Battle of Concón

Battle of Concón
Part of the Chilean Civil War of 1891
DateAugust 21, 1891
Location
Result Congressist victory [1]
Belligerents
Chile Congressist Rebels Chile Balmaceda Government
Commanders and leaders
Estanislao del Canto Orozimbo Barbosa
Strength
9,500 soldiers
cruiser Esmeralda
corvette O'Higgins
8,000 soldiers
Casualties and losses
400 killed
600 wounded
2,200 killed and wounded
2,000 captured

The Battle of Concón was fought between the forces of the Congress of Chile and loyalists of President Jose Manuel Balmaceda. In mid-August 1891 the rebel forces were embarked at Iquique, numbering in all about 9,000 men, and sailed for the south. The expedition by sea was admirably managed, and on August 10 the congressist army was disembarked at Quintero, about 20 km. north of Valparaiso, miles out of range of its defensive batteries, and marched to Concón, where the Balmacedists were entrenched.

Balmaceda was surprised but acted promptly. The first battle was fought on the Aconcagua river at Concón on August 21.[2] The eager infantry of the Congressional army forced the passage of the river and stormed the heights held by the Gobiernistas. A severe fight ensued, in which the troops of President Balmaceda were defeated with heavy loss. The killed and wounded of the Balmacedists numbered 1,600, and nearly all the prisoners, about 1,500 men, enrolled themselves in the rebel army, which thus more than made good its loss of 1,000 killed and wounded.[3]

See also

References

  1. ^ Akers, Charles Edmond (1904). A history of South America, (1854-1904). New York: E. P. Dutton. p. 370.
  2. ^ Brassey, Thomas Brassey. "Brassey's annual". Brassey's annual. 84: 148. ISSN 0068-0702.
  3. ^ Sears, James Hamilton; Wells, Benjamin Warner Jr.; United States; Office of Naval Intelligence (1893). The Chilean revolution of 1891. Washington: Govt. Print. Off. p. 62.