Peru Loses Admiral Grau and the Huascar

When the war broke out, Admiral Miguel Grau was serving in Congress, but immediately resigned and took command of the Peruvian ship, the Huascar. He donated all the prize-money due him from various captures of enemy fleet ships to the fund for carrying on the war.

From May to October the Peruvian ship the Huascar prevented the completion of the Chilean plan of battle. The men of the Huascar prevented the Chileans from landing in Peruvian territory (Lopez,1930). The Huascar and the Independence fought as a division.The Pilcomayo and the Union formed the other division, commanded by Aurelio Garcia y Garcia.

The Huascar sailed south, although in poor condition with a foul bottom and boilers that needed repair. It broke blockades, chased and ambushed the Chilean fleet. On October 8, 1879, the Chilean ironclad, Almirante Cochrane, and her sister ship, the Blanco Encalada, approached the Huascar. At 8:30 am Miguel Grau ordered the engineer, Samuel MacMahon, to increase the speed three or four revolutions. Having done this, MacMahon went up to survey the position of the enemy ships. The Cochrane was gaining on them, so he went down to increase the steam up to 25 to 30 pounds of pressure.

At Angamos Point the ship was surrounded by the entire Chilean fleet. Admiral Grau was killed and the Huascar was captured by the Chileans. MacMahon was given the order by the fourth officer then in command to open the valves and sink the monitor. But before this action could be completed, the ship was boarded. The Chileans took MacMahon prisoner and put a revolver to his chest, ordering him to close the condenser valve and the main site where the water was entering. Pumps were started, and the fires were extinguished.

Of 200 crew members, 28 died. The Chileans took the rest of the sailors prisoner, along with 48 wounded.The cook, Edward Ford, from the U.S. was gravely wounded. Among the prisoners were 33 English, eight Germans, one Norwegian, three French, one Dane and one U.S. citizen. With the capture of the Huascar, the Chileans dealt a serious blow against Peru. Peru subsequently lost any real ability to defend themselves or conduct the war from the sea.

On October 26, 1879, an 8,000-man Chilean expedition headed north. By November 2 they disembarked at Pisagua, and obtained a beachhead. The Peruvian and Bolivian forces retreated as the invaders marched forward.

Resources:
Lopez, Jacinto. 1930. Historia de la Guerra del Guano y el Salitre o Guerra del Pacifico entre Chile, Bolivia y El Peru. New York: De Laisne & Rossboro.