José Antonio Vidaurre

Colonel José Antonio Vidaurre Garretón (December 22, 1798 - October 4, 1837) was a

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 ...

an military officer who led a failed insurrection in 1837 that culminated in the assassination of minister

Diego Portales Diego José Pedro Víctor Portales y Palazuelos (; June 16, 1793 – June 6, 1837) was a Chilean statesman and entrepreneur. As a minister of president José Joaquín Prieto's government, he played a pivotal role in shaping the state and po ...

. He was born in Concepción, the son of Juan Manuel Vidaurre Ugalde de la Concha and Isabel Garretón. In 1813, at the age of 15, he joined the Chilean militia and fought in the Chilean War of Independence as a private, under General Juan Gregorio de las Heras. His bravery helped him win fast promotion, and by 1817 he was already a full captain. He participated in the Battles of Talcahuano and Cancha Rayada, and finally at Maipú in 1818. He married Valentina Palma and they had four children: Filemón, Emilio, Josefa and Isabel. By 1820 he was a member of the Chilean Army General Staff. As such he participated in the campaigns to capture Chiloé, where he was promoted to Sergeant Major. In 1830, after participating in the battles of Osorno and Lircay, he was promoted to colonel. Notwithstanding his brilliant military career, he was several times involved in mutinies against his superiors. In 1823, he participated of a rebellion against General

José Joaquín Prieto José is a predominantly Spanish and Portuguese form of the given name Joseph. While spelled alike, this name is pronounced differently in each language: Spanish ; Portuguese (or ). In French, the name ''José'', pronounced , is an old vernacul ...

in Rancagua. In 1828 he joined the rebellion against President

Francisco Antonio Pinto Francisco Antonio Pinto y Díaz de la Puente (; July 23, 1785 – July 18, 1858) was a Chilean politician who served as President of Chile between 1827 and 1829. Early life He was born in Santiago, the son of Joaquín Pinto and Mercedes D ...

. He was notorious as a person who held changing political ideas, being very fond of public opinion and easily suggestionable by his friends. On June 3, 1837 he led a rebellion against the government of President

and in opposition to Chilean participation in the

War of the Confederation The War of the Confederation ( es, Guerra de la Confederación) was a military confrontation waged by Chile, along with Peruvian dissidents, and the Argentine Confederation against the Peru–Bolivian Confederation between 1836 and 1839. As ...

. On that day, while commander of the ''Maipo'' regiment, he captured and imprisoned minister

while he was reviewing troops at the army barracks in

Quillota Quillota is a city located in the Aconcagua River valley in central Chile's Valparaíso Region. It is the capital and largest city of Quillota Province, where many inhabitants live in the outlying farming areas of San Isidro, La Palma, Pocochay ...

. Vidaurre immediately proceeded to attack

Valparaíso Valparaíso (; ) is a major city, seaport, naval base, and educational centre in the commune of Valparaíso, Chile. "Greater Valparaíso" is the second largest metropolitan area in the country. Valparaíso is located about northwest of Santiago ...

on the mistaken belief that public opinion opposed to the war would support him and topple the government. He was defeated at the Battle of Barón, on June 6, and subsequently had minister Portales assassinated by his guardians. He was captured four months later, court-martialed and sentenced to death. He was publicly executed on Orrego square in Valparaiso, on 4 October 1837. 1798 births 1837 deaths Chilean people of Basque descent Chilean Army officers Chilean colonels People from Concepción, Chile {{Chile-mil-bio-stub