Misplaced Pages

Miguel Grau

Article snapshot taken from Wikipedia with creative commons attribution-sharealike license. Give it a read and then ask your questions in the chat. We can research this topic together.

The Chincha Islands War , also known as Spanish–South American War ( Spanish : Guerra hispano-sudamericana ), was a series of coastal and naval battles between Spain and its former colonies of Peru , Chile , Ecuador , and Bolivia from 1865 to 1879. The conflict began with Spain's seizure of the guano -rich Chincha Islands in one of a series of attempts by Spain, under Isabella II , to reassert its influence over its former South American colonies. The war saw the use of ironclads , including the Spanish ship Numancia , the first ironclad to circumnavigate the world.

#562437

95-619: Chincha Islands War War of the Pacific Miguel María Grau Seminario (27 July 1834 – 8 October 1879) was a Peruvian Navy officer and politician best known for his actions during the War of the Pacific . He was nicknamed "Gentleman of the Seas" for his kind and chivalrous treatment of defeated enemies and is held in high esteem by both Peruvians and Chileans. Grau is an iconic figure for

190-523: A Brooklyn -class cruiser in the 1950s, a British County-class destroyer from 1983 to 2006, and most recently a Dutch Jacob van Heemskerck -class frigate transferred to Chile as Capitan Prat in 2006. One of Chile's Antarctic research facilities, Arturo Prat Station , and the Chilean Naval Academy, Escuela Naval Arturo Prat are named after him. His portrait appears on the 10,000 Chilean peso bank note. Also, in 1984 Arturo Prat University

285-666: A Chilean invasion by sea for six months, and as a result he was promoted to rear admiral by the government in Lima - the first Peruvian to be promoted to flag officer rank in many years. At the Battle of Iquique , after Huáscar sank the Chilean corvette Esmeralda by ramming her, Grau ordered the rescue of the surviving crew from the waters. Grau also wrote condolences to the widow of his opponent Arturo Prat , returning his sword and personal effects. Letter to Carmela Carvajal de Prat (Prat's widow) At

380-424: A bit sad, she extended her little arms to hug me... But like Prat's older brothers who died very young, the girl inherited a very frail and sickly build. Arturo writes to Carmela: "Keep using homeopathy for my little daughter and inform me after she is healthy." He has, undoubtedly, the hope that the method that (he supposed) cured his weak condition, would work the same wonders in little Carmela. But it didn't work,

475-400: A great naivety (not even with all of its indications could the law prevent the intervention of the executive power.) Pedro Chacón used to throw parties in his portside house once or twice a week. Prat frequently attended, as did Concepción Chacón's sister-in-law, Carmela Carvajal. In those happy get-togethers the couple met and fell in love, a love that would last a lifetime. Their attraction

570-683: A long-range gun duel would serve no purpose but to waste ammunition, the Spanish commanders withdrew. Williams and the Esmeralda were not at the anchorage on the day of the battle. The commodore had sailed to Ancud for coaling. On its way back to Valparaiso, the Spanish squadron captured a Chilean steamboat , the Paquete del Maule , which was transporting sailors to crew the new Peruvian ironclads Huáscar and Independencia . The Spanish could not attack land forces and had been frustrated in attempts to engage

665-611: A love story with Carla Ortiz (unidentified French women). In 1853, at the age of 19, he left the merchant marine and became an officer candidate of the Peruvian Navy , where he developed an outstanding professional reputation. In 1854, he was an officer on board the steamer Rimac . His career was rapid and brilliant. In 1862, he left the Navy and went into private business in a series of forced labor recruiting expeditions in Polynesia. In 1863, he

760-453: A merchant schooner. The schooner sank in front of Gorgona Island and he later returned to Paita. However, he did not get discouraged and embarked again the following year. Grau later went on various merchant ships to ports in Oceania, Asia, America and Europe. These voyages gave Grau the seagoing experience that was the foundation for his brilliant career as a nautical officer and the beginning of

855-532: A parliamentarian, requested leave to serve Peru in the War of the Pacific and, as he died in this war during the Battle of Angamos , never rejoined the parliament. As a sign of respect and homage, Miguel Grau's name is the first to be called during the roll call of congressmen. Posthumously, he was promoted to the rank of Admiral by the Peruvian Congress in 1946. Furthermore, several places are named after him, such as

950-611: A position as the world's fourth largest naval power. In the 1850s and 1860s, the Spanish engaged in colonial activities around the world, including in Morocco , the Philippines , Mexico , and the Dominican Republic , the last of which it briefly reoccupied . At the end of 1862, Spain sent a scientific expedition to South American waters with the covert purpose of reinforcing the financial and legal claims of Spanish citizens residing in

