First siege of Callao
First siege of Callao | |||||||
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Part of the Peruvian War of Independence | |||||||
Cochrane's fleet blockades Callao by sea | |||||||
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Belligerents | |||||||
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Spain
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Commanders and leaders | |||||||
José de la Mar | |||||||
Strength | |||||||
7,000 men[1] 8 warships |
2,000 soldiers and militiamen[2] 3 warships[3] Several armed merchant ships | ||||||
Casualties and losses | |||||||
Unknown | 400 casualties[4] | ||||||
The first siege of Callao was a prolonged military blockade of the
Background
On July 12, 1821, after the withdrawal of Viceroy
The viceroy had a garrison of 2,000 men composed of regular soldiers and urban militias under the command of the governor and head of the square to defend the port. Marshal
The siege
During the siege, shootings were frequent between the patriotic garrison, ships and outposts that harassed the defenders. On July 24, a parliamentarian received in the square the proclamations of independence of General San Martín, which unsuccessfully sought to win the royalist garrison to the patriot cause. Due to the unsuccessful result of this proposal, that same night the Cochrane's fleet attacked the port, setting fire to two smaller ships and taking three. The fighting continued and on August 4 the besiegers began to bomb the castles with obuses, repeating this operation every night until the 14th in order to keep the royalist soldiers fatigued and demoralized. That same day, General Juan Gregorio de las Heras led a daring ground attack on the plaza. The plan was for 150 horsemen and 1,000 infantrymen to race from their barracks in Bellavista and overrun the fortress gates before they could be lifted. The plan ended unsuccessfully. However, the patriot cavalry managed to kill or capture the soldiers who had not managed to enter the fortress. Because of this, the patriots had 27 casualties while the royalists 41, with Colonel Mariano Ricafort being wounded and taken prisoner.
Canterac's incursion into Lima
Meanwhile, from Cuzco, Viceroy La Serna had planned an incursion on the Lima valley, which, led by General José de Canterac, commanding 3,100 soldiers and 9 artillery pieces, left Jauja at the end of August. After crossing the Andean mountain range in a difficult journey and having to face the montoneros, the troops reached the outskirts of the capital on September 8, where they found the patriot army maintaining defensive positions. Although San Martín had a superior army based on the number of troops, he decided not to attack despite the insistence of General Las Heras, thus allowing Canterac to march until he entered Callao.
They are lost. Callao is ours. They do not have provisions for fifteen days. The auxiliaries of the mountains are going to eat them. Within 8 days they will have to surrender or meet the end of our bayonets.
— José de San Martín on a letter sent to General Las Heras[5]
After holding a war junta in Callao, Canterac chose to return to the mountains. His men left the fortresses with enthusiasm and cheering the
End of the siege
When Canterac left the castles, the Callao garrison was again isolated and with provisions for only four days. As the possibilities of the besieged receiving reinforcements or supplies of any kind became remote, San Martín offered La Mar an honorable surrender, assuring him that Canterac's army was moving away in a disastrous state and in frank dispersion. Faced with this situation, La Mar called a war junta where it was concluded that there was no alternative but surrender.
The conditions of capitulation allowed the royalist troops to withdraw in full dress, carrying their light weapons and with their flags unfurled, being saluted in the march by the artillery of the patriot army. After leaving their rifles on the flag, the regular soldiers were allowed to march to join the royalist army stationed in Arequipa and the militiamen to return to their homes. As reported by the Chilean Ministerial Gazette, the capitulated forces were 600 soldiers and 1000 militiamen.
The benevolent conditions of San Martín, although criticized by some historians, allowed the patriot cause to win over some individuals who until then were active in the royalist army, recognizing the same rank and employment in the patriot army, among them La Mar himself, who, after renouncing his degrees and decorations that he received for his services in Spain and Peru, faithfully served the cause of independence until the battle of Ayacucho and later became president of Peru.
See also
References
- ^ Barros Arana, Diego (1865). Compendio de historia de América: La revolución. Imprenta del Ferrocarril. p. 426.
- ^ Rodriguez Sepúlveda, Juan Agustín (1981). La Vida Militar De Ohiggins. Editorial Jurídica de Chile. p. 168.
- ISBN 978-9-56111-786-0.
- ^ According to a report from the commander at Valparaíso to President O'Higgins (Gazeta ministerial de Chile. Vol III, 1821, p. 2)
- ISBN 978-9-50581-779-5.