Battle of Membrillar
Encyclopedia
The battle of Membrillar occurred on 20 March 1814, during the War of Chilean Independence.
in early March, Juan Mackenna
had been positioned along the Itata river
with a small division of patriot troops, whilst Bernardo O'Higgins
had remained with the main body of the army in Conception
. After Talca
fell to Royalist forces, however, Mackenna
realised his lines of communication with O'Higgins
were now cut and that he was isolated. Mackenna
, the colonel of engineers on the patriot General Staff, formed a solid defensive position, building three mutually supporting bastion
s on local hills on the north bank of the north side of the Itata river
near Membrillar. The Royalist commander, Gabino Gaínza
, had sent a vanguard of 400 men into the hills of Quilo, south of the Itata river
, to prevent the two patriot commanders from reuniting. This force had been defeated in the Battle of El Quilo
on the 19 March, forcing Gaínza
to attempt a different plan. Gaínza
instead decided to attack Mackenna
's forces immediately, before then turning on O'Higgins
. Chillán
sent additional reinforcements, and Gaínza
then crossed the Itata
to attack.
The battle began on 20 March in chaos. A misinterpreted order resulted in confused skirmishes breaking out between the forward units of both armies. The Royalist forces made a disorganised assault on the Patriot trenches surrounding the field by the village of Membrillar; this attack was repelled and immediately the Royalist officer Manuel Barañao
led a second attack, this time on the central positions held by Mackenna
. Mackenna
's forces held and he sent a counter-attack against the Royalists, comprising units led by Santiago Bueras, Hilario Vidal, Agustín Almanza and Balcarce Marks, driving Barañao
's forces back. The Royalists continued their waves of attacks for several hours, but all were repulsed. When night fell, the driving rain and the dark encouraged the Royalists to retreat from the field.
did not realise how much damage he had inflicted on the Royalists and instead focused on repairing the damage to his fortifications
, expecting another attack. As a result, Gabino Gaínza
was able to regroup and reorganise his forces.
Background
Prior to the fall of TalcaFirst Battle of Talca
First battle of Talca, also called the 'Taking of Talca' occurred on 3rd March, 1814, during the War of Chilean Independence.-Background:...
in early March, Juan Mackenna
Juan Mackenna
Brigadier Juan Mackenna was an Irish-born, Chilean military officer and hero of the Chilean War of Independence. He is considered to have been the creator of the Corps of Military Engineers of the Chilean Army....
had been positioned along the Itata river
Itata River
The Itata River flows in the Bío-Bío Region, southern Chile.Until the Conquest of Chile the Itata was the natural limit between the Mapuche, located to the south, and Picunche, to the north.-References:* . - External links :*...
with a small division of patriot troops, whilst Bernardo O'Higgins
Bernardo O'Higgins
Bernardo O'Higgins Riquelme was a Chilean independence leader who, together with José de San Martín, freed Chile from Spanish rule in the Chilean War of Independence. Although he was the second Supreme Director of Chile , he is considered one of Chile's founding fathers, as he was the first holder...
had remained with the main body of the army in Conception
Conception
Conception, or a concept, is an abstract idea or a mental symbol.Conception may also refer to:* Conception, or fertilisation, the fusion of gametes to produce a new organism.* Conception , an album by Miles Davis...
. After Talca
Talca
Talca is a city and commune in Chile located about south of Santiago, and is the capital of both Talca Province and Maule Region . As of the 2002 census, the city had a population of 193,755....
fell to Royalist forces, however, Mackenna
Juan Mackenna
Brigadier Juan Mackenna was an Irish-born, Chilean military officer and hero of the Chilean War of Independence. He is considered to have been the creator of the Corps of Military Engineers of the Chilean Army....
realised his lines of communication with O'Higgins
Bernardo O'Higgins
Bernardo O'Higgins Riquelme was a Chilean independence leader who, together with José de San Martín, freed Chile from Spanish rule in the Chilean War of Independence. Although he was the second Supreme Director of Chile , he is considered one of Chile's founding fathers, as he was the first holder...
were now cut and that he was isolated. Mackenna
Juan Mackenna
Brigadier Juan Mackenna was an Irish-born, Chilean military officer and hero of the Chilean War of Independence. He is considered to have been the creator of the Corps of Military Engineers of the Chilean Army....
, the colonel of engineers on the patriot General Staff, formed a solid defensive position, building three mutually supporting bastion
Bastion
A bastion, or a bulwark, is a structure projecting outward from the main enclosure of a fortification, situated in both corners of a straight wall , facilitating active defence against assaulting troops...
s on local hills on the north bank of the north side of the Itata river
Itata River
The Itata River flows in the Bío-Bío Region, southern Chile.Until the Conquest of Chile the Itata was the natural limit between the Mapuche, located to the south, and Picunche, to the north.-References:* . - External links :*...
near Membrillar. The Royalist commander, Gabino Gaínza
Gabino Gaínza
Gabino or Gavino Gaínza y Fernández de Medrano was a Spanish military officer and politician in Spain's American colonies. During the Latin American wars of independence, he initially fought on the royalist side, in Chile...
