Bombardment of Callao
Encyclopedia
This article is for the Bombardment of Callao during the War of the Pacific
, for the conflict during the Chincha Islands War
see Battle of Callao
.
fleet began a light blockade
of the Peru
vian port of Callao
. The Chilean fleet would slowly grow as additional ships became available from other regions of the campaign. Likewise, the Peruvian Navy
would arm local vessels as equipment allowed.
Several times over the year that the blockade was effected, the Chilean fleet would sortie and bombard the city. This was frequently in response to a Peruvian provocation, such as the repeated successful deployment of disguised floating bombs. After the successful attacks on the Lima
suburb
s of San Juan and Miraflores
it became apparent that the city was going to fall to the advancing Chilean army
. The last Peruvian ironclad, the monitor
Atahualpa, as well as Peru's first submarine
, the Toro Submarino
were scuttled to prevent capture on January 16, 1881 and Callao surrendered two days later.
War of the Pacific
The War of the Pacific took place in western South America from 1879 through 1883. Chile fought against Bolivia and Peru. Despite cooperation among the three nations in the war against Spain, disputes soon arose over the mineral-rich Peruvian provinces of Tarapaca, Tacna, and Arica, and the...
, for the conflict during the Chincha Islands War
Chincha Islands War
The Chincha Islands War was a series of coastal and naval battles between Spain and its former colonies of Peru and Chile from 1864 to 1866, that began with Spain's seizure of the guano-rich Chincha Islands, part of a series of attempts by Isabel II of Spain to reassert her country's lost...
see Battle of Callao
Battle of Callao
The Battle of Callao occurred on May 2, 1866 between a Spanish fleet under the command of Admiral Casto Méndez Núñez and the fortified battery emplacements of the Peruvian port city of Callao during the Chincha Islands War...
.
The blockade
Commencing on April 10, 1880 the Chilean NavyChilean Navy
-Independence Wars of Chile and Peru :The Chilean Navy dates back to 1817. A year before, following the Battle of Chacabuco, General Bernardo O'Higgins prophetically declared "this victory and another hundred shall be of no significance if we do not gain control of the sea".This led to the...
fleet began a light blockade
Blockade
A blockade is an effort to cut off food, supplies, war material or communications from a particular area by force, either in part or totally. A blockade should not be confused with an embargo or sanctions, which are legal barriers to trade, and is distinct from a siege in that a blockade is usually...
of the Peru
Peru
Peru , officially the Republic of Peru , is a country in western South America. It is bordered on the north by Ecuador and Colombia, on the east by Brazil, on the southeast by Bolivia, on the south by Chile, and on the west by the Pacific Ocean....
vian port of Callao
Callao
Callao is the largest and most important port in Peru. The city is coterminous with the Constitutional Province of Callao, the only province of the Callao Region. Callao is located west of Lima, the country's capital, and is part of the Lima Metropolitan Area, a large metropolis that holds almost...
. The Chilean fleet would slowly grow as additional ships became available from other regions of the campaign. Likewise, the Peruvian Navy
Peruvian Navy
The Peruvian Navy is the branch of the Peruvian Armed Forces tasked with surveillance, patrol and defense on lakes, rivers and the Pacific Ocean up to 200 nautical miles from the Peruvian littoral...
would arm local vessels as equipment allowed.
Several times over the year that the blockade was effected, the Chilean fleet would sortie and bombard the city. This was frequently in response to a Peruvian provocation, such as the repeated successful deployment of disguised floating bombs. After the successful attacks on the Lima
Lima
Lima is the capital and the largest city of Peru. It is located in the valleys of the Chillón, Rímac and Lurín rivers, in the central part of the country, on a desert coast overlooking the Pacific Ocean. Together with the seaport of Callao, it forms a contiguous urban area known as the Lima...
suburb
Suburb
The word suburb mostly refers to a residential area, either existing as part of a city or as a separate residential community within commuting distance of a city . Some suburbs have a degree of administrative autonomy, and most have lower population density than inner city neighborhoods...
s of San Juan and Miraflores
Battle of Miraflores
The Battle of Miraflores occurred on January 15, 1881 in the Miraflores District of Lima, Peru. It was an important battle during the War of the Pacific that was fought between Chile and the forces of Peru. The Chilean army led by Gen. Manuel Baquedano defeated the army commanded by Nicolás de...
it became apparent that the city was going to fall to the advancing Chilean army
Chilean Army
The Chilean Army is the land arm of the Military of Chile. This 45,000-person army is organized into seven divisions, a special operations brigade and an air brigade....
. The last Peruvian ironclad, the monitor
Monitor (warship)
A monitor was a class of relatively small warship which was neither fast nor strongly armoured but carried disproportionately large guns. They were used by some navies from the 1860s until the end of World War II, and saw their final use by the United States Navy during the Vietnam War.The monitors...
Atahualpa, as well as Peru's first submarine
Submarine
A submarine is a watercraft capable of independent operation below the surface of the water. It differs from a submersible, which has more limited underwater capability...
, the Toro Submarino
Toro Submarino
The Toro Submarino was a Peruvian submarine developed during the War of the Pacific. While it was completely operational, the submarine never saw action before the end of the war, when it was scuttled to prevent its capture by Chilean troops.-Development:In 1864, an overseas German civil engineer...
were scuttled to prevent capture on January 16, 1881 and Callao surrendered two days later.