1045-660: A prerequisite for studying law. One of his examiners was the renowned Chilean historian Diego Barros Arana . In the following year, he began his studies in Property Law in the Faculty of Law of the University of Chile . He studied on board the "Esmeralda", which was located in Mejillones. Upon returning from his mission, he requested to take his examinations in Valparaíso where he passed

SECTION 10

#1732844944563

1140-421: A rope tied from his waist to the mast to accomplish rescue maneuvers which stopped the vessel with its bow against the beach, and secure it there with rigging. Luis Alfredo Lynch later remembered Prat's "unflappable calm in the face of danger". The repair of Esmeralda was long and hard and cost 100,000 pesos. Lynch had to face charges of dereliction of duty, however he was saved by a tie in the voting. Throughout

1235-809: A testament to his enduring legacy. Miguel Grau is celebrated not only in Peru but also in Chile and Bolivia. His name is honored in various ways, such as streets named after him in Santiago de Chile and numerous monuments and statues in different cities, including Buenos Aires in Argentina, and La Paz in Bolivia. Notably, the Monitor Huáscar is preserved in Talcahuano , Chile, with Grau's figure displayed in his cabin and officer's room. Grau

1330-514: A very short time. He primarily devoted himself to resolving the legal problems of the Chacón and Carvajal families, as well as naval-related problems. He aspired to be a Navy auditor, but he was only sworn as "assistant" (mainly because of his lack of experience), assigned the legal aspects of the Navy General Command. Prat performed a complete remodeling of the army's legal system, starting with

1425-418: Is an "eminently liberal" law. Prat ends saying: ...deep-down a good law, it needs serious and important reforms with respect to regulations if it is to achieve the lofty objective it is destined to: to be the effective guarantee that the voting result is the happy expression of the national will." The text reveals Prat's political ideas, clearly reflecting the common liberalism of the times, and demonstrates

1520-557: Is commemorated as "The Gentleman of the Seas" for his noble conduct and humanity during wartime. The Orden Gran Almirante Grau (Grand Admiral Grau Order), established in 1969, is a decoration awarded by the Peruvian Navy to honor distinguished service. Furthermore, Grau has been depicted in several films and TV series, illustrating his role in the War of the Pacific. Chincha Islands War Military expenditures were greatly increased during Isabella's reign and Spain rose to

1615-459: Is still not well; I feel my heart fainting from pain and you are not here to hold me... If it were possible for you to come, that would be my only comfort. Don't despair my wellbeing, think of your unhappy Carmela." Adding to Prat's desperation, the steamboat would not leave until the 18th. All his hopes were destroyed in that trip, days later, when he was given a condolence letter in an intermediate port, signed by Juan José Latorre . Arturo wrote at

1710-609: The Huáscar and the Independencia ". "What basis do you have to assert that?" asked Condell, and the sailor answered "From the shape of the platform on top of the foremast". Immediately Condell ordered a shot to be fired in the air to warn Esmeralda , still anchored in the port. The ships were indeed Independencia and Huáscar . In that same moment, the Peruvian admiral Miguel Grau Seminario addressed his crew: "Crewmembers and Sailors of

1805-490: The Spanish Empire . Given the climate of suspicion, no one was surprised when the Spanish gunboat Vencedora stopped at a Chilean port for coal, and President José Joaquín Pérez declared that coal was a war supply that could not be sold to a belligerent nation. From the Spanish point of view, the Chilean coaling embargo was taken as proof that Chile no longer was neutral. That was reinforced after two Peruvian steamers left

1900-557: The Spanish flag . Spain considered the islands an important bargaining chip, as they were a major Peruvian economic asset and produced almost 60% of the government's annual revenue. The Spanish squadron also blockaded principal Peruvian ports, disrupting commerce and fostering a high level of resentment throughout Latin America. Spain expected little resistance from Peru and believed its military capabilities to be negligible. A proposal to exchange

1995-527: The Villa de Madrid . He demanded for the Spanish flag to be given a 21-gun salute. He deliberately presented his demand on the day before Chilean National Day (September 18). Under the circumstances, the Chileans refused, and war was declared a week later on September 24. The new Spanish prime minister , Leopoldo O'Donnell , who had replaced Narváez, ordered Pareja to withdraw, but the Spanish admiral chose to ignore

SECTION 20

#1732844944563

2090-689: The Vivanco-Pareja Treaty forced Peruvian President Juan Antonio Pezet from office. He was replaced by his vice president, General Pedro Diez Canseco . Diez Canseco also tried to avoid war with Spain, which similarly led to his downfall only 20 days later. On November 26, General Mariano Ignacio Prado , the leader of the nationalist movement, deposed Canseco. The new government immediately declared its solidarity with Chile and its intention to declare war on Spain and to restore Peru's national honor. Chile and Peru formally signed an alliance against Spain on December 5, 1865. The Peruvian Congress ratified

