Huáscar (ship)
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| Career (Peru) |  |
|---|---|
| Built at: | Birkenhead, England |
| Ordered: | 4 August 1864 |
| Launched: | 7 October 1865 |
| Commissioned: | 8 November 1866 |
| Captured: | 8 October 1879 |
| Fate: | Captured by Chile at Battle of Angamos |
| Career (Chile) |  |
| Commissioned: | |
| Decommissioned: | 1897 |
| Reinstated: | 1934 |
| Decommissioned: | --- |
| Fate: | Restored as a memorial ship |
| General Characteristics | |
| Displacement: | 1,180 ton |
| Length: | 66.90 m |
| Beam: | 10.90 m |
| Draught: | 5.57 m |
| Propulsion: |
1 x steam engine, Brigantine sail rigging |
| Fuel: | Coal |
| Speed: | 12 knots (22 km/h) |
| Complement: | 170 |
| Armament: (original) |
2 x 10" (254 mm), 300 lb (136 kg) Armstrong guns in a single Coles turret 2 x 4.75" (120 mm), 40 lb (18 kg) Armstrong guns 1 x 12 lb (5 kg) cannon 1 x .44 cal Gatling gun Armoured ram bow |
| Armour: | 4.5" (114 mm) iron belt (amidships), tapering to 2.5" (64 mm) (prow and bow)
5.5" (140 mm) iron turret |
Huáscar is a small armoured turret ship, similar to the monitor type. She was built in Britain for Peru and had a significant participation in the War of the Pacific against Chile before being captured and commissioned within the Chilean Navy. Today she is one of the few surviving ships of her type, has been restored and is currently commissioned as a memorial ship.
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[edit] History as a warship
Huáscar was ordered by the government of Peru to the Laird Brothers shipyards in 1864 for the war against Spain. She was launched in Birkenhead on October 7, 1865.
Commanded by Captain José María Salcedo, who had supervised construction on behalf of the Peruvian Navy, she left for Peru on January 20, 1866 on a trip that saw some trouble: a month-long wait at Brest, a minor collision with ironclad Independencia on 28 February, refusal of service by neutral countries, a month of repairs at Rio de Janeiro, insubordination by Independencia's commander and the capture and sinking of Spanish brigantine Manuel. When she finally called port at Ancud in allied Chile to join the rest of the combined fleet on June 7, it was too late to participate in the conflict.
Under Captain Lizardo Montero, Huáscar prepared at Valparaíso to participate in a late 1866 expedition to fight the Spanish fleet at the Philippines. However, like several Peruvian officers who objected plans for Rear Admiral John R. Tucker –a hired foreigner– to be in command of the fleet, Montero requested to be relieved. Captain Salcedo took back command of Huáscar, but the expedition was eventually cancelled.
On February 1868, Captain Miguel Grau took command of Huáscar and would remain until 1876, becoming her longest-serving commander. His long years aboard the ironclad would prove very valuable later and he would also become Peru's most renowned naval officer.
[edit] Peruvian Civil War (1877)
Huáscar participated in the Peruvian Civil War of 1877. Seized at port in Callao by rebels led by retired Captain Germán Astete, she was used to harass, sabotage and disrupt government forces and shipping lanes. During these actions foreign shipping was also affected, leading to British intervention.
On May 29, 1877, she fought the inconclusive Battle of Pacocha against two British vessels, frigate HMS Shah and corvette HMS Amethyst, commanded by Admiral de Horsey. This battle saw the first use in anger of the newly-invented self-propelled torpedo which, at the time, had just entered limited service with the Royal Navy.
Huáscar surrendered to the government after almost one month in rebel hands. Although controlled by rebels at the time, popular and press pressure on the Peruvian government resulted in a formal diplomatic protest to the British government for its attack on the Huáscar; on another hand the British Parliament came close to censuring Admiral de Horsey for his failure to capture her.
Huáscar gained fame in Peru, and would later reach legendary status.
[edit] War of the Pacific (1879-1884)
Huáscar participated in the War of the Pacific, initially in the service of Peru. Once again under the command of Captain Miguel Grau, she became famous for daring harassment raids on Chilean ports and transports. As a result, during the opening months of the war, the ground invasion was delayed for almost six months until the Chilean fleet could find and stop Huáscar.
In May 21, 1879, Huáscar led the lifting of the Chilean blockade of Iquique. During the battle, Chilean Captain Arturo Prat was killed on Huáscar's deck while leading a boarding party from the corvette Esmeralda. Notably, after sinking the corvette by repeated ramming, Huáscar then rescued the survivors before continuing pursuit of a fleeing enemy ship.
