Eleuterio Ramírez Molina

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Eleuterio Ramírez Molina

Eleuterio Ramírez Molina (born April 18, 1837 in Osorno , Chile , † November 27, 1879 in Tarapacá ) was a Chilean national hero in the saltpeter war 1879-1883.

In 1859 the Chilean city of Talca was attacked by the rebel and revolutionary José Ramón Vallejos . On February 22, 1859, Eleuterio Ramírez Molina evacuated the city without any acts of war. On April 29, 1859, he defended the northern troops at the Battle of Cerro Grande.

Between 1860 and 1872 he took part in battles against the Mapuche Indians. In the war against Spain he took part in the Battle of Calama on December 25, 1865 .

In 1879 the saltpeter war broke out against Peru and Bolivia . After the Chilean troops had captured Pisagua on November 2, 1879 and Dolores on November 19, 1879 , the attack on the city of Tarapacá took place.

Under the command of General Escala, the troops advanced to Tarapacá on November 27, 1879. The Chilean troop strength was 2,278 men, the Peruvian and Bolivian units had about 6,600 men.

Eleuterio Ramírez Molina carried out an attack with around 200 men, in the course of which he was killed. The Chileans lost the Battle of Tarapacá , but the battle had little relevance for the course of the war, as the Chileans had already landed large troops at Pisagua . The Peruvians had to withdraw.

Eleuterio Ramírez Molina was declared a national hero on December 11, 1927 by President Carlos Ibáñez del Campo . In Osorno a monument was erected for him. The island of Ramírez Island off the west coast of the Antarctic Peninsula is named in his honor.