Battle of Papudo

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Battle of Papudo

The Naval Battle of Papudo.

Date	November 26, 1865
Location	Pacific Ocean, near Valparaiso, Chile
Result	Chilean victory

Combatants

Spain

Chile

Commanders

Luis Fery

Juan Williams Rebolledo

Strength

1 schooner
3 guns

1 corvette
18 guns

Casualties

4 dead
22 wounded
122 captured

Unknown

Chincha Islands War
Papudo – Abtao – Callao

The Naval Battle of Papudo was a naval engagement fought between Spanish and Chilean forces on November 26, 1865, during the Chincha Islands War. It was fought 55 miles north of Valparaiso, Chile, near the coastal town of Papudo.

[edit] Background

Until November 1865, Chile had been the only country firm in its declaration of war against Spain, whose desire it was to recapture its lost South American colonies. Through the efforts of its president Mariano Ignacio Prado, Peru was subsequently galvanized into action against Spain.

Familiar with Spanish naval movements, the Chilean corvette Esmeralda, under the command of Juan Williams Rebolledo, and whose crew included Arturo Prat, Juan José Latorre and Carlos Condell, waited for any Spanish ships to appear between Coquimbo and Valparaíso.

The Chileans hoisted a British flag on their ship and maneuvered themselves close to the Spanish ship Virgen de Covadonga, under the command of Luis Fery (or Ferry), who thought that the ship may have been the similarly built British vessels Shearwater, Colombina, or Mutine.

The Esmeralda opened fire on the Covadonga, which returned fire, but the Chilean gunners proved more skillful, and under withering and debilitating fire, the Covadonga received severe hits that incapacitated its crew.

The Spaniards attempted to escape, but it was too late. The Esmeralda followed her, continuing to fire. Deciding to surrender, Fery called out in a loud voice to Williams Rebolledo, who ordered Manuel Thomson to take possession of the Spanish ship, with Chilean sailors to man her. Chilean engineers then worked to save the Spanish ship from further damage. All in all, the battle lasted only half an hour.

Chilean naval forces captured the frigate Virgen de Covadonga and took Commander Fery, 6 Spanish officers, and 115 sailors as prisoners, besides inflicting casualties. They also captured the correspondence of Spanish Admiral Juan Manuel Pareja. This action, together with the general failure of Spanish operations during the Chincha Islands War, led to his suicide on board his flag-ship a few days later.

As a Chilean ship, the Covadonga later saw combat in the Battle of Iquique during the War of the Pacific.