Capture of Valdivia

Capture of Valdivia
Part of the Chilean War of Independence
Painting of the climbing of La Aguada del Inglés in the Chilean naval and maritime museum
Date From 3 to 4 February 1820 Location Corral, near Valdivia (Chile) 39°53′18″S 73°25′35″W / 39.88833°S 73.42639°W / -39.88833; -73.42639 Result Chilean victory
Belligerents
Republic of Chile	Spanish Monarchy
Commanders and leaders
Thomas Cochrane Jorge Beauchef	Manuel Montoya Fausto del Hoyo
Strength
310[1]	1,606 110 24-pounder cannons[2][1]
Casualties and losses
7 killed and 25 wounded[3] or 39 killed and wounded[4] 1 brigantine[3]	~100 killed 106 prisoners

Valparaíso

Talcahuano

Corral Bay

Valdivia

Osorno

Chiloé Archipelago

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The location of places mentioned in the text within the modern boundaries of Chile. Spanish-controlled ports and areas as of February 1, 1820, are shown in red color.

The Capture of Valdivia (Spanish: Toma de Valdivia) was a battle in the Chilean War of Independence between Royalist forces commanded by Colonel Manuel Montoya and Fausto del Hoyo and the Patriot forces under the command of Thomas Cochrane and Jorge Beauchef, held on 3 and 4 February 1820. The battle was fought over the control of the city Valdivia and its strategic and heavily fortified harbour. In the battle Patriots gained control of the southwestern part of the Valdivian Fort System after an audacious assault aided by deception and the darkness of the night. The following day the demoralised Spanish evacuated the remaining forts, looted local Patriot property in Valdivia and withdrew to Osorno and Chiloé. Thereafter, Patriot mobs looted the property of local Royalists until the Patriot army arrived to the city restoring order.

The capture of Valdivia was a major victory to the Patriots as it deprived the Spanish Empire an important naval base from where to harass or quell the Republic of Chile.