Siege of Chillán
Part of theChilean War of Independence
Plaza marking the site of the Siege of Chillán
Date July 27 to August 10, 1813 Location Chillán Viejo 36°37′5.44″S72°8′8.23″W / 36.6181778°S 72.1356194°W /-36.6181778; -72.1356194 Result Royalist victory
Belligerents
Chilean patriots	Royalists
Commanders and leaders
José Miguel Carrera	Juan Francisco Sánchez José Antonio Pareja
Strength
Unknown	Unknown
Casualties and losses
Over 500 casualties and prisoners	Unknown

Thesiege of Chillán inChile occurred from July 27th to August 10th, 1813, as patriot forces attempted to dislodge a determined band of royalist defenders. The failure ofJosé Miguel Carrera to take the city would contribute to his removal from office by thejunta later in the campaign.

The city ofChillán was held by royalist troops under the command of Juan Francisco Sanchez, backed by forces under the command ofIldefonso Elorreaga and the Valdivian troops ofJuan Nepomuceno Carvallo. Juan Francisco Sanchez had sent a message toAntonio Pareja for reinforcements asJosé Miguel Carrera began his siege. As a result, the governing body atSantiago instructedCarrera to try to take the city before these new royalist forces could arrive.

The patriot forces surroundingChillán consisted of some of their best soldiers, but the siege was to take place in the midst of winter and in a difficult location. OldChillán^[1] was a city of 4,000 inhabitants, now increased to 9,000 with Sanchez's royalist forces. It was located on an easily defensible hill between the riversPaso Hondo,Maipón andChillán.

By the time thatCarrera arrived to take command of the siege,Joel Roberts Poinsett andJuan Mackenna had already compiled a plan showing the enemy fortifications and for the location of the artillery. Although the patriot troops were equipped with waterproof ponchos, the winter weather was so unpleasant and the patriot supplies so limited thatCarrera was concerned about the timing of the campaign.

As the days drew on, the patriot force began to suffer increasing numbers of deserters, andCarrera decided that a direct attack was needed before the entire patriot force disintegrated in the harsh winter conditions. The first attack, the battle of Maipón, occurred on August 3, with the second attack following two days later. The assaults were marred by the massacre of many of the civilian inhabitants ofChillán and numerous atrocities. The assaults failed, however, to take the city, where the royalist forces held on staunchly.

Carrera had taken many casualties during these assaults, with his casualties and men taken prisoner numbering more than 500 men. His militia cavalry and some of the infantry had fled altogether, and without food and ammunition it was not going to be possible to hold the city perimeter. The only choice was to raise the siege on August 10 and retreat toQuirihue andConcepción. The failure of the siege ofChillán would begin to undermine the credibility ofCarrera in the eyes of the leadership inSantiago.

• Battles in 1813
• Battles involving Chile
• Battles involving Spain
• Sieges involving Spain
• Battles of the Spanish American wars of independence
• Battles of the Chilean War of Independence
• Battles of the Patria Vieja Campaign
• 1813 in the Captaincy General of Chile
• July 1813
• August 1813
• History of Ñuble Region

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