Huáscar went on with its mission and in the following months accomplished the following:
- Damaged ports of Cobija, Tocopilla, Platillos and Mejillones, Huanillos, Punta de Lobo, Chañaral, Huasco, Caldera, Coquimbo and Taltal
- Sank 16 Chilean vessels, including ships and boats
- Damaged Chilean ships Blanco Encalada, Abtao, Magallanes and Matías Cousiño
- Captured Chilean vessels Emilia, Adelaida Rojas, E. Saucy Jack, Adriana Lucía, Rímac and Coquimbo
- Aboard Rímac, captured 260 men from an elite Chilean cavalry regiment, along with horses, weapons, munitions and supplies
- Recovered Peruvian vessels Clorinda and Caquetá
- Destroyed artillery batteries of Antofagasta
- Cut the Antofagasta-Valparaíso communications cable
Collectively, these actions became known as "Las correrías del Huáscar" ("Huáscar's exploits") and held up a Chilean ground invasion for almost six months. As a result, the Peruvian Navy promoted Captain Grau to Rear Admiral while the Chilean Navy replaced its own chief of staff.
On October 8, 1879, Huáscar was captured by the Chilean Navy at the Battle of Angamos, during which most of Huáscar's crew were killed, including Rear Admiral Grau.
Huáscar then entered the service of the Chilean Navy. At Arica she fought an inconclusive duel with the Peruvian monitor Manco Cápac (formerly USS Oneota) while participating in the bombardment of the city –where her new commander Manuel Thomson was killed– and she also aided in the blockade of Callao.
After the war, Huáscar was renovated in 1885 and 1887, including renewal of boilers, new screw design, and all-new steam engines to move gun and artillery turrets.
On May 1888, as part of a ceremonial division commanded by Rear Admiral Luis Uribe, Huáscar brought the bodies of the officers from Esmeralda from their graves at Iquique to a new burial place at Valparaíso. Notably, these were the same officers killed on Huáscar's deck at the Battle of Iquique; Rear Admiral Uribe had been the Executive Officer aboard Esmeralda and a survivor of the battle.
[edit] Chilean Civil War (1891)
Huáscar participated in the Chilean Civil War of 1891 between government and congress. Undergoing major maintenance work at the onset of the war, she was seized and towed out of Valparaíso by the rebel-leaning Navy, and readied for action within three days.
Commanded by Captain José María Santa Cruz, she participated in the takeover of the port city of Taltal by the rebels, ran escort duty for convoys and protected rebel-held ports. She returned once more to the port of Iquique, this time to bombard the port city held by government forces.
After almost eight months of fighting, the war ended with the government's surrender.
[edit] Peacetime
Huáscar went on serving the Chilean Navy until a boiler explosion in 1897 at the Talcahuano military harbor resulted in her decommissioning. Partially repaired, she then served as the first submarine tender ship in the Chilean Navy, from 1917 to 1930.
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[edit] History as a memorial ship
Huáscar was recommissioned by the Chilean Navy as a heritage ship in 1934 in Talcahuano, Chile. Between 1951 and 1952, work was undertaken with the aim to completely restore her to 1878 condition and declare her a shrine to the glory of both the Peruvian and Chilean Navies.
She became a floating museum and a memorial, displaying many objects and relics recovered from Navy warehouses or donated by private citizens from the Talcahuano and Concepción area, including:
- A shrine with portraits of the three commanders that lost their lives on her deck, set at the commander's quarters.
- A portrait gallery in the boilers room.
- A prayer room, duly authorized by the Archbishop of Concepción
Between 1971 and 1972, a second restoration phase was undertaken at Chilean Navy drydock in Talcahuano: the hull was completely repaired, and engines rebuilt according to original blueprints obtained in England. Since then, a strict maintenance program ensures survival and preservation for future generations.
In 1995, the World Ship Trust awarded the Chilean Navy with the Maritime Heritage Award [1] for its work on restoring Huáscar.
Huáscar is berthed at the port of Talcahuano, Chile and remains in display for visitors.
[edit] Significance
Although often overlooked by Euro-centric historians, objective evaluation reveals Huáscar to be one of the most significant historic warships afloat. Few museum ships approach the Huáscar's combination of technological significance, combat record, folklore references, or length of active service.
Furthermore, Huáscar is one of the few survivors of the ironclad era, arguably the worst represented historic ships in the global museum fleet. Of the hundreds of ironclads built during the second half of the 19th century, few survive. Of this group, even fewer remain afloat and, of these, Huáscar remains the only (technically) commissioned unit in a modern navy.
Unlike HMS Victory, USS Constitution, or the IJN Mikasa, which are venerated by the nations they served, Huáscar is held in equal esteem by both nations she served against. She is one of Peru's most glorious warships, one of Chile's national treasures and is regarded as the tomb of Admiral Miguel Grau.
[edit] External links
- Ships of the World: Huascar
- Pre-Dreadnought Preservation The Huáscar
- El Huascar (in Spanish)
- Model of the Huáscar (360-degree spin around)
- Marina de Guerra del Perú: BAP Huáscar (in Spanish)
- Armada de Chile current ships: Historic Relic Huáscar (English or Spanish version)
