CASUALTY RECORD // August 28, 1891
Battle of Placilla
Estimated casualties — killed, wounded, captured, and missing — by side, with confidence labels per surviving record.
Casualties by side
2 sides catalogued · combined 3,185 estimated
Balmaceda Government
1,115
Medium-confidence figure
Congressionist Junta
2,070
Medium-confidence figure
Battle context
The Battle of Placilla, fought on 28 August 1891, was the decisive engagement of the Chilean Civil War. The Congressionist forces under Estanislao del Canto defeated the Balmacedist army commanded by Orozimbo Barbosa, and their victory effectively determined the outcome of the war. Congressionist troops entered Santiago two days later, on 30 August. President José Manuel Balmaceda, whose government had fielded 9,500 troops against a Congressionist force of 11,000, took refuge in the Argentine embassy in Santiago and committed suicide there on 19 September, bringing the conflict to a close. Balmacedist casualties of 1,115 against Congressionist losses of 2,070 indicate the engagement was sharply contested despite its conclusive result.
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