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| Battle of Topáter | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part of theWar of the Pacific | |||||||
 Eduardo Abaroa and the defenders of Topáter | |||||||
| |||||||
| Belligerents | |||||||
 Chile |  Bolivia | ||||||
| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
| Eleuterio Ramírez | José Santos (POW)Ladislao CabreraEduardo Abaroa † | ||||||
| Strength | |||||||
| 554 soldiers | 135 militia and soldiers | ||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||
| 7 killed 6 wounded | 20 killed 3 wounded 24 captured | ||||||
  Battle of Topáter (South America) Show map of South America Battle of Topáter (America) Show map of America | |||||||
TheBattle of Topáter, orBattle of Calama, was fought on March 23, 1879, betweenChile andBolivia. It was the first battle of theWar of the Pacific.
The Chileans were taking possession of theAntofagasta (Litoral) Province, then a part ofBolivia. The few Bolivian troops decided to make a stand in the town ofCalama. On their way to occupy Calama, 554 Chilean troops, including cavalry and with twoKrupp rifled guns, were opposed by 135 Bolivian soldiers and civilian residents led by Dr.Ladislao Cabrera, a civilian and a political authority in the region.[1]
The Bolivians fought next to theTopáter ford, which runs outside the city. Cabrera dug in at two destroyed bridges; calls to surrender were rejected before and during the battle. Outnumbered and low in ammunition, most of the Bolivian force eventually withdrew except for a small group of civilians, led by ColonelEduardo Abaroa, that fought to the end.
The Bolivian national hero, Abaroa, died in the battle. Further ground battles would not take place until the war at sea had been completed.
 | This article about a battle in Chilean history is astub. You can help Wikipedia byexpanding it. |
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