Battle of Junín facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Battle of Junín |
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| Part of the Peruvian War of Independence | |||||||
 Battle of Junín by Martín Tovar y Tovar. Oil on canvas. |
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| Belligerents | |||||||
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United Liberation Army:
 Peru |
 Spain |
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| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
 Simón Bolívar Antonio José de Sucre |
José de Canterac |
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| Strength | |||||||
| 1,000 | 1,300 | ||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||
| 150 | 250 | ||||||
The Battle of Junín was a very important fight during the Peruvian War of Independence. It happened in the highlands of the Junín Region on August 6, 1824. This battle was a key moment in the fight for Peru's freedom from Spanish rule.
Before the battle, the Spanish forces, called royalists, had taken back control of Lima. Simón Bolívar, a famous leader of the patriots (those fighting for independence), gathered his forces. In June, he led his army south to face the Spanish army. The two armies met on the Plain of Junín, a marshy area near Junín Lake. This area is about 4,100 meters (13,450 feet) above sea level.
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What Happened at the Battle of Junín?
Bolívar sent about 8,000 soldiers to try and stop the royalists from retreating. He also sent 1,000 cavalry (soldiers on horseback) to slow down the Spanish troops. The Spanish had about 1,300 cavalry riders. They wanted to stop the patriot cavalry so their main army could get away.
The Cavalry Clash
The patriot cavalry was getting ready for battle when the Spanish cavalry suddenly attacked. This surprise attack caused confusion among the patriots. The Spanish first hit the Colombian Grenadiers, led by General Necochea. They fought bravely and managed to slow down the Spanish attack.
General Miller, leading 250 Hussars of Peru, was supposed to go around the Spanish army. But because of the sudden attack, he had to charge straight into the fight. General Necochea was hurt and captured. Only a part of the Colombian Grenadiers, led by Mayor Otto Felipe Braun, managed to break through the Spanish lines. Most of the patriot cavalry was retreating in a messy way. Bolívar, watching from a hill, saw his forces struggling. He rode back to hurry up his infantry (foot soldiers).
A Clever Turnaround
At this point, the Spanish thought they had won and chased after the retreating patriots. They didn't notice that the First Squadron of Hussars of Peru, led by Lieutenant Colonel Isidoro Suarez, had not yet joined the battle. They were hidden behind a hill.
Colonel Suarez and his men saw the Spanish army's left side was open. Then, Mayor Jose Andres Razuri gave him a message. It was a false order, supposedly from General La Mar, telling them to charge the Spanish cavalry. Lieutenant Colonel Suarez ordered the charge. The Spanish were completely surprised and suffered heavy losses.
Seeing this new turn, the rest of the patriot cavalry, now led by General Miller, returned to the fight. Colonel Silva helped reorganize the Hussars of Colombia, stopping them from being surrounded.
The independentists had already been overwhelmed; Despite their courage and determination, they had not been able to resist the terrible impulse of the royalists' cavalry; They were already beginning to sing the hymn of victory when two enemy squadrons that were in the rear under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Suarez, threw themselves on the victors who were also in the greatest disorder and confusion mixed with the defeated. Joining them with that mass of bronze that was in perfect formation, they fell again on the scattered royalists, stabbed them horribly, forced them to retreat quickly, and took the battlefield from them.
The Spanish Retreat
Attacked from the side and behind, the Spanish soldiers lost their courage and retreated in a disorganized way. General Canterac didn't understand why his army suddenly fell apart. He later told the Viceroy of Peru, José de la Serna e Hinojosa, that he couldn't explain it. The Spanish were completely defeated. Bolívar's foot soldiers arrived after the cavalry battle was already over.
A Battle Without Guns
This battle was unique because it was only a cavalry fight. It lasted about 45 minutes. Soldiers fought hand-to-hand using lances and sabers. No firearms were used at all! About 250 royalist soldiers and 150 patriot soldiers were killed.
The Battle of Junín was a huge victory for the patriots. It destroyed the strong Spanish cavalry, who lost over 400 horses. This win greatly boosted the spirits of the pro-independence fighters. It was their first big victory in Peru. After this defeat, many Spanish soldiers left their army and joined the patriots. Eventually, the Viceroy de la Serna had to take command of the Spanish forces himself to try and improve morale.
This patriot victory helped clear the way for Peru's final freedom from Spain. Peru had declared independence three years earlier, on July 28, 1821. The Spanish finally gave up after the Battle of Ayacucho on December 9, 1824. That's when Viceroy de la Serna surrendered, ending Spanish rule in South America.
Mayor Jose Andres Razuri was later told off by General Jose de la Mar for making up the order to charge. But General La Mar also said, "You should be executed, but today's victory is owed to you." Many believe Razuri's actions and the charge by the First Squadron of Hussars of Peru were the most important parts of the Battle of Junín. Bolívar praised the Hussars of Peru so much that he renamed them the Hussars of Junín. They are still known by that name today.
The Battle of Junín in Literature
- The Ecuadorian poet José Joaquín de Olmedo wrote a famous poem about the battle.
- The Argentine writer Jorge Luis Borges wrote a poem about his famous ancestor, Manuel Isidoro Suarez. Suarez led the First Squadron of Hussars of Peru at Junín.
Images for kids
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Patch awarded to officers who took part of the Peruvian Campaign in 1823–24.
See also
In Spanish: Batalla de Junín para niños
