The War Between Peru and Chile, 1879-1882
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CORNELL UNIVERSITY LIBRARY Cornell University Library F 3097.M34 1882 The war between Peru and Chile, 1879-188 3 1924 021 203 173 IT : (S> THE WAR BETWEEN PERU AND CHILE, 1879— 1882. CLEMENTS R. MARKHAM, C.B., F.R.S. HonDon SAMPSON LOW, MARSTON, SEARLE, & RIVINGTON, CROWN BUILDINUS, 188, FLEET STREET. 1882. [All riffhis reserved.^ : 'cornelC university LIBRARY LONDON fKINTED BY GILBERT AND RIVINGTON, LIMITED, ST. JOHN'S SQUARE. TO OF Dr. DON FRANCISCO DE PAULA GONZALEZ YIGIL, The great Peruvian Scholar and Philanthropist, and Author of " Paz Perpetua," is dedicated this narrative of the undeserved misfortunes of that land of the Yncas which he served so long and faithfully, and loved so well. He who laboured earnestly and nobly to secure the blessings of perpetual peace for South America, and who denounced all wars of aggression and of conquest ; he who exclaimed, with feelings of deepest pity and sorrow, " Heu miseri qui bella gerunt /" would still have approved the heroic struggles of his countrymen in defence of their native land. A 2 The original of tliis book is in tine Cornell University Library. There are no known copyright restrictions in the United States on the use of the text. http://www.archive.org/details/cu31924021203173 PREFACE. The war on the west coast of South America between Peru and Bolivia on one side and Chile on the other has continued for nearly four years There have been naval operations of considerable interest, and there were three distinct and successive campaigns in different and widely separated regions, but all three on the Pacific coast. The naval campaign is deserving of attention, because in it the armoured-ships of recent con- struction encountered each other for the first time, and because guns of extraordinary range, torpedo- boats and torpedoes, and other late inventions have, also for the first time, been used in actual war- fare. A study of the operations on shore, during the course of the three campaigns, brings the English reader' once more into communion with the descen- dants of those Spaniards and Indians of whom he has read, surely with more than passing interest, in the pages of Prescott and Helps. The battle-fields are in the land of the Yncas. The combatants belong to two races, to that race which was ruled over by vi Preface. Atahuajpa and attained to the highest civilization of which aboriginal Americans were capable, and to that race which followed Pizarro in his career of conquest. The results of the war will permanently affect the welfare of those races. For this reason the campaigns on the Pacific coast should have an interest for readers in this country. The authentic materials for a narrative of the war are now sufficiently extensive, although they are almost exclusively supplied from the Chilian side. The ground has been carefully described in a series of publications issued by the Chilian Hydrographic Department, entitled " Noticias sobre las provincias litorales." The official despatches, diplomatic notes, and reports of correspondents, are contained in the "Boletin de la guerra del Pacifico," published at Santiago periodically from April, 1879, to March, 1881. The history of the three campaigns, has been written, in copious detail, by one of the most dis- tinguished literary men in Chile, Don Benjamin Vicuna Mackenna." The author's powers of descrip- tion, of delineating character, of critical analysis are of a very high order. His industry in collecting materials is extraordinary, and it is equalled by his ability in arranging them. Vicuna Mackenna is above all things an historical biographer. He could not, if he would, omit a trait or an incident, however much ; " ' " Guerra del Pacifico " " Historia de la Campafla de Tarapaca (2 vols. pp. 865 and 1189); "Historia de la Campana de Tacna y " " Arica" (l vol. pp. 1172) ; Historia de la Campana de Lima (1 vol. pp. I2i5). Santiago de Chile, 1S80, 1881, 1882. Preface. vij their mention miglit tell against the view he advo- cates. His love of historical truth amounts to a passion. From no writer, since the days of Ercilla, are we more certain to get the good, equally with the bad points of an enemy. His work is, therefore, in- valuable. Don Diego Barros Arana, in his " Historia de la guerra del Pacifico," gives us the history of the three campaigns, as well as of the naval warfare. His narrative is less interesting and not nearly in such full detail as that of Vicuna Mackenna. We also have the Memoir of the Chilian Minister of War for 1 88 1,' which gave rise to an acrimonious paper war between the minister and the general command- ing the army, and thus many things were made public. The general replied in a volume containing all the official despatches.' There are also a few monographs of special actions, such