Battle of Callao facts for kids
The Battle of Callao (known in South America as Combate del Dos de Mayo) was a major naval battle on May 2, 1866. It took place between a Spanish fleet, led by Admiral Casto Méndez Núñez, and the strong defenses of the Peruvian port city of Callao. This battle was a key part of the Chincha Islands War. The Spanish ships fired many cannons at Callao's forts, and the Peruvians fired back. After hours of fighting, the Spanish fleet left. Both sides claimed they won, but this battle was the last big fight between Spain and Peru in the war. Spain eventually decided to leave South America.
Quick facts for kids Battle of Callao |
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| Part of the Chincha Islands War | |||||||
 Spanish ships exchange fire with Peruvian coastal defenses at the Battle of Callao. |
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| Belligerents | |||||||
 Spain |
 Peru |
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| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
 Casto Méndez Núñez |
 Mariano I. Prado |
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| Strength | |||||||
| 1 ironclad 5 frigates 1 corvette |
2 small ironclads 3 gunboats 52 shore-based guns 3,000 infantry and cavalry |
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| Casualties and losses | |||||||
| 43 killed; 83 wounded; 68 lightly wounded; |
Sources vary: 180–200 killed and wounded 83 – 90 killed; 260 wounded +350 killed 2,000 killed and wounded |
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Contents
Why the Battle Happened
In April 1863, Juan Antonio Pezet became the president of Peru. At this time, Spain wanted to show its power again by trying to regain influence in its former colonies in America. Spain started by taking over the Chincha Islands, which were very rich in guano (bird droppings used as fertilizer). Spain also demanded money because two Spanish citizens had been killed in Lambayeque.
President Pezet was unsure what to do. He began giving large amounts of Peru's guano to Spain when Spanish ships threatened Callao. Pezet believed Peru's navy was too weak to fight the Spanish fleet. However, in November 1865, a military leader named Colonel Mariano Ignacio Prado took power from Pezet. Prado was very patriotic and quickly organized Peru's defenses against Spain. This led to the Battle of Callao.
Before attacking Callao, the Spanish fleet had fought an undecided battle called the Battle of Abtao in February 1866. After that, Admiral Méndez Núñez decided to punish South American ports. His first target was the Chilean port of Valparaíso, which had no defenses. Even though British and American ships were nearby, they couldn't stop the attack. The Spanish bombed Valparaíso and destroyed Chile's merchant ships.
After Valparaíso, Méndez Núñez decided to attack a much stronger port: Callao in Peru. The battle, which started on May 2, involved a long-range fight, with both sides using powerful ironclads (ships covered in iron armor). Ships from the U.S., Britain, and France watched the battle.
The Battle Begins
The Spanish fleet arrived at Callao on April 25. They had 7 warships and 7 support ships, carrying a total of 252 cannons. Many of these were powerful 68-pounder cannons. The Spanish warships included the ironclad Numancia and several large frigates like Reina Blanca, Resolución, and Villa de Madrid. The fleet formed a V-shape, with smaller ships at the back. This was one of the strongest fleets ever seen in the Pacific Ocean at that time.
Before the battle, Peruvian president Mariano Ignacio Prado gathered the military and the people of Callao to defend their city. The forts and defenses at Callao were very old and had even stopped famous explorers like Francis Drake in the past. These defenses were made even stronger with 5 heavy British-made 22-ton Blakely rifles. Also, four Armstrong guns were placed inside two armored towers, named Junín and La Merced. These towers had 10 cm thick iron armor. The Armstrong and Blakely guns were considered the best cannons of their time, and Peru was very proud of them. In total, Peru had 52 cannons on land and 13 more on small warships like the Colon. Peru also had two ironclad ships built locally: the Loa and the Victoria, along with 3,000 soldiers on land.
The Spanish fleet entered the bay at 10:00 AM, forming two lines of attack. The ironclad Numancia and two frigates were in the north, while three other frigates moved south. The rest of the fleet stayed back near San Lorenzo Island. The Numancia, one of the biggest ships then, moved forward to start the attack.