2185-551: The War of Independence as well, and it sent the representative Eusebio Salazar y Mazarredo  [ es ] to settle the issue directly with the Peruvian authorities. Salazar arrived in March 1864, bearing the title of Royal Commissary . That was a deliberate insult to the government of Peru because a commissary is a colonial functionary, rather than an ambassador, the normal level of diplomatic contact during consultations between independent states. The snub doomed negotiations with

2280-423: The corvette Esmeralda under Policarpo Toro 's command), Magallanes and Peru . During the latter trip in 1868, he was responsible for transporting aid to those affected by that year's earthquake, and he later brought back the remains of Bernardo O'Higgins , at the orders of Manuel Blanco Encalada . Prat was promoted to a lieutenant on September 9. He returned to Naval School, as an instructor. From 1871, he

2375-537: The Allied squadron at sea. The Spanish ships were isolated, short of supplies, and losing hope of victory. When the Chilean government ordered all vessels communicating with the Spanish fleet to be barred from Chilean ports, Admiral Mendez Núñez decided to take punitive actions against the Allied ports. The Spanish fleet shelled and burned the town and the port of Valparaiso on March 31 and destroyed Chile's merchant fleet. A total of 33 vessels were burned or sunk. The damage to

2470-542: The Americas. The expedition was under the command of Admiral Luis Hernández-Pinzón Álvarez  [ es ] , a direct descendant of the Pinzón brothers , who had accompanied Christopher Columbus on his voyage that resulted in the modern European discovery of the Americas . Pinzón's squadron was composed of four warships: the twin steam frigates Triunfo and Resolución , the corvette Vencedora  [ es ] and

2565-399: The Chilean ironclads rendering them in an unfavourable position to pursue. These and other gestures earned him the nickname of El Caballero de los Mares ("Gentleman of the Seas") from his Chilean opponents, acknowledging an extraordinary sense of chivalry and his gentlemanly behaviour, combined with his highly efficient and brave combat career. Grau was also a determining factor in capturing

2660-405: The Chilean merchant marine was catastrophic. Twelve years later, the total tonnage under the Chilean flag was still less than half of what it had been in 1865. Admiral Mendez Núñez, displeased at having to resort to destroying defenseless targets such as Valparaiso and with the inconclusive result at Abtao, decided to change tactics and to attack a heavily defended port. As a result, he set sail for

2755-483: The Chincha Islands as proof of a long-range Spanish plot to reassert its influence over its previous colonial territories. The force sent by Spain, on the other hand, amounted to a mere squadron of ships with negligible capabilities for landing forces, and its intention may have been only to seize the islands for their valuable fertiliser resources as reparations and to regain some of Spain's lost prestige. Regardless of

2850-612: The Customs Office. The relationship between his parents was extramarital as his mother, María Luisa Seminario y del Castillo, was also married to Colombian captain Pío Díaz and they would have three legitimate children together: Roberto, Emilio and Balbina. María Luisa would motivate Grau to love the sea from his youth. He entered the Paita Nautical School. He first went to sea when he was nine years old, going to Colombia , aboard

2945-497: The Huáscar, Iquique is at sight, there are our afflicted fellow countrymen from Tarapacá, and also the enemy, still unpunished. It's time to punish them! I hope you will know how. Remember how our forces distinguished in Junin, the 2nd of May, Abtao, Ayacucho and other battlefields, to win us our glorious and dignified independence, and our consecrated and brilliant laurels of freedom. No matter

Miguel Grau - Misplaced Pages Continue

3040-490: The Naval Academy on August 28, 1858, at the age of 10 years thanks to one of the scholarships created by President Manuel Montt , another son of Catalan immigrants. There were two scholarships per province: one for Arauco went to Prat, and the other went to Luis Uribe . Both had the same benefactor, Don Jacinto Chacón (uncle of Arturo and stepfather of Uribe), resulting in the two youths considering each other as brothers. At

3135-485: The Navigation Law. He presented 152 modifications to it, many of which were approved. He was also in charge of the regularization of the promotion system, proposing changes to avoid social relations, politics and other factors, making it a merit and seniority based system. Prat died without this navy code having been published. This was Arturo Prat's thesis book, which contained many clues about his political thoughts. It

3230-678: The Ovalo Grau in Piura , Plaza Grau and metro station in Lima. An example includes the modern-style monument in Piura, remodeled in 2019 featuring symbolic elements of strength and valor, and the bronze statue in Callao inaugurated by President Nicolás de Piérola in 1897. The hyper-realistic statue unveiled at the Naval Museum of Callao in 2021, using artificial intelligence to achieve detailed likeness, stands as

3325-534: The Peruvian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Juan Antonio Ribeyro Estrada . On April 14, 1864, in retaliation for Peru's refusal to pay an indemnity, the Spanish fleet seized the lightly defended Chincha Islands , the main source for Peruvian guano resources. The Spanish placed the islands' Peruvian governor, Ramón Valle Riestra, under arrest aboard the Resolución , occupied the islands with 400 marines, and raised

