Battle of El Roble facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Battle of El Roble |
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| Part of the Chilean War of Independence | |||||||
 The Battle of El Roble by Manuel Tapia |
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| Belligerents | |||||||
 Chilean patriots |
 Royalists |
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| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
| José Miguel Carrera |
Clemente Lantaño and de Luis Urrejola |
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| Strength | |||||||
| 800 men 5 guns |
1,200 men | ||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||
| 30 killed | 80 killed | ||||||
The Battle of El Roble was an important fight during the Chilean War of Independence. It happened on October 17, 1813, near the Itata River. In this battle, Chilean patriots led by General José Miguel Carrera fought against Spanish royalist forces. These royalist forces were commanded by Clemente Lantaño and Luis Urrejola. The patriots won a surprise victory, thanks to the brave actions of Bernardo O'Higgins. This battle later led to a big change in who led the patriot army.
Why the Battle Happened
General José Miguel Carrera wanted to take the city of Chillán from the royalists. He split his army into two groups. One group, led by his brother Juan Jose, went near where the Itata and Ñuble rivers meet. The other group, led by Carrera himself, went further east to cross the river at a place called paso el Roble.
Juan Francisco Sanchez, the royalist commander in Chillán, found out about Carrera's plan. He decided to try and destroy the patriot army with a surprise attack. Sanchez ordered his soldiers to cross the Itata river at night. They moved into position on the south side of the river, east of the patriot forces. To the north, the royalists placed 400 men under Juan Antonio Olate. Their job was to stop the patriots from crossing the river.
The Battle Begins
At dawn on October 17, the royalist forces launched their surprise attack. They attacked Carrera's soldiers, causing a lot of panic. Carrera thought his army was defeated. He rode his horse into the Itata river and left the battle to avoid being captured.
Meanwhile, Colonel Bernardo O'Higgins stayed calm when the fighting started. He gathered about 200 men around him. O'Higgins quickly moved to protect the cannons and organize a defense. Captains Jose Joaquin and Diego Jose Benavente joined him. Together, they formed a strong small force.
After about an hour of fighting, O'Higgins became impatient. He picked up a gun from a fallen soldier. Waving it, he shouted to his troops:
"Lads! To me! Live with honour, or die with glory! The one who is brave is the one who follows me!"
His words encouraged the soldiers. They charged forward with O'Higgins. They pushed the enemy back, making them retreat quickly. Even though O'Higgins was hurt in the leg, he kept leading the chase on foot. He pursued the royalists until they had crossed back over the river in complete confusion.
What Happened After
The royalists left more than 80 dead soldiers on the battlefield. The patriots had about 30 casualties. But the biggest impact of the battle was not just the numbers. For the patriot army, this was their first real victory against the royalist forces. It was a moment they would remember well.
For José Miguel Carrera, his decision to leave the battlefield had serious consequences. He lost support from the city of Santiago. This led to him being replaced as the patriot leader by Bernardo O'Higgins. This change in leadership later caused problems within the patriot movement, leading to the battle of Las Tres Acequias the next year.
Images for kids
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Battle of El Roble, Pintura de Manuel Tapia Portus (1835-1915)
See also
In Spanish: Batalla de El Roble para niños
