Battle of Yungay

Antecedents

The First Chilean Expedition sent to Peruvian territory during the war between Chile and the Peru-Bolivian Confederacy was forced to retreat and surrender after being surrounded by the Armies of Confederation's Supreme Protector Andrés de Santa Cruz. Chilean Admiral Manuel Blanco Encalada, leader of the Expedition, signed the Treaty of Paucarpata, effectively a Peace Treaty with Santa Cruz, on November 17, 1837.

After his return to Chile, the Treaty was repudiated by the Chilean Parliament, and a Second Expedition was soon organized. General Manuel Bulnes was in charge of the Chilean troops with Peruvian battalions of General Agustín Gamarra and many other exiled Peruvian generals as reinforcements.

Andrés de Santa Cruz, who was in charge of the Confederate Army, attempted to pursue the invaders. After a favorable Battle in the Buin River, Santa Cruz was trying to finish with the Chilean Expedition in order to stabilize the internal situation in the country and to avoid any more uprisings against him.

The Armies and their Comparative Situations

Marshal Andrés de Santa Cruz

Both armies had approximately 6,000 men, although the numbers favored slightly the side of the Confederation and Santa Cruz. The Chilean Expedition, on the other hand, suffered the decimation of some battalions by plagues during its occupation of Lima, the capital of the North-Peruvian Republic. Comparably equipped, the main difference was in the preparation of the troops, the knowledge of the terrain, and the obvious differences between invaders and defenders.

• The Army of the Confederation was made up of veterans of internal battles (from both Peru and Bolivia), it was supported by the majority of the population, and counted with adequate supplies lines provided by the vicinity. General Andrés de Santa Cruz was also a resourceful tactician, besides being a capable leader.

• The Chilean Expedition had the experience of Manuel Bulnes, the well trained Chilean Army and the ability of many Peruvian Generals that fought at their side, with the clear objective of dissolving the Confederation and reestablish an independent Peru. On the other hand, it met with the antipathy of the inhabitants, it was hampered because parts of its troops were ill, demoralized and with poor military training.

In addition, Protector Santa Cruz was not looking to fight the Expedition's Army, but to force Bulnes to sue for peace, taking into account the advantageous situation that the Confederate Army had. On the other hand, Bulnes knew that a return with empty hands was inconceivable after the experience of the previous expedition led by Manuel Blanco Encalada.

The Battle of Yungay

After combat in Buin (January 5,1839) Santa Cruz advanced on its enemies and occupied Yungay with the intention to cut the provisions and to strangle the Chilean Expedition.

General Bulnes, aware of the situation, prepared his Army for a possible fight against the Confederates. By this time, the Chilean Navy achieved control of the Confederation's sea, and Andrés de Santa Cruz knew that it was easy for the Chilean Expedition to escape the country if the battle was not favorable for them.

The Battle of Yungay developed January 20, 1839. The Confederates, having moved out from their positions at the base of Cerro Pan de Azúcar (Sugar Bread hill), were forced upwards. In spite of the advantageous positions, a massive attack with hand-to-hand combat decided the battle in favor of the Chileans, who cleared the hill and put the Confederate Army to flight. One hour before the end of the battle Santa Cruz had given it up for lost.

Consequences

The Battle of Yungay brought as a consequence the end of the Peru-Bolivian Confederacy, with the Chilean Expedition occupying Lima for the second time in April. On August 25, 1839 General Agustín Gamarra assumed the Presidency of Peru, officially declaring the dissolution of the Confederation and the Union of the North and South Peruvian States.

The Confederate defeat led to the exile of Santa Cruz, first to Guayaquil, in Ecuador, then to Chile and finally to Europe, where he died.

Sources

The birth of the Confederation (in Spanish)

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