3420-508: The Peruvian navy, and one of the most famous naval officers from the Americas. Miguel Grau was born in Paita on 27 July 1834 in the house of Dr. Alexander Diamont Newel with the assistance of the midwife Tadea Castillo, also known as "The Morito," both prominent figures in Paita. His father was Juan Manuel Grau y Berrío, a Colombian who came to Peru with Bolivar in the fight for independence from Spain. Later, Juan bought property in Paita and worked at

3515-461: The Peruvian port city of Callao . The Battle of Callao took place on May 2 after which both sides claimed victory. Peruvian defenders claimed that they had halted the Spanish from regaining their lost authority and prestige in South America, prevented them from enforcing their demands upon Peru, and forced the withdrawal of the Spanish fleet, which was technically correct since Peruvian cannons fired

3610-401: The admiral's war correspondence. That humiliation was too much for Pareja, who committed suicide two days later aboard his flagship. The general command of the Spanish fleet in the Pacific was assumed by Commodore Casto Méndez Núñez , who quickly received a promotion to rear admiral. On November 7, 1865, his unwillingness to declare war on Spain and the vilification arising from his signing of

3705-512: The alliance on January 12, and two days later, Peru finally declared war on Spain. Chile's navy was weak and almost nonexistent. To reinforce its Chilean ally, a Peruvian squadron, commanded by Captain Lizardo Montero , was immediately dispatched to the south. Among the ships in the squadron were the steam frigates Amazonas and Apurímac . Ecuador joined the alliance on January 30, 1866 by declaring war on Spain on that day. Bolivia , under

3800-436: The battle, converting Prat into an ensign (equivalent to a second lieutenant in the army). Wishing to offset their losses at Papudo, the Spanish fleet sought another confrontation with the allied navies (Peru and Ecuador added to Chile's side), leading to the inconclusive battle of Abtao at Chiloé on February 7, 1866. Artillery combat occurred only between Covadonga and the Spanish ships Villa de Madrid and Blanca , as

3895-421: The bay and Valdivia broke its cables and went right towards Esmeralda , which then impacted with Maipo . It appeared that the destruction of Esmeralda would be unavoidable. When Prat and Lynch returned, they managed to be taken back to the ship by boat, but the violent waves kept them from embarking. Lynch and Prat threw themselves into the water and swam to the ship to climb a rope. Prat worked feverishly with

Miguel Grau - Misplaced Pages Continue

3990-404: The child's life was extinguishing more and more every day, to the despair of the helpless parents, who put all their strengths in their prayers. Poor little angel! I cannot see her any more, at least I want her to be healthy. Carmelita's problem was a hernia caused by the badly removed umbilical cord , in addition to several other illnesses (diarrhea, fever, etc.) Adding to Prat's despair, at

4085-490: The combined Chilean-Peruvian fleet. The Allied squadron had been placed under the command of Peruvian Captain Manuel Villar and had taken refuge at Abtao, a well-protected inlet near the gulf of Chiloé, in southern Chile. The Spanish squadron appeared at the entrance of the inlet on February 7, 1866, but the Spanish did not enter to avoid risking their ironclads running aground in the shallows. A cannonade, lasting several hours,

4180-425: The command of General Mariano Melgarejo , also declared war on March 22, 1866. The moves resulted in all ports on South America's Pacific coast south of Colombia becoming closed to the Spanish fleet. Argentina refused to join the alliance, as it was embroiled in a war with Paraguay . Spain's Admiral Mendez Núñez sent two of his most powerful ships (the frigates Villa de Madrid and Reina Blanca ) south to destroy

4275-546: The commanding officer of the Peruvian Navy's fleet as captain, and later became a member of the Congress of the Republic of Peru as an elected congressman in 1876 representing Paita. To this day his seat is preserved in congress and his name is called at the beginning of each session, being responded "present" to by all congressmen. When the War of the Pacific between Chile against Bolivia and Peru began on 5 April 1879, Miguel Grau

4370-479: The corvette Abtao , under lieutenant commander Carlos Condell de la Haza's command, and Covadonga , under Prat's command, set sail towards Iquique arriving on 10 May. To achieve the plan that Admiral Juan Williams Rebolledo had conceived, consisting of attacking the Peruvian squadron in Callao 's port, he assigned as Abtao ' s commander Manuel Thompson, who commanded the corvette Esmeralda until then. Arturo Prat replaced him, and Carlos Condell de la Haza

4465-514: The current electoral law) was approved. There remained one final step before receiving his license — a final exam before the judges of the Supreme Court. On 31 July 1876, at 11 a.m., the lieutenant commander passed through the corridors of Supreme Court of Justice in full dress uniform wearing his sword at his belt; he had come to take his examination before the highest judges, the final requirement to practise law. However, much to his surprise, Prat