as " El Combate Homerico " and " Estudios sobre la vida del Capitan Arturo Prat," which are useful. Chile, assuredly, has been fully heard. But Peru and Bolivia, apart from official reports, are silent so far as we are aware. If books have been published they have not become accessible here. The whole story, with the exception of private letters regarding the proceedings or the fate of individuals, and mere afficial utterances, is told by Chilians. Impartiality and common fairness, therefore, demand the utmost 5 " Memoria del Ministerio de la Guerra correspondiente al afio de 1881 " (pp. 193)- Santiago, i88i. '' ' Miraflores ' ' Partes oficiales de las batallas de Chorrillos y (pp. 420). Santiago, l88l. viii Preface. care in judging of the acts and motives of their opponents. If an unbiassed stranger does not adopt the Chilian view with regard to the causes of the war, the justice of its continuance, and the character of some of the events, he at least argues from the same premises. The facts have been supplied almost exclusively by one side ; and if the historian feels obliged to condemn the proceedings of Chilian states- men and soldiers, he must, at the same time, commend the fairness of Chilian writers. CONTENTS. Dedication Preface . ^art h INTRODUCTORY CHAPTERS. CHAPTER PAGE I. Peru under Yncas, and under Spanish Viceroys . i II. Chile under Spanish rule 15 III. The War of Independence 19 IV. The Republic of Peru 29 V. Social Condition of the People of Peru . ,49 VI. The Republic of Bolivia ... 67 VII. The Republic of Chile 73 THE WAR. I. Cause of the War gi II. Naval and military strength of the three Republics . -93 III. Gallant defence of Calama by the Bolivians—Proceedings of the Chilian Fleet—Bombardment of Pisagua . 102 — X Contents. CHAPTER PAGE IV. Destruction of a Chilian corvette by the Huascar—Loss of the Independencia . • .108 V. Proceedings of the Zfear^or US VI. Notice of Admiral Grau—Brave defence of the Huascar— Death of the Admiral—Capture of the Huascar . .122 VII. The Peruvian Army in Tarapaca ..... 133 VIII. The defence Of Pisagua—Slaughter at Jermania—Battle of San Francisco 14S IX. The Peruvian Victory at Tarapaca 159 X. Nicolas Pierola as Supreme Chief of Peru—General Campero, President of Bolivia 171 XI. Blockade of Arica and Callao l8i XII. The Tacna Campaign . 191 XIII. Destruction of the Loa and Caaadonga by the Peruvians Chilian bombardment of defenceless towns— Predatory Expedition of Captain Lynch—Importance of long- range guns—Torpedoes and torpedo practice . 209 XIV. Failure of the Peace Conference at Arica—Chilian ex- peditionary force against Lima—Appointment of neutral officers to the contending armieS 224 XV. The defence of Lima 231 XVL The Battles of Chorrillos. and Miraflores . 239 XVII. Va Victis 262 WORKS ON PERU BY THE SAME AUTHOR. 1. Cuzco AND Lima. 8vo, 419 pp. 1856. 2. Travels in Peru and India. 8vo, 572 pp. 1862. 3. Peru. Sampson Low and Go's. "Foreign Countries Series," 192 pp. 1880. 4. Tribes which formed the Empire of the Yncas. Royal Geographical Society's Journal. 1 87 1. 5. Peruvian Bark : with accounts of the cultivation of Coca, Peruvian Cotton, Cuzco Maize, and Quinua. 8vo, 55° PP- 1880. 6. QuiCHUA Grammar and Dictionary. 8vo, 223 pp. 1864. TRANSLATIONS. 7. Ollanta. An ancient Ynca drama. 8vo, 128 pp. 1871. 8. Chronicle of Peru, by Cieza de Leon. Translation, with introduction and notes. First Part, 1864. Second Part, 1883. g. Royal Commentaries of the Ynca (Garcilasso de la Vega). 2 vols. Translation, with introduction and notes. i86g. 10. Search for El Dorado. Translation, with introdtution ana notes. 1 86 1. 11. Narrative of the Adelantado Andagoya. Introduction and notes. 1865. 12. Life of Alonzo de Guzman. Translation, with introduction and notes, 1862. 13. Expeditions into the Valley of the Amazon. Trans. lotion, with introduction and notes. 1861. 14. Reports on the Discovery of Peru (Xeres and Astete). Translation, with introduction and notes. 1872. intro- 15. Rites and LAV»fs of the Yncas. Translation, with duction and notes. 1872. 16. AcosTA's History of the Indies. 2 vols. Translation, •with introduction and notes. 1879. 14 16 IS Cobjg'a 'Huascar'taken ^f Boundary claijTied1>y Ch'le/^18G6 V iarajna. THEATRE OF WAR 24 ou tie ifees PACIFIC COAST faographical Miles 6 lb 20 30 60 120 ID 20 30 60 ELTfipoeoB =^ 76' lopgimde Vest 74' facm. GTem-wicIi 72' 1. .. ei^er •!'-! Zdn^ioTL. 'S-impso^ Lov^ , J/iTr^&Tn , Searld. <i j^ivrnaton. THE WAR BETWEEN PERU AND CHILE. part h INTRODUCTORY CHAPTERS. CHAPTER I. PERU UNDER THE YNCAS, AND UNDER SPANISH VICEROYS. The war between the Republics of the Pacific coast has been an unmixed evil. Peru has been thrown back into a worse state of anarchy and confusion than she has known since the independence ; while the advantages secured by conquest may bring more evil than good to the successful belligerent.