Siege of Chillán
José Antonio Pareja
- v
- t
- e
- Patria Vieja (1812–1814)
- 1st Talcahuano
- Linares
- Yerbas Buenas
- Valparaíso
- 1st San Carlos
- 1st La Frontera
- 2nd Talcahuano
- Thomas
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- Rancagua
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- 2nd Valparaíso
- Patria Nueva (1817–1819)
- Juan Fernández Islands
- First southern campaign
- 1st Parral
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- 3rd La Frontera
- Gavilán Hill
- 3rd Talcahuano
- 1st Carampangue
- 2nd Carampangue
- 2nd Chillán
- Bustamante
- 3rd Valparaíso
- Curaumilla
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- Maipú
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- 2nd Parral
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- 3rd Chillán
- Biobío River
- Spanish South Sea expedition
- Guerra a muerte (1819–c.1824/7/32)
- Fort Santa Juana
- Mesamávida
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- 4th Chillán
- Curalí
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- 1st Quilmo
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- Pileo
- 1st Yumbel
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- 3rd San Carlos
- Monte Blanco
- 1st Araucanía
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- 2nd Quilmo
- 2nd Yumbel
- Pangal
- Tarpellanca
- 6th Talcahuano
- Cocharcas
- 2nd Concepción
- Chillán River
- 2nd Araucanía
- 3rd Araucanía
- Arauco Bay
- Vegas de Saldías
- 4th Araucanía
- 5th Araucanía
- Coast of Arauco
- Boroa
- Alico
- Laraquete
- Panguilemu
- Bureo
- Pincheira brothers brigandage
- Neuquén
- Valdivia, Osorno and Chiloé (1820–1826)
- Relevant civil conflicts
- Carrera uprising of 1814
- Prieto brothers uprising of 1819
- Osorno mutiny of 1821
- Abdication of O'Higgins in 1823
- Chiloé uprising in 1826
- Campino uprising of 1827
- External fronts
- Aid expeditions to the Río de la Plata
- Brown's privateer expedition to the Pacific
- Chile privateers campaign
- Cochrane campaign
- Liberating Expedition of Peru
- Benavente expedition to Peru
- Coast of Cobija
- Callao
The siege of Chillán occurred from July 27th to August 10th, 1813, as patriot forces attempted to dislodge a determined band of royalist defenders. The failure of José Miguel Carrera to take the city would contribute to his removal from office by the junta later in the campaign.
Background
The city of Chillán was held by royalist troops under the command of Juan Francisco Sanchez, backed by forces under the command of Ildefonso Elorreaga and the Valdivian troops of Juan Nepomuceno Carvallo. Juan Francisco Sanchez had sent a message to Antonio Pareja for reinforcements as José Miguel Carrera began his siege. As a result, the governing body at Santiago instructed Carrera to try to take the city before these new royalist forces could arrive.
The siege
The patriot forces surrounding Chillán consisted of some of their best soldiers, but the siege was to take place in the midst of winter and in a difficult location. Old Chillán[1] was a city of 4,000 inhabitants, now increased to 9,000 with Sanchez's royalist forces. It was located on an easily defensible hill between the rivers Paso Hondo, Maipón and Chillán.
By the time that Carrera arrived to take command of the siege, Joel Roberts Poinsett and Juan Mackenna had already compiled a plan showing the enemy fortifications and for the location of the artillery. Although the patriot troops were equipped with waterproof ponchos, the winter weather was so unpleasant and the patriot supplies so limited that Carrera was concerned about the timing of the campaign.
The assault
As the days drew on, the patriot force began to suffer increasing numbers of deserters, and Carrera decided that a direct attack was needed before the entire patriot force disintegrated in the harsh winter conditions. The first attack, the battle of Maipón, occurred on August 3, with the second attack following two days later. The assaults were marred by the massacre of many of the civilian inhabitants of Chillán and numerous atrocities. The assaults failed, however, to take the city, where the royalist forces held on staunchly.
Aftermath
Carrera had taken many casualties during these assaults, with his casualties and men taken prisoner numbering more than 500 men. His militia cavalry and some of the infantry had fled altogether, and without food and ammunition it was not going to be possible to hold the city perimeter. The only choice was to raise the siege on August 10 and retreat to Quirihue and Concepción. The failure of the siege of Chillán would begin to undermine the credibility of Carrera in the eyes of the leadership in Santiago.