4560-452: The direct order. As he had no troops with which to attempt a landing, he decided to impose a blockade of the main Chilean ports. That action was unenforceable since a blockade of Chile's 1,800 miles (2,900 km) of coastline would have required a fleet that was several times larger than what Pareja had at his disposal. The blockade of the port of Valparaiso , however, caused such great economic damage to both Chilean and foreign interests that

4655-518: The end of the annual season, he had to be transferred to the center of the country, on the Abtao , a steamer that should have arrived but had not. On Sunday 13 December the boat finally arrived, and he wrote to his wife: "Later then I will be seeing you, as I will see my little child who I hope is completely healthy..." But the girl had died one week before on 5 December. At dusk, a devastating letter arrived from his wife: "My beloved Arturo, our dear little angel

4750-481: The engineer Ricardo Owen, accused of disobedience, and also his friend and classmate Luis Uribe , accused of disobedience and contempt to his superiors. He succeeded the first time, but he was not so successful with the defence of his friend, who was condemned to six months of jail by six votes. The amnesty of the President saved Uribe and his naval career from that fate. Prat practised his recently adopted profession for

4845-545: The family budget; and he, on the other hand, helped with some house chores: "At every moment I seem to find you exhausted from rocking our daughter, without me being next to you and sharing, albeit a bit, your labors...". The newlyweds spent their honeymoon in Quillota and in the Cauquenes's hot springs. After that, Prat returned to Valparaíso to resume his navy duties. He did not see his wife again until October. By that time Carmela

SECTION 50

#1732844944563

4940-450: The family. Tall, slender and beautiful, she met with a sturdy Arturo Prat, with large forehead due to his baldness, thick beard and steady step. The minister, José Francisco Salas, blessed them at 10:30 am. They were married. Their relationship as spouses was based on a love that did not fade during the six years they lived together. Prat treated his wife as an equal, as a partner (something really rare in that society), putting her in charge of

5035-415: The foot of Carmela's previous letter: "The 5 December, at past 1 hour and 3 minutes after midnight, my daughter Carmela de la Concepción died. This is the letter destined to announce it to me. The sadness it reveals should have made me see, but hope is so sweet." When the war broke out, Prat was assigned to assistant of the Navy General Command, a position he tried to reject. When Don Rafael Sotomayor Baeza

5130-488: The grade of " midshipman without examination". During this period, Prat distinguished himself in an incident involving Infernal , a French ship that was carrying explosive materials. On October 1, 1861, it caught on fire while in the Bay of Valparaíso. Esmeralda , which was nearby, sent boats to save the wreck, one of which was steered by Prat, who would struggle for two hours against the fire. On July 21, 1864, Arturo Prat passed

5225-578: The incident reached Pinzón, he returned with his fleet to Peru on November 13 and demanded for its government to issue an apology and for reparations be made to the affected Spanish nationals. In response, the Peruvians took the position that the episode was an internal police matter that should be handled by the Peruvian justice system and that no apology was due. At that juncture, the Spanish government in Madrid decided to demand payment of Peruvian debts stemming from

5320-453: The islands for British-held Gibraltar was even entertained for a time. During the blockade, Triunfo was destroyed by an accidental fire. The new Spanish Prime Minister, Ramón María Narváez , disapproved of the unilateral actions taken by Pinzón and replaced him with Vice Admiral Juan Manuel Pareja , who had been Minister of the Navy. Pareja had been born in Peru, and his father, Brigadier Antonio Pareja , had died in Chile in 1813 while he

5415-561: The last shots in the battle. The Spanish claimed to have visited punishment upon its former colony. Spanish guns had managed to cause only limited damage to defenses, and most of the cannons, artillery, and buildings in Callao itself survived the battle intact. Whether the suspicions of a Spanish scheme to recapture its former colonies had any basis in fact is unknown. Many in South America saw Spain's meddling in Latin America and its occupation of

5510-422: The morning, when the fog cleared, Covadonga ' s lookout shouted: "Smoke to the north!". But, owing to thick marine fog, they were not able to identify the newly arrived ships, but after a few moments they thought it was the Peruvian squadron coming back. At 6:45 a.m., a sailor by Condell's side asked for the telescope, and in a moment of clarity he observed the warships' rigging and said to Condell: "It's

5605-724: The museum ship Huáscar . In the year 2000, Miguel Grau was recognized as the "Peruvian of the Millennium" by popular vote. In December 2019, a bust of Grau was donated by the Peruvian Navy to the United Kingdom in Wirral , in tribute to the historic naval links between Peru and Birkenhead . Birkenhead is home to the Cammell Laird shipyard that built the Huáscar and the bust is displayed in Birkenhead Town Hall . A memorial to Grau

