Battle of San Juan and Chorrillos

Overview

The Battle of San Juan and Chorrillos was the first of two main battles in the Lima campaign during the War of the Pacific, and was fought on 13 January 1881. This battle is really a group of smaller, yet fierce confrontations at the defensive strongholds of Villa, Chorrillos, Santiago de Surco, San Juan de Miraflores, Santa Teresa and Morro Solar. The Chilean army led by Gen. Manuel Baquedano inflicted a harsh defeat on the Peruvian army commanded by the Supreme Chief Nicolás de Piérola. The Chilean triumph eliminated the first defensive line guarding Lima, and almost obliterated the Peruvian army defending it.

Overview adapted from Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Significance

The Battle of San Juan and Chorrillos was the first of two main engagements in the Lima campaign of the War of the Pacific, fought on 13 January 1881. Chilean forces under Gen. Manuel Baquedano defeated the Peruvian army commanded by Supreme Chief Nicolás de Piérola, eliminating the first defensive line guarding the Peruvian capital. The scale of Peruvian losses — estimated between 4,000 and 7,500 casualties against a defending force of roughly 22,000 — left the Peruvian army nearly obliterated and the road to Lima exposed. The victory set the conditions for the second and final engagement of the campaign, bringing Chile to the threshold of capturing the enemy capital and effectively deciding the operational contest for control of Peru.

Forces & casualties

Commanders (5)