Manuel Baquedano

Manuel Baquedano González

Manuel Jesús Baquedano González ( January 1, 1823 , Santiago ; † September 30, 1897 ) was the chief of the Chilean army (Capitán General) in the Saltpeter War (1879-1883) and President of Chile for three days.

He left home at the age of twelve to join the Chilean army. The troops were on their way to the Peruvian-Bolivian Confederation War (1836–39). He took part in the Battle of Yungay on January 20, 1839 with General Manuel Bulnes Prieto , while the Bolivian army under Andrés de Santa Cruz was defeated. He was promoted to lieutenant.

In 1851 he fought again with Manuel Bulnes Prieto in the Battle of Loncomilla against rebel units. After the battle, he asked Prieto to visit his father, Fernando Baquedano González. He had fought on the other side as head of the rebel army and was injured in the process.

He was also involved in the Arauco War and fought the Mapuche in southern Chile . In 1876 he was appointed Brigadier General.

Saltpeter War

He planned the attack on the city of Los Ángeles , which earned him the recognition of the Chilean Minister of War Rafael Sotomayor Baeza . This led to strong conflicts with the army chief Erasmo Escala Arriagada . Arriagada eventually resigned and Rafael Sotomayor Baeza appointed Baquedano as army chief. Baquedano managed to bring discipline back into the Chilean army .

Despite the victory at Los Ángeles, the subsequent war planning with the tactics of frontal attacks were not so successful. Conflicts arose with Defense Minister Jose Francisco Vergara Echevers . He was actually a civilian, but arguably a better strategist than Baquedano.

Despite his strategic weaknesses, he was able to make quick tactical decisions. This way he no longer lost every battle, but the number of casualties was significantly higher. He won the Battle of Tacna in 1880 and led the campaign against Lima in 1881 . After the battles of San Juan and Miraflores, parts of Peru were brought under Chilean control.

After the saltpeter war

After the victory celebrations in Lima, he gave up his military career and ran as a presidential candidate against Aníbal Pinto Garmendia , but lost the election. He was a senator from 1882 to 1894 .

In the civil war of 1891 , President José Manuel Balmaceda handed power to Baquedano. Balmaceda had practically wiped out his troops at the Battle of Placilla. The military junta under Baquedano only ruled for three days (29–31 August 1891). Balmaceda committed suicide shortly afterwards.