Battle of Huaqui facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Battle of Huaqui |
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| Part of Bolivian War of Independence | |||||||
 Old map of the battle, showing Titicaca lake on the north |
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| Belligerents | |||||||
 United Provinces of South America Republiquetas |
 Viceroyalty of Peru |
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| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
| Juan José Castelli Antonio González Balcarce |
José Manuel de Goyeneche |
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| Strength | |||||||
| 5,000 soldiers and 13,000 native auxiliaries | 8,000 soldiers (including 4,700 royalist militias from Viceroyalty of Peru) | ||||||
The Battle of Huaqui was an important fight during the Bolivian War of Independence. It happened on June 20, 1811. This battle was between the revolutionary troops from Buenos Aires (part of the Primera Junta) and the royalist army from Viceroyalty of Peru. The fight took place near the Desaguadero River, which is on the border of what is now Bolivia and Peru. The royalists won this battle.
What Led to the Battle?
The revolutionary army was led by Juan José Castelli and Antonio González Balcarce. They first met the royalist troops, led by General José Manuel de Goyeneche, in October 1810. The royalists didn't follow up on their advantage.
Later, as the royalists were moving south, they lost a battle at Suipacha. The revolutionary troops kept moving north into Upper Peru (modern-day Bolivia). They met Goyeneche's army again near the Desaguadero River on June 20, 1811, and that's when the Battle of Huaqui began.
How the Battle Happened
On June 19, the day before the main battle, the revolutionary army set up their troops in Huaqui, Caza, and Machaca. They quickly built a temporary bridge over the Desaguadero River. About 1,200 of their soldiers crossed this bridge. Their plan was to trick Goyeneche's troops and attack them from behind.
General Goyeneche decided to attack directly with all his soldiers. Early in the morning of June 20, he sent some of his officers and troops to attack Caza. This area was important because it was near the road to Machaca and the way to Huaqui. Goyeneche himself marched towards Huaqui with other officers and soldiers.
As the sun came up, the hills where the royalist troops needed to go were already full of revolutionary soldiers. These soldiers, including cavalry and fusiliers, started shooting at the Spanish troops. They also used grenades and slingshots. The royalists fought back strongly. Within a few hours, they made the revolutionaries retreat.
When the revolutionary leaders, Castelli, Balcarce, and Montes de Oca, heard that Goyeneche was coming towards Huaqui, they left the town. They took 15 cannons and 2,000 men with them. They found a strong position on the road to Huaqui, between a small lake and some hills.
Goyeneche ordered his troops to advance, even though the enemy was shooting at them. One of his battalions provided cover fire. The revolutionary troops recognized General Goyeneche and aimed their fire at him. He ordered his soldiers to attack from the right side. He also sent three companies to attack from the front, while he and the rest of his troops attacked from the left.
The Argentine cavalry tried to stop the royalist attack but they were quickly defeated. They ran away, and soon the entire rebel army fled towards Huaqui. Goyeneche ordered his troops to chase them and they soon captured the town. Another royalist colonel sent a message saying they had also won at Caza.
The battle ended with the Argentine troops running away completely. They lost more than 1,000 men and left most of their cannons behind. They ran all the way to Potosí and then even farther south to Jujuy.
What Happened After the Battle?
On the same day as the battle, June 20, 1811, a revolution started in Peru. Its leader, Francisco Antonio De Zela, had planned with the Argentine troops that he would start a revolution in Tacna. The Argentine army was supposed to move into Peru to help free the country. However, the big defeat at Huaqui stopped these plans for Peru.
The loss at Huaqui made a very bad impression in Buenos Aires. Because they had lost their weapons and so many soldiers, González Balcarce and Castelli were removed from their commands. They even faced a military trial. The defeat also caused a temporary stop in the siege of Montevideo. This was because Buenos Aires was worried about being attacked from two different directions at the same time.
The defeat at Huaqui was so significant that it left the north very weak. This forced them to appoint General Belgrano to lead the Army of the North. His job was to bring back discipline, train the soldiers, and wait for new weapons. He even had to take extreme steps, like moving the people of Jujuy Province in Northern Argentina south to safety. This event is known as the Jujuy Exodus.
See also
In Spanish: Batalla de Huaqui para niños