5700-460: The navies of the United States and Great Britain, despite remaining neutral in the conflict, issued a formal protest. Even before Chile and Peru were formally allied, Spain had suffered a humiliating naval defeat at the naval Battle of Papudo on November 26, 1865. The engagement had the Chilean corvette Esmeralda capture the Spanish schooner Covadonga , taking the crew prisoner and seizing

5795-476: The other allied ships were unused due to a lack of coal and the rocky estuary. Prat then served on Covadonga , the ship which resisted the Spanish bombardment. There were no losses on the allied side, while the Spanish suffered two deaths. After the war, Prat completed a large number of sea voyages, both inside and outside his country, including voyages to the Juan Fernández Islands , Easter Island (on

SECTION 60

#1732844944563

5890-454: The passionate heart of your Arturo. On 5 May 1873 the wedding bells sounded over the San Agustín de Valparaíso church. A beautiful red carpet was laid, over which the radiant 22-year-old bride passed on her way to the altar. Her parents had died when she was a girl, and she had been raised by her siblings, through whom she had contact with the Chacón family. The Chacón adopted her as a member of

5985-508: The port of Antofagasta , after sneaking up on an enemy ship the Matias Cousiño , he courteously asked the crew to abandon ship before opening fire. As her captain Castleton was abandoning the ship, the Chileans' capital ships Blanco Encalada and Almirante Cochrane showed up, forcing Grau to abandon his prey and, after seriously disabling the Matias Cousiño , to escape by passing in between

6080-552: The port of Valparaiso bearing weapons and Chilean volunteers bound for Peru. Vice Admiral José Manuel Pareja thus took a hard line and demanded sanctions against Chile that were even heavier than those imposed upon Peru. He then detached four wooden ships from his squadron and dispatched them to Chile while the Numancia and the Covadonga remained to guard Callao . Pareja arrived at Valparaiso on September 17, 1865 aboard his flagship

6175-459: The reason behind the conflict, Spain found it impossible to hold its positions. With all ports south of Colombia closed to it for coaling and provisioning, the Spanish fleet withdrew from patrolling the South American coastline, vacated the Chincha Islands, and returned to Spain via the Philippines , completing a circumnavigation of the globe to do so. Over the following several years, Spain and

6270-818: The republics agreed to peace treaties that formally ended the war: The calle del Pacífico ("Pacific street", now Avenida de la Ciudad de Barcelona  [ es ] ) in Madrid, Spain, was named after this campaign. The street gave name to a neighborhood and metro station . General Commanders Steam-schooners Steamboats Sail transports General Commanders Screw-frigates Steam-schooners Steamboats Ironclad monitors General Commanders Steam-schooners Transports [REDACTED] Media related to Chincha Islands War at Wikimedia Commons Arturo Prat Agustín Arturo Prat Chacón ( Latin American Spanish: [aɾˈtuɾo pɾat tʃaˈkon] ; April 3, 1848 – May 21, 1879)

6365-502: The required subjects. In 1875, he began practicing law at a law firm in the port town as a prerequisite to receiving his license. In July of the following year, Prat passed his remaining courses and was then ready to complete his licensing. In order to graduate, he was required to pass an examination on a randomly chosen area of law. He was assigned Roman Law , which he managed to pass between 24–26 July 1876, while his thesis " Observaciones sobre la ley electoral vigente " (Observations on

6460-589: The schooner Virgen de Covadonga . The Spanish ships arrived at the port of Valparaiso , Chile , on April 18, 1863. Spain had recognized Chilean independence since the 1840s, and both nations had maintained diplomatic relations. The expedition was cordially received, and the Admiral exchanged visits with local authorities. The vessels left Chile in July amicably and moved on to Peru . Even though Spain had never recognized Peruvian independence, which had been declared in 1821,

6555-575: The squadron received a friendly welcome at the port of Callao . It stayed in port for a few weeks and then sailed bound for San Francisco , California , United States. On August 4, 1863, an incident took place at the Talambo hacienda, in Lambayeque, Peru . The details are fragmentary; but the episode involved a fight that broke out between two Spanish residents and 40 local citizens. As a result, one Spaniard died, and four others were injured. When news of

6650-591: The steamer Rimac . Rimac was being chased by the wooden corvette Union under command of Garcia y Garcia. When Huascar appeared and fired her twin cannons, Rimac quickly lowered her flag. The cavalry regiment Carabineros de Yungay, including its commander, was captured with the ship. This was a major blow for the Chilean Government, and the Commander of the Chilean Navy resigned his position. Almirante Grau

6745-405: The theoretical and practical test needed to be promoted from "midshipman without exam" to "examined midshipman". That year saw the incidents that resulted in the war against Spain, inflamed by the Chilean attitude towards the occupation of the Peruvian Chincha Islands by a Spanish squadron. The resulting war would prove to be a baptism of fire for Prat and his classmates. Commanding Esmeralda at

