Ignacio Carrera Pinto facts for kids
Ignacio Carrera Pinto was a brave Chilean soldier born on February 5, 1848. He is remembered as a hero of the War of the Pacific. He and his 77 soldiers from the Fourth Company of Chacabuco are known as the "Heroes of La Concepción." They earned this name because they all died fighting bravely in the Battle of La Concepción.
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Early Life and Family Connections
Ignacio Carrera Pinto was born in Santiago, Chile. His father was José Miguel Carrera Fontecilla, and his mother was Emilia Pinto Benavente. Ignacio came from a very important family in Chile.
His grandfather was Jose Miguel Carrera Verdugo. He was one of Chile's heroes who helped the country become independent. Ignacio was also related to two Chilean Presidents: Francisco Antonio Pinto and Aníbal Pinto.
Joining the War of the Pacific
The War of the Pacific started in 1879. This war was fought between Chile on one side, and Peru and Bolivia on the other. When the war began, Ignacio Carrera Pinto joined the Chilean Army. He became part of the 7th Mobilized Infantry Regiment, also known as the "Esmeralda" regiment.
Ignacio was a very skilled soldier. Because of his hard work and bravery, he was promoted quickly. He became a lieutenant in 1881 and a captain in 1882. He fought in important battles during the Lima Campaign and the Sierra Campaign.
The Battle of La Concepción
In July 1882, Captain Carrera Pinto was leading the Fourth Company of Chacabuco. This company was part of the Esmeralda regiment. They were guarding a town in Peru called La Concepción. There were 77 soldiers in the Fourth Company, including their officers. They were divided into three platoons.
On July 10, 1882, the town was attacked. About 400 Peruvian soldiers and many local fighters attacked the Chilean troops. These attackers were part of the forces led by Andrés Avelino Cáceres, a Peruvian officer. He was leading a special kind of fighting called a guerrilla war.
The Chilean soldiers were greatly outnumbered. They also started to run out of ammunition. But they were incredibly brave and refused to give up. The last Chilean soldiers kept fighting. They charged at the well-armed Peruvian army using only their bayonets. All 77 Chilean soldiers died fighting heroically in this battle.
Remembering a Hero
The Carrera family was one of the most influential families in Chile. Many of them still live in Santiago and the Bio Bio Province. Some family members also moved to Sweden.
Today, Ignacio Carrera Pinto is still honored in Chile. His face is shown on the Chilean one thousand peso banknote. This shows how important he is to Chile's history.
See also
In Spanish: Ignacio Carrera Pinto para niños
