Alfonso Ugarte

Alfonso Ugarte (July 13, 1847 – June 7, 1880) was a Peruvian civilian turned military commander during the

War of the Pacific The War of the Pacific ( es, link=no, Guerra del Pacífico), also known as the Saltpeter War ( es, link=no, Guerra del salitre) and by multiple other names, was a war between Chile and a Bolivian–Peruvian alliance from 1879 to 1884. Fought ...

, between

Peru , image_flag = Flag of Peru.svg , image_coat = Escudo nacional del Perú.svg , other_symbol = Great Seal of the State , other_symbol_type = Seal (emblem), National seal , national_motto = "Fi ...

and

Bolivia , image_flag = Bandera de Bolivia (Estado).svg , flag_alt = Horizontal tricolor (red, yellow, and green from top to bottom) with the coat of arms of Bolivia in the center , flag_alt2 = 7 × 7 square p ...

against

Chile Chile, officially the Republic of Chile, is a country in the western part of South America. It is the southernmost country in the world, and the closest to Antarctica, occupying a long and narrow strip of land between the Andes to the east a ...

. He held the rank of

colonel Colonel (abbreviated as Col., Col or COL) is a senior military officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations. In the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries, a colonel was typically in charge of ...

. Ugarte was born in

Tarapacá San Lorenzo de Tarapacá, also known simply as Tarapacá, is a town in the region of the same name in Chile. History The town has likely been inhabited since the 12th century, when it formed part of the Inca trail. When Spanish explorer Diego d ...

, Peru, the son of the rich ''tarapaqueños'' retailers Don Narciso Ugarte and Doña Rosa Vernal. At an early age, he was sent by his parents to the Chilean port of Valparaiso, where he was educated, finishing his studies in 1868. On his return to Peru, he settled in

Iquique Iquique () is a port city and commune in northern Chile, capital of both the Iquique Province and Tarapacá Region. It lies on the Pacific coast, west of the Pampa del Tamarugal, which is part of the Atacama Desert. It has a population of 191,468 ...

, where he administered the family business. He was elected City Mayor in 1876. At the beginning of the War of the Pacific, Ugarte was about to leave the country for a business trip to Europe, but instead he decided to stay in order to organize a battalion using his own money. This unit was recruited from the workers and craftsmen of Iquique. It was named ''"Battalion Iquique N° 1"'', and it consisted of 429 enlisted men and 36 officers. As he enlisted a whole battalion to the war effort, he was admitted into the army as a colonel. He fought at the

Battle of Tarapacá The Battle of Tarapacá occurred on November 27, 1879, during the Tarapacá Campaign of the War of the Pacific. Three Chilean columns of almost 3,900 soldiers attacked a numerically inferior Peruvian contingent of 3,046 troops at Tarapacá - 500 ...

, where he was injured. The Peruvian forces retreated following this battle, and merged with the Army of the South, commanded by Major General Juan Buendía; the combined force marched from Tarapaca to

Arica Arica ( ; ) is a Communes of Chile, commune and a port city with a population of 222,619 in the Arica Province of northern Chile's Arica y Parinacota Region. It is Chile's northernmost city, being located only south of the border with Peru. The ...

. Ugarte was head of the Eighth Division in the defense of the city of Arica, where he participated in the two military councils held by Colonel

Francisco Bolognesi Francisco Bolognesi Cervantes (November 4, 1816 – June 7, 1880) was a Peruvian military general. He is considered a national hero in Peru and was declared patron of the Army of Peru by the government of Peru on January 2 of 1951. Early life a ...

, where the agreement was made to defend the bastion "until burning the last round". Ugarte died fighting at

. He rode his horse over the Rock of Arica in order to prevent the Peruvian flag, which he was carrying, from being captured by the Chilean troops. Thus, Alfonso Ugarte indeed fulfilled the promise to fight to the last bullet. Ugarte is today considered a Peruvian national hero and his sacrifice in Arica together with Colonel Bolognesi and the rest of the garrison is remembered in Peru's Day of the Flag. {{DEFAULTSORT:Ugarte 1847 births 1880 deaths Peruvian soldiers Peruvian people of Spanish descent Peruvian people of Basque descent Peruvian military personnel of the War of the Pacific 1880s suicides