| Battle of Maipú | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part of the Chilean War of Independence | |||||||
 Battle of Maipú, painted in 1837 | |||||||
| |||||||
| Belligerents | |||||||
| South American patriots | Spain | ||||||
| Commanders | |||||||
| José de San Martin | Mariano Osorio | ||||||
| Strength | |||||||
| c5,000 | c5,000 | ||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||
| 1,000 | 2,000 dead 3,000 captured | ||||||
The Battle of Maipú was a battle fought near Santiago, Chile on April 5, 1818 between South American rebels and Spanish royalists, during the South American wars of independence. Chilean War of Independence, was an armed conflict between the people of Chile and Spanish colonial authorities which started on September 10, 1810 Events 456 - St Patrick returns to Ireland as a missionary bishop Year 1818 ( MDCCCXVIII) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar (or a Common Santiago ( (litteraly in spanish Saint James) is the Capital of Chile, and the center of its largest Conurbation ( Greater Santiago South America is a Continent of the Americas, situated entirely in the Western Hemisphere and mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a Spain () or the Kingdom of Spain (Reino de España is a country located mostly in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. José Francisco de San Martín Matorras, also known as José de San Martín ( 25 February 1778 – 17 August 1850) was an Argentine Mariano Osorio ( Sevilla, Spain; 1777 - † Havana, Cuba; 1819 was a Spanish general and Governor of Chile from 1814-1815 Santiago ( (litteraly in spanish Saint James) is the Capital of Chile, and the center of its largest Conurbation ( Greater Santiago Events 456 - St Patrick returns to Ireland as a missionary bishop Year 1818 ( MDCCCXVIII) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar (or a Common South America is a Continent of the Americas, situated entirely in the Western Hemisphere and mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a Victory came to the rebels commanded by José de San Martín, leader of the resistance to Spain in southern South America, and it completed the independence of Chile from Spanish domination. José Francisco de San Martín Matorras, also known as José de San Martín ( 25 February 1778 – 17 August 1850) was an Argentine Spain () or the Kingdom of Spain (Reino de España is a country located mostly in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula.
Contents |
Background
In 1817, the Argentine General José de San Martín led an army across the Andes and defeated the Spanish at the battles of Chacabuco and Chalchuapa and captured Santiago. The Road to Maipo describes the events in the process of Chilean Independence between the Second Battle of Cancha Rayada and the Battle of Maipú in 1818 For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Argentina topics. José Francisco de San Martín Matorras, also known as José de San Martín ( 25 February 1778 – 17 August 1850) was an Argentine The Crossing of the Andes was one of the most important feats in the Argentine and Chilean wars of independence, in which a combined army of Argentine Spain () or the Kingdom of Spain (Reino de España is a country located mostly in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. The Battle of Chacabuco, fought during the Chilean War of Independence, occurred on February 12, 1817. Santiago ( (litteraly in spanish Saint James) is the Capital of Chile, and the center of its largest Conurbation ( Greater Santiago The Spanish viceroyalty sent a Spanish army to Santiago under General Mariano Osorio, which defeated San Martin at the battle of Cancha Rayada. Mariano Osorio ( Sevilla, Spain; 1777 - † Havana, Cuba; 1819 was a Spanish general and Governor of Chile from 1814-1815 The drive for independence never diminished, however, and the following year San Martin launched a final offensive, which was to decide the outcome of the war.
The battle
In April 1818, marched his army out from Santiago and scaled the Andes Mountains, some rising as high as 13,000 feet (4,000 m). Near the Maipú River high in the rugged terrain of the Andes, San Martin caught the Spanish army under General Osorio off guard. The Royalists formed up on a ridge, but with their left flank separated from the main body. San Martin attacked this flank, driving off the Royalist cavalry with his own elite Horse Grenadiers, and isolated it, securing his right flank. He then attacked the Royalists in the centre, and was initially repulsed, but a Royalist counter-advance was met by effective artillery fire, and also driven back. At this point, General Osorio deserted the field, leaving the Royalist army under the command of Colonel Ordonez. San Martin committed his reserve to the attack, and the Royalists retreated, some making a stand at a nearby farm.
Results
The victory produced tremendous results. The victory ended the struggle for Chilean independence and so demoralized the Spanish army in South America that San Martin was able to easily sweep through and conquer Peru. Chile, officially the Republic of Chile ( Spanish:) is a country in South America occupying a long and narrow Coastal strip wedged between the South America is a Continent of the Americas, situated entirely in the Western Hemisphere and mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a Peru (Perú Piruw Piruw officially the Republic of Peru ( reˈpuβlika del peˈɾu is a country in western South America. The battle left 2,000 Spaniards dead and 3,000 captured; the patriots lost about 1,000 men.
Order of Battle
Patriots Commander: General José de San Martin
- Las Heras' Division (Colonel Las Heras)
- 11th Infantry Battalion (Argentinian)
- Cazadores de Coquimbo (Chilean)
- Battalion Infantes de la Patria (Chilean)
- 4 Squadrons of Horse Grenadiers (Argentinian)
- 8 Field Pieces
- Alvarado' Division (Colonel Alvarado)
- 2nd Infantry Battalion (Chilean)
- 8th Infantry Battalion (Argentine)
- Cazadores de los Andes (Argentine)
- 4 Squadrons Cazadores a Caballo de los Andes
- 9 Field Pieces
- Reserve Division (Colonel de la Quintana)
- 1st Infantry Battalion (Chilean)
- 3rd Infantry Battalion (Argentine)
- 7th Infantry Battalion (Argentine)
- 2 Squadrons Escort Cavalry
- 4 Field Pieces
Total: 5,000 men with 21 guns
Royalists Commander: General Mariano Osorio
- 1st Brigade (Colonel Ordoñez)
- Battalion Concepción
- Battalion Infante Don Carlos
- 1 Company Sappers
- Squadron Lances del Rey
- Squadron Arequipa Dragoons
- 4 guns
- 2nd Brigade (Colonel Morla)
- Battalion Arequipa
- Battalion Burgos
- Chillan Horse Dragoons
- 2 Squadron Frontier Dragoons
- 4 guns
- 3rd Brigade (Colonel de Rivera)
- Amalgamated battalion (Grenadier and Cazadores Companies from Battalions Burgos, Concepción, Infante and Arequipa)
- 4 guns
Total: 5,000 men with 12 guns
Sources
- http://historicaltextarchive.com/sections.php?op=viewarticle&artid=642
- Compton's Home Library: Battles of the World CD-ROM
External links
José Francisco de San Martín Matorras, also known as José de San Martín ( 25 February 1778 – 17 August 1850) was an Argentine Mariano Osorio ( Sevilla, Spain; 1777 - † Havana, Cuba; 1819 was a Spanish general and Governor of Chile from 1814-1815Dapyx Software network: MP3 Explorer | Ebook Manager | Zenithic