Battle of Agüi
# Battle of Agüi

vteChilean War of Independence :

Patria Vieja 1812–1814

Yerbas Buenas

San Carlos

Chillán

El Roble

Cucha-Cucha

Talca

El Quilo

Membrillar

1st Cancha Rayada

1st Quechereguas

Las Tres Acequias

Rancagua

Reconquista 1815–1817

Juncalito

San Fernando

Crossing of the Andes

Picheuta

Chacabuco

Patria Nueva 1817–1823

Curapalihue

Cerro Gavilán

Talcahuano

2nd Quechereguas

2nd Cancha Rayada

Maipú

Biobío

Valdivia

El Toro

Guerra a Muerte 1819–1826

Mesamávida

Los Ángeles

Curalí

Píleo

Yumbel

Pangal

Tarpellanca

Vegas de Talcahuano

Alameda de Concepción

Hersilia

Vegas de Saldías

Chiloé 1820–1826

Agüi

Mocopulli

Pudeto

Bellavista

Naval battles

Grenadine coast

Callao :

The Battle of Agüi was fought at Fuerte de Agüi, near Ancud, Chiloé on February 18, 1820 between Chilean patriots and Spanish royalists, during the Chilean War of Independence. After the successful capture of Valdivia Lord Cochrane sought to occupy the Chiloé Archipelago which was the last stronghold of the Spanish in Chile. William Miller disembarked for this task but had to reembark after had been severely wounded in his leg and lost 20 men.41°49′46.48″S 73°51′18.26″W﻿ / ﻿41.8295778°S 73.8550722°W﻿ / -41.8295778; -73.8550722

## The battle

The battle was part of an effort to drive Spanish forces from the Chiloé archipelago, some of which were fortified in the San Miguel de Agüi Castle. When Commander Saturino García arrived at the castle to reinforce the Spanish army, he found that Chilean Major William Miller had already begun combat. The patriots felt the urgency of this arrival and a force of 60 men assaulted the fort but 38 men, including Miller, were disabled by shot from within.

Assuming command, Captain Francisco Eréscano formed a new column, but canon and gun fire from within the castle made it difficult to advance towards it over a narrow, broken road. The patriots found their situation made more difficult when a gunboat dispatched from San Carlos by colonial governor Antonio Quintanilla arrived and began firing on their flank.

The patriot column was forced to fall back. Captain Eréscano carried it out in an orderly fashion, evacuating the wounded and assuring that the rear of his column would be protected from the garrison inside the castle, now being reinforced by Captain García’s troops. Nevertheless, Eréscano’s forces still had to repel three attacks from the Spanish. The Chilean forces marched down Huechucucuy Beach and arrived at the cove were their ships were anchored. By this point the Spanish had ceased their pursuit of the patriot force, probably out of a fear of being surrounded by a larger force.

