Prelude
War was declared in April 1879, among the nations of Bolivia, Chile, and Peru. The War resulted in the loss of not only valuable mining areas in Bolivia, but the loss of Bolivia's access to the Pacific. Peru also lost a large piece of her southern mining region. The three nations recognized the strategic importance of the sea for access to the contested territory. Control of the coast and adjacent seas was the principal objective from the beginning of hostilities, and the war first developed almost entirely on the sea. The land operations theatre was an arid desert along the coast and the adjacent saltpeter-mining areas inland. The mining region comprised the westernmost part of Bolivia, including that nation's entire seacoast, and a substantial part of southern Peru. Control of the sea and the coast would give a decisive logistic advantage in the forthcoming land battles. Hence, when Chile gained military control of the sea along the coast with the victory at Angamos (Chilean planning and forces
In two war meetings held with the Army and Navy officers, the Chilean War Minister revealed that the designated invasion point was Pisagua. A main surprise attack at Pisagua was agreed upon, while a secondary attack would take place at Junín. The Northern assault force of 4,890 men of infantry and artillery would disembark at Pisagua, establish a beach head, and begin climbing up to the higher plateau; the Southern assault force of 2,175 men would take Junín, and 2,500 men would be held in reserve. Col. Emilio Sotomayor, brother of War Minister Sotomayor, was entrusted with directing the landing operations. Commander Thompson was in command of the naval stage of the disembarking and directing the landing boats. Two miles beyond the shore, the ''Cochrane, Magallanes, Covadonga'' and ''O’Higgins'' would enter the bay and attack the forts guarding the port. Once the forts' guns were silenced the landing operations would begin.Allied forces and defense planning
The Allied garrison at Pisagua was formed by Bolivian artillery and infantry soldiers, totaling about 1,000 troops in two battalions: ''Independencia'', commanded by Pedro Vargas, and ''Victoria'', commanded by Juan Granier. In addition there were 200 Peruvian soldiers commanded by Isaac Recavarren, who left the command over Gen. Juan Buendía. Pisagua had been fortified on its southern edge. At Pichalo Point there was a fortified emplacement with one 100-pounder cannon; at the northern edge was an emplacement with a similar cannon. The narrow bay between could be covered by a crossfire from these two guns, making entrance into the port by sea more difficult. The steep hill that reached the plateau permitted the occupying troops to fire from a higher position, although the beach was surrounded by rocks that might provide safe positions for Chilean infantry.The battle begins
The Chilean Navy initiated bombardment at 07:00 on November 2. The ''Cochrane'' and ''O'Higgins'' entered the bay and opened fire on the south-most fort at Pichalo Point, while the ''Magallanes'' and the ''Covadonga'' attacked the other fort on the north side of the bay. The gunships' accurate fire silenced the defenses almost immediately; the northern fort was able to fire only one shot before being temporarily disabled. An hour later, both forts were silent. The landing operation was delayed, however, and the northern fort's cannon resumed firing. The ''Cochrane'', Captain Latorre, answered immediately, and by 09:00 the northern cannon was silenced and the Chilean troop transports then entered the bay. At the same time the ''Amazonas'' was firing over ''Alto Hospicio'', north of the bay.The Chileans Disembark
At two kilometres from the shore, the landing boats were ready for disembarking troops who were to establish a beachhead. At 10:15, the navy ceased its barrage and the boats began to move. But instead of 900 men, only 450 soldiers were embarked - two companies of the Atacama Battalion and another two of the Zapadores Regiment. Upon entering the northern side of Pisagua beach these Chilean infantry came within firing range of the Allied defenders' on the heights at Playa Blanca (White Beach). Despite the heavy fire from the heights (shown on the Chilean military map accompanying this article to be heldby the Bolivians), the landing force started to return fire. Their situation was very difficult due to the lack of reinforcements and strong position of the defenders, but the Zapadores led by Ricardo Santa Cruz assailed the Allied positions on the hill slope. From the higher position, the Chileans would then be able to fire on the Allied positions lower down the slope and make the disembarking of their reinforcements less risky. In support of the Zapadores attack the fleet opened fire again, this time over the train station at Alto Hospicio. Meanwhile, the Chilean first-wave troops endured 45 minutes of heavy fire until the second wave landed at 11:00.The heights under attack
The first two of three Chilean landing units were now disembarked, and the fight became less favorable for the Allied defenders. This second wave brought the rest of the Atacama Battalion plus three companies of the "Buin" 1st Line Regiment commanded by Lt. Colonel José María del Canto. The Chileans struck both Playa Blanca and Caleta Guatas, dislodging the defenders, who fled to Alto Hospicio under a constant barrage. The Allied troops had taken cover behind bags filled with saltpetre and coal, which, because of the firing, began to burn. The resulting dense smoke covered the landing of the Chilean third wave. When the Bolivian troops began retiring toward the train station at Alto Hospicio, their comrades on the beach also were forced to retreat. When the Chilean commander of the Second Division, Luis José Ortíz, arrived on shore, the main assault on the high plateau began. It required two hours for the Chilean infantry to climb the slope, since the ascent of steep terrain was very difficult with the strong Allied defense in this sector. However, in the end, the vehemence of the Chilean attack made it possible to reach the summit and engage the Allies, vanquishing all resistance and forcing them to abandon their positions and withdraw northward toward Alto Hospicio. Lt. Rafael Torreblanca of the Atacama Battalion raised the Chilean flag over Alto Hospicio at 15:00, as the Allied defenders fled from the battlefield, leaving it to the Chilean army.Junín
Because Pisagua was conquered, the second landing at Junín was made with little Peruvian resistance. Here were deployed the 3rd Line Regiment and the Navales and Valparaíso infantry battalions.Aftermath
The Chilean Army casualties were 56 men dead and 124 wounded. The Allies' (Bolivians and Peruvians) casualties were 200 dead and wounded. This victory provided the Chilean forces a port where they could land troops, weapons, and supplies. The ''Campaign of Tarapacá'' had begun. The Pisagua landing marked the start of a new era in amphibious warfare in the world, an era that would be pioneered by what is now the Chilean Marine Corps, which alongside the Army, celebrate the date as a military holiday to mark this historic moment in international military history as a whole.References
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