Manuel Fernando Bonilla Elhart (1868–1881) was a Peruvian

child soldier Children (defined by the Convention on the Rights of the Child as people under the age of 18) have been recruited for participation in military operations and campaigns throughout history and in many cultures. Children in the military, includ ...

and war hero who was killed by a

grenade A grenade is an explosive weapon typically thrown by hand (also called hand grenade), but can also refer to a shell (explosive projectile) shot from the muzzle of a rifle (as a rifle grenade) or a grenade launcher. A modern hand grenade genera ...

while fighting in the battle of Miraflores during the War of the Pacific.

Biography

Bonilla was born in 1868, the son of Juan Francisco Bonilla, who was the organizer of the Huáscar squadron in the north of Peru (in Chiclayo). He was a student at the

College of Our Lady of Guadalupe The College of Our Lady of Guadalupe is a Secular education, secular public education school in Lima, Peru. Originally founded on Jirón Apurímac, Chacarilla Street in the Guadalupe neighbourhood on November 14, 1840, it moved in 1909 to its curr ...

when the War of the Pacific began between Chile and Peru, volunteering to join the Peruvian Army at the age of 13 to defend the city against the imminent Chilean Army. Originally rejected for his short age, he was accepted to assist with the deliveries of ammunition during the battle. Bonilla joined the 280-men 6th battalion, under the leadership of Narciso de la Colina in the city's third redoubt, in the La Palma estate of Miraflores. The battle started at 2 p.m. on January 15, 1881. In contrast to the occupying army of General

Manuel Baquedano Manuel Jesús Baquedano González (; January 1, 1823 – September 30, 1897) was a Chilean soldier and politician, who served as Commander-in-chief of the Army during the War of the Pacific, and briefly as President of Chile during the civil war ...

, the defense in Lima included civilians from different backgrounds and

social class A social class is a grouping of people into a set of Dominance hierarchy, hierarchical social categories, the most common being the Upper class, upper, Middle class, middle and Working class, lower classes. Membership in a social class can for ...

es. Bonilla was near Colina when he was fatally shot, being also hit by the same bullet. Despite his injury, he grabbed a nearby rifle from a corpse and started firing, being killed in an explosion caused by either a grenade or a

projectile A projectile is an object that is propelled by the application of an external force and then moves freely under the influence of gravity and air resistance. Although any objects in motion through space are projectiles, they are commonly found in ...

, with his body destroyed beyond recognition. In his honour, a street and a sports complex are named after him.

References

{{reflist 1868 births 1881 deaths People from Callao College of Our Lady of Guadalupe alumni Child deaths Peruvian military personnel of the War of the Pacific Child soldiers

Biography

See also

References