Battle of Bellavista

Battle of Bellavista was the final confrontation of the Chilean 1826 campaign to successfully dislodge the Royalists from Chiloé Archipelago.

Battle of Bellavista
Part of the Chilean War of Independence
Date January 14, 1826 Location Ancud, Chiloé Island 41°52′34″S 73°49′17″W Result Chilean victory Chiloe annexed to the Republic of Chile
Belligerents
Republic of Chile	Chiloé royalists
Commanders and leaders
José Manuel Borgoño	Antonio de Quintanilla
Strength
2,575 soldiers 4 pieces of artillery	1,852 soldiers 6 pieces of artillery
Casualties and losses
92 killed 76 wounded	296 killed and wounded

The battle

On January 13 Chilean forces were able to capture three small gun boats from the Royalists in Ancud in the Battle of Pudeto.^[1] The battle of Bellavista began in the morning of January 14 with a Chilean advance on Ancud.^[1] In face of this and because of the fire by naval and land-based artillery, the Royalist troops retreated into the Fort of San Carlos.^[1][2] As the Chileans began to surround the Spanish positions, Quintanilla ordered a retreat to the heights of Bellavista where he hoped to put up some resistance.^[2] However, the demoralised Royalist troops were not in the mood to fight, so by late evening Quintanilla ordered a retreat south along the road to Castro.^[2] Agüi Fort on the Lacuy Peninsula surrendered on January 15.^[2]

Quintanilla capitulated on January 18 after negotiating the conditions.^[2] The Treaty of Tantauco was signed, and the Chiloé archipelago came under Chilean sovereignty.

References

1. Pinochet et al. 1997, p. 246.
2. Pinochet et al. 1997, p. 247.

Bibliography

• Pinochet Ugarte, Augusto; Villaroel Carmona, Rafael; Lepe Orellana, Jaime; Fuente-Alba Poblete, J. Miguel; Fuenzalida Helms, Eduardo (1997) [1984]. Historia militar de Chile (in Spanish). Vol. I (3rd ed.). Biblioteca Militar.