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Battle of Yungay

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Battle of Yungay

The Battle of Yungay (or Yungai) was the final battle of the War of the Confederation, fought on January 20, 1839, near Yungay, Peru. The United Restoration Army, led by Chilean General Manuel Bulnes, consisting mainly of Chileans and 600 North Peruvian dissidents, attacked the Peru-Bolivian Confederation forces led by Andrés de Santa Cruz in northern Peru, 200 kilometers (120 mi) north of Lima.

After six hours of fighting, the Restorers destroyed the Confederate Army, bringing the War of the Confederation to its end. Santa Cruz exiled himself in Guayaquil, Ecuador. The new Peruvian government paid its debt with Chile from the liberation expedition from a decade ago, and gave awards to Chilean and Peruvian officials. Peruvian officers who served under the Confederation, including Guillermo Miller, Mariano Necochea, Luis José Orbegoso, and Domingo Nieto, were banned from the Peruvian Army.

Chile declared war on the Peru Bolivian Confederacy on 1837, and sent an expedition to Peru under Admiral Manuel Blanco Encalada. Santa Cruz avoided an engagement, and skillfully surrounded Blanco Encalada at Paucarpata. Blanco Encalada was forced to sign a treaty on November 17. By this pact, Chile agreed to resume commercial trade and the Confederation would recognize and pay the Chilean efforts in the Peruvian independence war.

The Chilean Congress and the public opinion considered the outcome of the expedition humiliating and rejected the treaty. Also, it was believed that Santa Cruz was behind the assassination of Diego Portales. All this invigorated an anti-confederacy sentiment, and the Chileans organized a second expedition. This time, the command was given to General Manuel Bulnes. The expedition had 5,400 Chileans and 600 expatriate Peruvians under General Agustin Gamarra. Andres de Santa Cruz, responded immediately reinstating the hostilities.

The second Chilean campaign had far more success than the first one. Bulnes defeated General Orbegoso at Portada de Guias on August 21, 1838, and entered into Lima. Also, the Chilean Fleet secured sea domination in the Battle of Casma. Despite the victory, Bulnes left the city by November, and marched to Huacho in the North Peruvian territory, forced by local animosity, lack of supplies and diseases. Also, news had arrived indicating that Santa Cruz was closing in with an outnumbering army. Afterwards, Santa Cruz entered into Lima under popular ovation, then proceeded to follow Bulnes.

Both armies engaged at Buin, on January 6, 1839, in the confluence of Buin and Santa rivers, with indecisive results. Bulnes continued marching north and Santa Cruz resumed the persecution seeking to deliver a final blow to cement Confederation's dominance in the region.

Santa Cruz occupied Yungay, trying to cut Bulnes' supply lines and strangle the Restorers. His intention wasn't to obliterate the Restorer Army, but rather to force Bulnes to surrender to a superior Confederate force. Bulnes had other plans however, realizing that returning empty-handed was not an option after Blanco Encalada's failure.

Both armies had about 6,000 men, although the numbers favored slightly the Confederates. The Chilean expedition, on the other hand, suffered the decimation of some battalions by plagues during Lima occupation. Comparably equipped, the main difference was in the preparation of the troops, the knowledge of the terrain, and the obvious differences between invaders and defenders.

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