At 11:50 AM, the ironclad Numancia fired its first shot at the Peruvian defenses. The Peruvian fort Santa Rosa quickly fired back. At first, the Peruvian shots missed, so they had to adjust their aim. When they fired again, a shot hit the Numancia, injuring the Spanish Admiral Méndez Núñez. However, the ship's strong armor protected it from serious damage. One of Peru's biggest guns, the 500-pound Blakely gun called Cañón del Pueblo, became unusable because its strong recoil made it fall off its tracks.
Meanwhile, the Spanish frigate Villa de Madrid was hit by a 450-pound Blakely shell. This hit caused 35 injuries and damaged its engines. The ship had to be pulled away from the battle by the corvette Vencedora. The Berenguela was also badly hit by a 300-pound Armstrong shell, which went right through it near the waterline, forcing it to retreat. It had managed to silence all the Armstrong guns in the Junín armored tower. The frigate Almansa was hit at 2:30 PM, killing 13 crew members and causing an explosion in its powder room, forcing it to leave the fight. However, after quick repairs, it returned to its position and continued fighting.
By this time, both sides were firing heavily. A Spanish shot from the Blanca hit the armored tower La Merced, destroying it. This attack killed or injured 93 men, including Peru's Secretary of Defense, José Gálvez. Other Peruvian forts like Chacabuco, Santa Rosa, and Pinchicha were also damaged, losing cannons and many soldiers. The Maipú and Independencia batteries were completely silenced. Peru suffered many casualties, especially among the 3,000 soldiers who were outside the forts to stop any Spanish landing attempts, as they were hit by fire from the Spanish ships.
At 4:00 PM, a small Peruvian fleet that had approached the Spanish ships twice was pushed back. Only about 12 to 14 guns from the Santa Rosa fort were still firing back at the Spanish. One of their shots hit the Blanca, killing 8 men and injuring its captain. By 5:00 PM, the Santa Rosa's guns were reduced to just three. Admiral Méndez Núñez, who was badly wounded, then ordered his fleet to stop firing. The Spanish ships, having taken heavy damage and unable to fight longer, left the battlefield. The battle was over. The damaged Spanish ships stayed near San Lorenzo Island for several days to repair and care for their wounded.
What Happened After the Battle
In Spain, the bombardment was seen as a victory. Admiral Méndez Núñez reported that almost all of Peru's coastal cannons were silenced, and only three guns from Santa Rosa fort were still firing when the Spanish fleet left. He also said those last shots were fired without ammunition, which was confirmed by a French captain who was there. A French newspaper later reported the bombardment as a Spanish victory.
In early June, news of the victory was celebrated in Spain with big parties. Méndez Núñez received a high honor and was promoted. Other officers were also promoted, and their crews received double pay. Before another battle in 1866, an Austrian Admiral told his crews, "Let's imitate the Spanish at Callao!"
On the other hand, Peruvians celebrated the battle as a victory. They believed they had stopped Spain from trying to take back control of South America. An American who saw the battle wrote that the damage to Callao was "barely noticeable" and that the Peruvian defenses kept the Spanish fleet too busy to bomb the city. After the battle, American and British troops watching the fight joined in cheering "Viva el Perú!"
In 1870, a former U.S. general named Alvin Peterson Hovey described the battle as "inconclusive" (meaning no clear winner) but glorious for both countries. He wrote that the battle would be a holiday in Peru forever, and in Spain, a duke even claimed his title because of this victory.
Aftermath
A few months after the battle, two famous ironclad ships, the Huáscar and the Independencia, were added to the Peruvian fleet. Even though the war didn't have a peace agreement yet, Peru thought about invading the Philippines to fight Spanish ships there. The Peruvian government hired Commodore John Randolph Tucker, who had fought well in the American Civil War. However, some Peruvian officers felt insulted by this decision, believing they were just as capable of leading a naval battle. They resigned from their commands. In the end, the idea of invading the Philippines was dropped. Tucker found another important job exploring and mapping the Peruvian Amazon.
The war officially ended in 1868, but a peace treaty wasn't signed until 1879.
The Callao Square in Madrid, Spain, and the Callao Metro Madrid station are named after this battle.
See also
In Spanish: Combate del Callao para niños