6840-435: The time was Juan Williams Rebolledo, who planned the recovery of the Chilean steamer Matías Cousiño and the capture of the Spanish schooner Covadonga . The naval battle of Papudo occurred on December 26 and rapidly went the way of the Chilean force which was superior in firepower and was able to defeat and capture the ship. The capture of Covadonga resulted in the promotion by one grade of all sailors participating in

6935-505: The time, the academy was directed by the Frenchman Juan Julio Feillet and was backed by another Frenchman, Anatolio Desmadryl. Young Arturo and his friend Luis were part of the so-called "class of the heroes" including Carlos Condell , Juan José Latorre , and Jorge Montt Álvarez . In 1859, his second year as a cadet, he commenced a nautical apprenticeship – a requirement for second-year students. His first voyage of training

7030-551: The trial, Arturo Prat was always faithful to his superior, helping him however he could. After the tests of May 1876 and only three years before the War of the Pacific , the Chilean government closed the Naval School, saying that Chile no longer needed naval officers. Prat, who left Condell in charge of Esmeralda , disembarked and, because of his studies in law, was named helper of the Maritime Government of Valparaíso. It

7125-662: Was December 1876, he was already a graduated commander , but he only returned to the ship after the war started. In 1870, Prat began the path of becoming a lawyer. Prat had always had an interest in law and therefore decided to pursue his law degree. He entered as a secondary student in Humanities at the Liceo de Valparaíso and the National Institute ( Instituto Nacional ). In 1871, he received his diploma in Philosophy and Humanities —

7220-568: Was a Chilean Navy officer and lawyer. He was killed in the Battle of Iquique , during the War of the Pacific . During his career, Prat had taken part in several naval engagements, including battles at Papudo (1865), and at the Abtao (1866). Following his death, his name became a rallying cry for Chilean forces, and Arturo Prat has since been considered a national hero . Prat's name is commemorated on numerous plazas (squares), streets, buildings and other structures in Chile. His name has been commemorated by four of Chile's major warships, including

7315-432: Was a dedicated teacher who fought against the lack of resources available to provide quality education. He translated textbooks from French to Spanish. Around that time, Prat faced an unusual situation. On May 24, 1875, Esmeralda was in the port of Valparaíso while Prat was on sick leave. The commander of the ship, Luis Alfredo Lynch , was also on leave, so Lieutenant Constantino Bannen was left in charge. A storm began in

7410-475: Was aboard the Huáscar , as its captain and the Commander of the Navy. In an impressive display of naval mastery, Capitán Grau played an important role by interdicting Chilean lines of communication and supply, damaging, capturing or destroying several enemy vessels, and bombarding port installations. Grau's Huáscar became famed for moving stealthily, striking by surprise and then disappearing. These actions put off

7505-602: Was already pregnant with their first daughter. Prat wrote of his daughter's birth: The fifth of march Carmela de la Concepción was born at 9:35 a.m., under the circumstances that I had to go to Santiago just the day before... The fifth of April she was baptised in the Church of the Holy Spirit, the godparents being Conchita with José Jesús... It seems to me that she was to be very vivacious, smiling, playful... Last night I dreamt about her and she seemed to know me and with her little face

7600-575: Was called in a ceremonial roll-call of the Peruvian Navy , and the Peruvian congress continues to do so. His final resting place lies at the Escuela Militar Naval del Peru, in El Callao in an underground mausoleum. He posthumously received the rank of Gran Almirante del Perú ( Grand Admiral of Peru) in 1967 by order of the Peruvian Congress . A portrait of Almirante Grau is on display in

7695-413: Was completed in the steamer Independencia , with sail and rigging maneuvers, followed later by practice in seamanship and artillery. In January 1860, Prat boarded, for the first time, Esmeralda . His nautical apprenticeship continued: embarkation and disembarkation, combat simulation, etc. In July 1861, he left the Naval Academy as " primera antigüedad " (the most distinguished in the course). He obtained

7790-416: Was designated Covadonga ' s commander. On 16 May, the squadron set sail to Callao, with the intention of surprising the Peruvian warships, but the same day Peruvian monitor Huáscar and armored frigate Independencia set sail from that port, towards Arica , to carry reinforcements, armaments, ammunition and provisions, so both squadrons missed each other on their trips. It was 21 May 1879, 6:30 in

7885-485: Was exchanged with little effect. In spite of being at anchor, without steam, and with some ships with their engines undergoing overhaul, the Allies mounted an energetic fight. The Covadonga , under the command of Lieutenant Manuel Thomson , managed to fire over an island and scored several hits on the frigate Blanca . The battle ended indecisively without further developments. Reluctant to enter shallow waters and realizing that

