Tarapacá; Pormenores de una Batalla

Abstract

The Battle of Tarapacá (November 27, 1879) is one of the most epic and glorious days of the Guano and Saltpeter War (1879-1883); since a force that acted only with infantry, faced a compact tactical organization composed of troops of the three arms that was in pursuit. A week before that day in Tarapacá, (November 19), the battle of San Francisco (also known as Dolores) had taken place, on the slopes of the hill of the same name, with adverse results. Once this confrontation ended, a meeting as colonels he decided to set out on the road to Arica; discovering in full swing that the route was not the one they had proposed. With this new setback, they had no choice but to continue towards Tarapacá, about 60 kilometers of march through the driest desert in the world, where they arrived on November 22. Instead of taking the route north, they went southeast, not imagining that part of their glory would be found there.