Gen. Arteaga to dispatch a reconnaissance force to find out the enemy's condition as well as inspect the condition of the route.

Hence, on 24 November Arteaga dispatched under Vergara’s command a party of 270 men of the Zapadores Regiment, 2 artillery pieces, 115 riders of the Cazadores a Caballo Cavalry Regiment. Vergara’s column took the road to Dibujo, camping about 20 kilometres (12 mi) from Tarapacá. Later, Arteaga was informed that the Peruvian numbers were greater than expected, so he sent another column made up of the 2nd Line and Artillería de Marina regiments, the Chacabuco Battalion, 30 more Cazadores a Caballo riders and another artillery battery. Next day, Chilean sentries of the vanguard division captured an Argentinean muleteer, who reported only 1,500 men at the town. In receipt of this news, Vergara asked Arteaga for instructions, his request creating great anxiety among Chilean High Command and troops. At this point, the Chilean commanders soundly underestimated the battle capabilities of the Allies. Arteaga did not properly prepare the Chilean forces dispatched for battle, meaning they carried insufficient amounts of food, water and ammunition, all of which had serious consequences later on.

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