, had sent a vanguard of 400 men into the hills of Quilo, south of the Itata river
Itata River
The Itata River flows in the Bío-Bío Region, southern Chile.Until the Conquest of Chile the Itata was the natural limit between the Mapuche, located to the south, and Picunche, to the north.-References:* . - External links :*...
, to prevent the two patriot commanders from reuniting. This force had been defeated in the Battle of El Quilo
Battle of El Quilo
The battle of el Quilo, fought during the Chilean War of Independence, occurred at el Quilo, on the southern side of the Itata river, on 19 March, 1814.-Background:...
on the 19 March, forcing Gaínza
Gabino Gaínza
Gabino or Gavino Gaínza y Fernández de Medrano was a Spanish military officer and politician in Spain's American colonies. During the Latin American wars of independence, he initially fought on the royalist side, in Chile...
to attempt a different plan. Gaínza
Gabino Gaínza
Gabino or Gavino Gaínza y Fernández de Medrano was a Spanish military officer and politician in Spain's American colonies. During the Latin American wars of independence, he initially fought on the royalist side, in Chile...
instead decided to attack Mackenna
Juan Mackenna
Brigadier Juan Mackenna was an Irish-born, Chilean military officer and hero of the Chilean War of Independence. He is considered to have been the creator of the Corps of Military Engineers of the Chilean Army....
's forces immediately, before then turning on O'Higgins
Bernardo O'Higgins
Bernardo O'Higgins Riquelme was a Chilean independence leader who, together with José de San Martín, freed Chile from Spanish rule in the Chilean War of Independence. Although he was the second Supreme Director of Chile , he is considered one of Chile's founding fathers, as he was the first holder...
. Chillán
Chillán
Chillán is a city in the Biobío Region of Chile located about south of the country's capital, Santiago, near the geographical center of the country. It is the capital of Ñuble Province and, with a population of approximately 170,000 people , the most populated urban center of this province...
sent additional reinforcements, and Gaínza
Gabino Gaínza
Gabino or Gavino Gaínza y Fernández de Medrano was a Spanish military officer and politician in Spain's American colonies. During the Latin American wars of independence, he initially fought on the royalist side, in Chile...
then crossed the Itata
Itata River
The Itata River flows in the Bío-Bío Region, southern Chile.Until the Conquest of Chile the Itata was the natural limit between the Mapuche, located to the south, and Picunche, to the north.-References:* . - External links :*...
to attack.
The battle
Manuel Barañao
Eraldon Manuel Barañao , was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina but traveled to Chile in 1809, becoming a revolutionary supporter of Juan Martínez de Rozas and taking up commerce.-Role in the Chilean War of Independence:...
led a second attack, this time on the central positions held by Mackenna
Juan Mackenna
Brigadier Juan Mackenna was an Irish-born, Chilean military officer and hero of the Chilean War of Independence. He is considered to have been the creator of the Corps of Military Engineers of the Chilean Army....
. Mackenna
Juan Mackenna
Brigadier Juan Mackenna was an Irish-born, Chilean military officer and hero of the Chilean War of Independence. He is considered to have been the creator of the Corps of Military Engineers of the Chilean Army....
's forces held and he sent a counter-attack against the Royalists, comprising units led by Santiago Bueras, Hilario Vidal, Agustín Almanza and Balcarce Marks, driving Barañao
Manuel Barañao
Eraldon Manuel Barañao , was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina but traveled to Chile in 1809, becoming a revolutionary supporter of Juan Martínez de Rozas and taking up commerce.-Role in the Chilean War of Independence:...
's forces back. The Royalists continued their waves of attacks for several hours, but all were repulsed. When night fell, the driving rain and the dark encouraged the Royalists to retreat from the field.
Aftermath
In the morning, MackennaJuan Mackenna
Brigadier Juan Mackenna was an Irish-born, Chilean military officer and hero of the Chilean War of Independence. He is considered to have been the creator of the Corps of Military Engineers of the Chilean Army....
did not realise how much damage he had inflicted on the Royalists and instead focused on repairing the damage to his fortifications
Bastion
A bastion, or a bulwark, is a structure projecting outward from the main enclosure of a fortification, situated in both corners of a straight wall , facilitating active defence against assaulting troops...
, expecting another attack. As a result, Gabino Gaínza
Gabino Gaínza
Gabino or Gavino Gaínza y Fernández de Medrano was a Spanish military officer and politician in Spain's American colonies. During the Latin American wars of independence, he initially fought on the royalist side, in Chile...
was able to regroup and reorganise his forces.