Blockade of Callao
# Blockade of Callao

vteWar of the Pacific :

Naval campaign

1st Iquique

Chipana

Pisagua

1st Callao

2nd Iquique

Punta Gruesa

Huáscar

1st Antofagasta

3rd Iquique

Rímac

2nd Antofagasta

Punta Arenas

Angamos

Pilcomayo

Arica

Naval Battle

Rupture

2nd Callao

Land campaigns

Loa Line and Altiplano

Calama

Río Grande

Quillagua

Tambillo

Tarapacá campaign

Pisagua

Pampa Germania

San Francisco

Tarapacá

Tacna and Arica campaign

Ilo and Pacocha

Moquegua

Mollendo

Los Ángeles

Locumba

Buenavista

Tacna

Arica

Tarata

Lynch Expedition

Lima campaign

Chilca

Yerba Buena

Bujama

Humay

El Manzano

Rinconada de Ate

San Juan and Chorrillos

Miraflores

Lima

Chilean occupation of Peru

Sierra campaign

San Jerónimo

Letelier Expedition

Sángrar

Verrugas

1st Purhuay

Calientes

1st Pachía

Cieneguilla

Motupe

Guadalupe

1st Pucará

Acuchimay

Sierralumi

Huaripampa

Llocllapampa

Chupaca

La Oroya

2nd Pucará

Concepción

San Pablo

Tarmatambo

2nd Purhuay

Huamantanga

Crossing of the Andes

Huamachuco

Izcuchaca

2nd Pachía

Arequipa-Puno Line

Arequipa

Titicaca Lake :

The Blockade of Callao was a military operation that occurred during the War of the Pacific or the Salitre War and that consisted of the Chilean squadron preventing the entry of ships to the port of Callao and the neighboring coves between 10 April 1880 and 17 January 1881.

## Blockade

Commencing on 10 April 1880, the Chilean Navy fleet began a light blockade of the Peruvian port of Callao. The Chilean fleet would slowly grow as additional ships became available from other regions of the campaign. Likewise, the Peruvian Navy would arm local vessels as equipment allowed.

Several times over the year that the blockade was effected, the Chilean fleet would sortie and bombard the city. This was frequently in response to a Peruvian attack, such as the repeated successful deployment of disguised floating bombs.

## Scuttling of the Peruvian fleet

After the successful attacks on the Lima suburbs of San Juan and Miraflores it became apparent that the city was going to fall to the advancing Chilean Army. During the night of 16 January 1881, after the defeat of the Peruvian Army in the battles of San Juan and Miraflores, the Secretary of the Navy, Captain Manuel Villar, ordered the destruction of port defences and the remaining ships of the Peruvian Navy to prevent their capture by Chilean troops. This order was executed by the captains Germán Astete and Manuel Villavisencio during the dawn of 17 January 1881. Among the ships scuttled were the last Peruvian ironclad, the monitor Atahualpa, the corvette Unión, the training ship Apurímac, as well as Peru's first submarine, Toro Submarino.

### Ships scuttled

The Peruvian ships scuttled by its crew before they could being captured, included:

| Name | Type | Fate |
| - | - | - |
| Apurímac | pontoon (ex-frigate) | |
| Atahualpa | monitor | Salvaged 1881 |
| Chalaco | steamship transport | |
| Limeña | steamship transport | |
| Loa | training ship | |
| Oroya | steamship transport | |
| República | torpedo boat | |
| Rímac | steamship transport | Salvaged June 1881 |
| Talismán | steamship transport | |
| Toro Submarino | submarine | |
| Unión | corvette | |

## Surrender

Callao surrendered on 18 January 1881, the day after the fleet was scuttled.