7980-503: Was fighting for Spain during the Chilean War of Independence . Narváez's conciliatory opinion soon changed, and he dispatched another four warships to reinforce the Pacific fleet. Pareja arrived in Peru in December 1864 and immediately opened negotiations with General Manuel Ignacio de Vivanco , the special representative of Peruvian President Juan Antonio Pezet . The Vivanco-Pareja Treaty

8075-518: Was founded, with its main campus in Iquique where his heroic deed took place. Arturo Prat, the oldest of five brothers, (Ricardo, Rodolfo, Atala Rosa and Escilda Aurelia) son of Agustín Prat del Barril and Rosario Chacón Barrios, was born at the San Agustín de Puñual Hacienda in south-central Chile on April 3, 1848. The name Prat is of Catalan origin (not to be confused with the English ' Pratt '). He entered

8170-510: Was killed by an armor-piercing shell fired by the ironclad Almirante Cochrane in a four against one duel during the Naval Battle of Angamos on 8 October 1879. Huáscar was captured by the Chileans after suffering severe casualties in the close-range artillery duel. Although most of Grau's body was not recovered, his remains, which were buried with military honours in Chile, were returned to Peru in 1958. For many years after his death, his name

8265-431: Was notified that if he reenlisted he would be promoted as of a year later. On returning in 1864, he was sent to Europe to oversee the construction of ships for the Peruvian fleet. He would be put in prison a year later, with a group of fellow officers for rejecting the idea of hiring a foreigner as supreme commander of the Peruvian navy, but was later released after a trial in which they were declared not guilty as their cause

8360-574: Was obvious, but Prat was concerned when others mentioned it. In addition to his shyness, he was annoyed because he was afraid to formalize an engagement because he had no money to support the marriage. When he learned that he would be promoted to Corvette Captain, he finally decided to ask for Carmela's hand, in 1873. The only love letter from Prat to his fiancée that has survived is dated shortly after: My Carmela, my life, my treasure, I have to tell you, that I adore you every day more fervently, I cannot do it now because I am afraid I could fall ill. Receive

8455-417: Was proven worthy. Among these ships was the ironclad Huáscar , launched in 1865 by Laird at Birkenhead . Upon his return, Chile and Peru joined in a bi-national fleet against Spanish attempts to reclaim their American colonies. In 1868, he was recalled to the Navy and was named commander of the Huáscar with the rank of Lieutenant Commander and was later promoted to commander. By 1 June 1874, he became

8550-475: Was required to go to Antofagasta with instructions from the Government, he requested an assistant, and Prat was assigned to the job. Being both of them aboard the armored Blanco Encalada , he was assigned to notify Iquique 's authorities that they have been blocked by the Chilean army, which he did without letting the hostile position of the people daunt him. He was assigned Covadonga ' s command. On 3 May

8645-540: Was signed on January 27, 1865 on board the frigate Villa de Madrid  [ es ] . Popular opinion in Peru considered the treaty as detrimental to its national honor. When the Peruvian Congress refused to ratify it, a general uprising followed, and Pezet's government fell on November 7. In the meantime, anti-Spanish sentiments in several South American countries, including Bolivia , Chile , and Ecuador , increased. Peru and its neighbors still remained wary of any moves that might foreshadow an attempt to re-establish

8740-557: Was the Second Commander of Esmeralda , leading to his appointment to several positions in the school (teacher, subdirector, internal director), and was assigned to teach courses such as Naval Order, Law, Naval Tactics and Cosmography. Additionally, he was responsible for docking the corvette for four years (1871–1874) in the port of Mejillones . He received the title of Graduated Corvette Captain (equivalent to lieutenant commander ) in 1873 and Capitán de Corbeta Efectivo in 1874. He

8835-469: Was told that the judges had decided not to hear examinations that day. Prat protested that he had an appointment for that day, that he had very little free time as a naval officer, and requested a meeting with Manuel Montt Torres , the Supreme Court president. Having convinced Montt to receive him, and to much applause from the court, Prat went on to become a lawyer at the age of 28. Prior to his final exam, Prat had already conducted legal work while defending

8930-615: Was unveiled in Wirral in February 2024. Situated on the promenard in Birkenhead, the memorial is short distance from the dry dock at Cammell Lairds where the Huascar was built. The section of promenard where the memorial was built was also renamed Grand Admiral Miguel Grau Walk in commemoration. In the Peruvian Congress , a replica of his congressional seat is placed in a position of honor. Grau, being

9025-501: Was written within the framework of the promulgation of the new electoral law during Federico Errázuriz Zañartu 's government, in which the Greater Taxpayer Institution and Parliament Member Cumulative Vote were established. Prat analyzes this law with the perspective that it would make possible further progress towards electoral freedom. He points out the contradictions and obscurity of the text, but he stresses that it

#562437