| Battle of Ica | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part of thePeruvian War of Independence | |||||||
 1829 sketch of the Battle of Ica | |||||||
| |||||||
| Belligerents | |||||||
 Liberating Expedition Protectorate of Peru |  Spain | ||||||
| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
| Domingo TristánAgustín Gamarra Santiago Aldunate | José de CanteracValentín Ferraz | ||||||
| Strength | |||||||
| 2,244 men 6 cannons | 2,000 men | ||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||
| Hundreds of casualties 1,000 captured | Unknown | ||||||
TheBattle of Ica orDisaster at Macacona was a battle during thePeruvian War of Independence, which occurred on 7 April 1822 at the Hacienda Macacona nearIca, between the Liberation Army of Peru under command of Peruvian GeneralDomingo Tristán, and the Royalist Army under Gen. BrigadierJosé de Canterac. The army of the Patriots was almost completely destroyed.
On 21 August 1820, aLiberation Expedition from Chile set sail fromValparaiso and landed on 7 September 1820 south of Lima. The expedition was composed of 4,118 Patriot soldiers and was led byJosé de San Martín. In the following months, the central coastline provinces were conquered and Lima fell in Patriot hands in June 1821.
The Spanish ViceroyJosé de la Serna fled to Cuzco, but his GeneralJosé de Canterac remained in the mountainousJauja Province, some 150 km from Lima.
José de San Martín appointedDomingo Tristán, a Spanish general who had just defected to the Patriots, as commander of a force to monitor the movements of the Royalist troops. Tristán was instructed not to engage the enemy, but to withdraw in the event of a Royalist advance. Domingo Tristán positioned his battalions atIca.[1]
Canterac decided to attack the Patriot troops at Ica and advanced fromJauja on 26 March at the head of some 1500 infantry, 600 cavalry and 3 fieldguns. He arrived in the area of Ica on 6 April, where Tristán was completely taken by surprise. As instructed, he prepared his troops to withdraw, but Canterac positioned his troops at Macacona, cutting off the retreat route of Tristán.Tristán was not aware of this last movement and marched his battalions straight into the trap that Canterac had set.[1]
At 1 a.m., but under a moonlit sky, the Royalist troops opened fire on the retreating column. Many Patriots were killed or wounded and the column dispersed almost immediately. By 3 a.m., the battlefield was covered with dead and wounded Patriots. 1000 soldiers and 50 officers were taken prisoner, of which many defected to the Royalists.The Royalists also captured 4 cannons, 2 flags, 2000 rifles, 200 gunshots and 100 sabers. Tristán, Gamarra and some 125 men managed to escape. José Santiago Aldunate was taken prisoner. Spanish commander Juan Loriga was sent to occupyPisco.[2]
Upon his arrival in Lima, Tristán was tried by court-martial for his responsibility in the disaster and, although he was acquitted, he never returned to active service in the army.
The outcome of the battle increased the material and morale of the Royalists. From now on, the Patriots in Southern Peru were on the defensive. After inflicting further defeats in January 1823, the Royalist generalJosé Canterac would reoccupy Lima on 18 June 1823.[2]
14°2′11″S75°46′45″W / 14.03639°S 75.77917°W /-14.03639; -75.77917