Rubuta ci gaba ga wannan sakin layi - Holley ya fara aikin soja a cikin aikin Araucanía a cikin Yaƙin Arauco. A farkon Yakin Pacific, an ba shi izini a matsayin mataimakin kwamandan rundunar "Esmeralda" lokacin da aka kirkireshi bayan rabuwa da tsohuwar "Carampangue" a watan Mayu 1879. A cikin wannan matsayi, Holley ya yi yaƙi a yakin Tacna
Ka yi haƙuri. An ba shi mukamin kwamandan rundunar lokacin da aka nada kwamandansa na baya, Santiago Amengual, a matsayin shugaban Rukunin Farko a cikin Kamfen na Lima. Holley ya yi yaƙi a yakin Chorrillos (Yakin San Juan) da kuma yakin Miraflores, inda rundunarsa ta sha wahala sosai. Bayan kama Lima da mamayar Chile na Lima, ya kasance a cikin Peru tare da rundunar Esmeralda, yana shiga cikin Kamfen na Breña (Kamfen na Sierra).