Battle of Pisagua The Battle of Pisagua ( " Desembarco y combate de Pisagua " ) , was a landing operation of the War of the Pacific , fought on November 2 , 1879 , between Chile and the combined forces of Bolivia and Peru . The Chilean army commanded by Erasmo Escala , supported by the Chilean Fleet , launched an amphibious assault on the port of Pisagua and successfully drove the defending Bolivian - Peruvian forces , led by Gen . Juan Buendia , back from the shore . They established a beachhead that allowed an initial force of about 1 , 000 Chileans soldiers in two assault waves to disembark onto Bolivian territory at Pisagua in Tarapacá Department . This region was the principal territory in dispute . This action marked the beginning of the " Tarapacá Campaign " , the first stage of the terrestrial phase of the War of the Pacific , which ended with Chilean control of the Tarapacá and of the exportation of saltpetre . This vast territory has never been returned to Bolivia and Peru ; it was annexed in perpetuity to Chile by the " Treaty of Ancon " , signed in 1884 . Prelude . War was declared in April 1879 , among the nations of Bolivia , Chile , and Peru . The War resulted in the loss of not only valuable mining areas in Bolivia , but the loss of Bolivia ' s access to the Pacific . Peru also lost a large piece of her southern mining region . The three nations recognized the strategic importance of the sea for access to the contested territory . Control of the coast and adjacent seas was the principal objective from the beginning of hostilities , and the war first developed almost entirely on the sea . The land operations theatre was an arid desert along the coast and the adjacent saltpeter - mining areas inland . The mining region comprised the westernmost part of Bolivia , including that nation ' s entire seacoast , and a substantial part of southern Peru . Control of the sea and the coast would give a decisive logistic advantage in the forthcoming land battles . Hence , when Chile gained military control of the sea along the coast with the victory at Angamos ( Battle of Angamos ) on October 8 , 1879 , a landing operation became imminent as a beginning of the terrestrial campaign to secure the Tarapacá . At the time the Allies ( Bolivia and Peru ) had north of the Chilean city of Antofagasta , three strongholds in the province , Tacna ( today the southernmost Peruvian coastal city , on the Chilean border ) , Arica ( a coastal town on the then Bolivian coast , and today the northernmost Chilean city , on the Peruvian border ) , the town of Pisagua ( then the Bolivian coast ) , and Iquique ( south of Pisagua and originally on the Bolivian coast ) . The Chilean command deemed it obvious that the landing had to isolate and interrupt communications between these two important Allied emplacements . After a reconnaissance made by a commission formed by General Luis Arteaga , Baldomero Dublé Almeyda , José Velásquez and Emilio Gana , the port of Pisagua , located 500 km north of Antofagasta , and was selected as the site for an amphibious landing operation , because its bay was suitable for landing troops and supplies . Chilean War Minister Rafael Sotomayor planned and organized the operation in secrecy to avoid further arguments with the military and to avoid possible indiscretions that might reach the enemy ’ s ears . Hence , on October 9 , the day after the Angamos victory , Sotomayor ordered that the transports carrying the Atacama , Lautaro and Coquimbo civic battalions sail to Antofagasta . The next days were of feverish activities , transporting troops to Antofagasta , from where on October 19 , the final preparations were made for the Chilean expeditionary forces ' departure . The war vessels forming this convoy were the " Magallanes , O ’ Higgins , Covadonga , Amazonas , Angamos " , and " Loa " , and the steam transports " Itata , Lamar , Limarí , Matías Cousiño , Santa Lucía , Copiapó , Toltén , Huanay " , and " Paquete del Maule " . Under supervision of Sotomayor and General Escala 9 , 405 soldiers and 853 horses and mules were embarked . Aboard the flag ship " Angamos " were Sotomayor and Escala , plus Fleet Commander Manuel Thompson , the Chief of Staff , and the General Headquarters personnel . On November 1 , the convoy was at the rendezvous point . Only Sotomayor and Captain Carlos Condell were aware of the convoy ' s destination . Chilean planning and forces . In two war meetings held with the Army and Navy officers , the Chilean War Minister revealed that the designated invasion point was Pisagua . A main surprise attack at Pisagua was agreed upon , while a secondary attack would take place at Junín . The Northern assault force of 4 , 890 men of infantry and artillery would disembark at Pisagua , establish a beach head , and commence ascension to the higher plateau ; the Southern assault force of 2 , 175 men would take Junín , and 2 , 500 men would be held in reserve . Col . Emilio Sotomayor , brother of War Minister Sotomayor , was entrusted with directing of the landing operations . Commander Thompson was in command of the naval stage of the disembarking and directing the landing boats . Two miles beyond the shore , the " Cochrane , Magallanes , Covadonga " and " O ’ Higgins " would enter the bay and attack the forts guarding the port . Once the forts ' guns were silenced the landing operations would begin . Allied forces and defense planning . The Allied garrison at Pisagua was formed by Bolivian artillery and infantry soldiers , totaling about 1 , 700 troops in two battalions : " Independencia " , commanded by Pedro Vargas , and " Victoria " , commanded by Juan Granier . In addition there were 400 Peruvian soldiers commanded by Isaac Recavarren , who left the command over Gen . Juan Buendía . Pisagua had been fortified on its southern edge . At Pichalo Point there was a fortified emplacement with one 100 - pounder cannon ; at the northern edge was an emplacement with a similar cannon . The narrow bay between could be covered by a crossfire from these two guns , making entrance into the port by sea more difficult . The steep hill that reached the plateau permitted the occupying troops to fire from a higher position , although the beach was surrounded by rocks that might provide safe positions for Chilean infantry . The battle begins . The Chilean Navy initiated bombardment at 07 : 00 on November 2 . The " Cochrane " and " O ' Higgins " entered the bay and opened fire on the south - most fort at Pichalo Point , while the " Magallanes " and the " Covadonga " attacked the other fort on the north side of the bay . The gunships ' accurate fire silenced the defenses almost immediately ; the northern fort was able to fire only one shot before being temporarily disabled . An hour later , both forts were silent . The landing operation was delayed , however , and the northern fort ' s cannon resumed firing . The " Cochrane " , Captain Latorre , answered immediately , and by 09 : 00 the northern cannon was silenced and the Chilean troop transports then entered the bay . At the same time the " Amazonas " was firing over " Alto Hospicio " , north of the bay . The Chileans Disembark . At two kilometres from the shore , the landing boats were ready for disembarking troops who were to establish a beachhead . At 10 : 15 , the navy ceased its barrage and the boats began to move . But instead of 900 men , only 450 soldiers were embarked - two companies of the Atacama Battalion and another two of the Zapadores Regiment . Upon entering the northern side of Pisagua beach these Chilean infantry came within firing range of the Allied defenders ' on the heights at Playa Blanca ( White Beach ) . Despite the heavy fire from the heights ( shown on the Chilean military map accompanying this article to be heldby the Bolivians ) , the landing force started to return fire . Their situation was very difficult due to the lack of reinforcements and strong position of the defenders , but the Zapadores led by Ricardo Santa Cruz assailed the Allied positions on the hill slope . From the higher position , the Chileans would then be able to fire on the Allied positions lower down the slope and make the disembarking of their reinforcements less risky . In support of the Zapadores attack the fleet opened fire again , this time over the train station at Alto Hospicio . Meanwhile , the Chilean first - wave troops endured 45 minutes of heavy fire until the second wave landed at 11 : 00 . The heights under attack . The first two of three Chilean landing units were now disembarked , and the fight became less favorable for the Allied defenders . This second wave brought the rest of the Atacama Battalion plus three companies of the " Buin " 1st Line Regiment commanded by Lt . Colonel José María del Canto . The Chileans struck both Playa Blanca and Caleta Guatas , dislodging the defenders , who fled to Alto Hospicio under a constant barrage . The Allied troops had taken cover behind bags filled with saltpetre and coal , which , because of the firing , began to burn . The resulting dense smoke covered landing of the Chilean thirdwave . When the Bolivian troops began retiring toward the train station at Alto Hospicio , their comrades on the beach also were forced to refold . When the Chilean commander of the Second Division , Luis José Ortíz , arrived on shore , the main assault on the high plateau began . It required two hours for the Chilean infantry to climb the slope , since the ascent of steep terrain was very difficult with the strong Allied defense in this sector . But , in the end , the vehemence of the Chilean attack made it possible to reach the summit and engage the Allies , vanquishing all resistance and forcing them to abandon their positions and withdraw northward toward Alto Hospicio . Lt . Rafael Torreblanca of the Atacama Battalion raised the Chilean flag over Alto Hospicio at 15 : 00 , as the Allied defenders fled from the battlefield , leaving it to the Chilean army . Junín . Because Pisagua was conquered , the second landing at Junín was made with low resistance . Here were deployed the 3rd Line Regiment and the Navales and Valparaíso battalions . Aftermath . The Chilean Army casualties were 56 men dead and 124 wounded . The Allies ( Bolivians and Peruvians ) casualties were 200 dead and wounded . This victory provided the Chilean forces a port where they could land troops , weapons , and supplies . The " Campaign of Tarapacá " had begun .