Battle of Tucapel
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The Battle of Tucapel (also known as the Disaster of Tucapel) is the name given to a battle fought between Spanish conquistador forces led by Pedro de Valdivia and Mapuche (Araucanian) Indians that took place on Tucapel, Chile on December 25, 1553. This battle happened in the context of the first stage of the Arauco War, named the offensive war within a larger uprising by Araucanians against the Spanish conquest of Chile. It was a defeat for the Spaniards, resulting in the capture and eventual death of Valdivia.
[edit] Background
The Arauco War was a large scale war that took place in what is now Chilean territory between Spanish conquerors and Mapuche insurrects. Pedro de Valdivia was the Spanish conqueror, who founded the first cities in Chilean territory. Around 1550, he took a Mapuche man who had offered his services as his servant. The conqueror baptized him as Felipe Lautaro. Under Pedro de Valdivia's wing, Lautaro quickly learned horse-riding and Spanish military techniques that he would use later in the war that was taking place at the moment. Once he had learned this knowledge, he eventually went back to his village and decided to use these techniques to his advantage. At the same time, Pedro de Valdivia was using a policy of quickly founding cities, dispersing his forces in the conquered territory. His forces also built numerous forts, like Tucapel and Purén.
Valdivia was on an inspection tour of a group of forts constructed to secure the Chilean interior for the Spanish. He left Concepción in December of 1553 and worked his way south to Quilacoya, where he gathered troops for the march into the restive territory of Arauco. Mapuche spies observed his column from the hills, but merely followed and did not present themselves for battle. Meanwhile, the Mapuche leadere Lautaro kept the forces of Gómez de Almagro bottled up in the nearby fort of Purén through various trickery. He learned through his spies of the southwards moments of Valdivia, and realized that they would probably pass through the fort of Tucapel.
Valdivia became perturbed by the lack of news from Tucapel and by the lack of hostility on the road. On December 24, he decided that he would make for the fort, hoping to find Almagro and his troops there. The traquility and the occasional sightings of Indians in the distance continued to raise his suspicion, and he sent an advance scouting team of five men under the command of Luis de Bobadilla to explore the road ahead and return information about the location of the enemy.
[edit] The Attack
Tucapel fort was located on a hill in the coastal mountain range. In December 1553, Mapuche forces, under the command of the Toqui Lautaro attacked and destroyed the fort using the battle tactics learned by Lautaro. Pedro de Valdivia had left Concepción with only 50 soldiers and sent a message to Purén fort to send reinforcements. The message, however, was intercepted by Lautaro's men.
Valdivia received no reports from his leading element, and spent the night a half day's journey from Tucapel. On Christmas Day, 1553, he left early in the morning for the fort, arriving in its vicinity with silence reigning. He found it completely destroyed. Neither Gómez de Almagro nor Bobadilla was anywhere to be found. He decided to make camp admist the damp ruins of the fort, but the contingent was hardly beginning to make preparations when there were shouts from the surrounding forest. With advance warning, a mass of Mapuche warriors charge out towards the Spanish enclave.
A veteran soldier, Valdivia had time to form and arm his defensive line and was repulsed by the first attack. The cavalry charged upon the rearguard of the retreating Mapuche force, but the Indians were prepared for this action and reversed the charge with lances. However, with much valor and resolution the Spaniards managed to drive back the resulting Mapuche surge into the forest. The Spaniards savored their temporary victory.
There was still more to come, however. A second squadron of Mapuches attacked, this time armed with maces and ropes as well as lances, with which they succeeded in dismounting the unfourtunate Spanish cavalrymen, whom they quickly bashed in the head once they were on the ground. The Spanish managed to drive them back, but not without leaving many fallen. Then a third group of Mapuches appeared, this time with Lautaro behind it.
Valdivia saw the desperateness of the situation, due to the Spanish losses and fatigue. He gathered together his available men and threw himself into the bitter fight. Already half of the Spanish forces were casualties and the Indian auxiliaries were steadily reducing them. Valvidia, seeing that the fight was lost, ordered the retreat, but Lautaro himself came around the flank and sealed the Spanish fate. The Indians fell down every one of the Spaniards, and only Valdivia and the cleric Pozo, who rode the best horses, were able to escape.
On crossing the swamps, however, the men became bogged down and the Mapuches eventually captured them. According to one legend, Lautaro took Valdivia to the Mapuche camp and put him to death after three days of delicious torture, extracting his beating heart and eating it with the Mapuche leaders. Another legend claims that Valdivia was killed by giving him the gold that the Spaniards so desired; however, the gold was molten and was poured down Valdivia's throat. Lautaro later systematically destroyed the Spanish settlements, burning them to the ground, executing the male residents by spear and the females by rape and torture. Twice he sacked and burned Concepción, the center of the Spanish power in Chile before himself was killed.
