Battle of Mocopulli facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Battle of Mocopulli
Part of the Chilean War of Independence
Bayonets recovered from the battlefield of Mocopulli
Date April 1, 1824 Location Mocopulli, Chiloé Island 42°19′54″S 73°42′29″W / 42.33167°S 73.70806°W / -42.33167; -73.70806 Result Royalist victory, invasion aborted
Belligerents
Republic of Chile	Chiloé royalists
Commanders and leaders
Jorge Beauchef	José Rodríguez Ballesteros
Strength
~600	~1,000
Casualties and losses
~300 dead and wounded	~150 dead and wounded

The Battle of Mocopulli was a fight that happened on April 1, 1824. It was the main event of a plan by Chilean patriots to take over Chiloé. This battle ended with the royalists winning. This win meant that Chiloé stayed under Spanish control for two more years. It finally joined Chile in 1826 after another invasion.

Chiloé During the War

During the entire Chilean War of Independence, the Chiloé Archipelago stayed loyal to the Spanish king. Many people in Chiloé supported the royalist side. This made it a strong Spanish base.

Early Attempts to Take Chiloé

In 1820, Lord Cochrane led the new Chilean Navy. He sent William Miller to Chiloé. Cochrane hoped to capture the island easily, like he did in Valdivia. There, he took a big Spanish fort with only 350 men.

However, Miller's small group of 60 soldiers faced strong resistance. They suffered many losses in the Battle of Agüi. They had to go back to their ships and leave Chiloé.

The 1824 Invasion Plan

When Ramón Freire became the leader of Chile in 1823, he made a new plan. One of his first goals was to capture Chiloé. Freire gathered an army to invade the island.

In March 1824, Freire's army crossed the Chacao Channel. They took over the village of Chacao without a fight. Then, they moved south and landed in the town of Dalcahue.

The Chilean Strategy

The Chilean plan was to attack from two sides. This is called a pincer movement. One group would go north from Dalcahue. They would attack San Carlos de Chiloé (which is now Ancud). Other Chilean troops were supposed to land in the north of the island.

The Battle of Mocopulli

The royalist forces in Chiloé were ready. They set up an ambush for the Chilean soldiers. This happened in a clearing near Mocopulli.

The battle lasted for several hours. The Chilean forces fought hard. But they faced strong resistance from the royalists. In the end, the Chileans had to retreat. They went back to Dalcahue. From there, they sailed back to Chile.

Outcome of the Battle

The Battle of Mocopulli was a clear victory for the royalists. It stopped the Chilean invasion. This meant that Chiloé remained under Spanish control. It would be two more years until Chile finally took over the island in 1826.

Sources

• LA Batalla de Mocopulli, Diario Austral de Llanquihue. 2003.

See also

In Spanish: Batalla de Mocopulli para niños