Battle of Tacna - Prologue

Prologue

After the Bolivian government threatened to confiscate and clinch the Chilean Antofagasta Nitrate & Railway Company by a decree on February 1, 1879, a Chilean disembarkation at Antofagasta on February 14 seized control of the city. Obliged by a secret cooperation treaty signed with Bolivia on February 6, 1873; Peru was forced into the conflict. Although the latter tried to mediate between both nations, Chile — by then aware of the secret pact — issued a war declaration against the Allied countries on April 5. Once the war started, the conflict initially developed into a naval campaign, due to the strategic relevance of sea domination. The Chilean Navy had serious problems with its Peruvian counterpart at the beginning, as the ironclad Huáscar, commanded by Admiral Miguel Grau Seminario inflicted several defeats on the Chileans at Iquique and other confrontations. An eight-month chase conducted by the Chilean fleet concluded with the capture of the Peruvian vessel and the death of Peru's highest naval figure during the decisive victory of Angamos on October 8. With this encounter Chile controlled the sea, so that its headquarters were free to move to the theatre of operations. The next step planned by the Chilean command was the invasion of the Tarapacá Department.

Accordingly to this purpose, the Chilean army launched an amphibious operation at Pisagua on November 2, successfully pushing the Allies inland and isolating their strongholds in the Peruvian department, Arica and Iquique, from each other. This initial success was consolidated after the consecutive victories of Pampa Germania, on November 6, and Dolores, on November 19. However, the chain of Chilean victories ended with the setback at Tarapacá on November 27, when a Chilean force of 2,000 men recklessly attacked an Allied army of 4,000 soldiers, suffering a heavy defeat.