Congressional forces defeated Balmaceda's army at Concón, a decisive engagement of the 1891 Chilean Civil War that opened the path to Valparaíso.
Key Facts
- Date
- 21 August 1891
- Congressional force size
- ~9,000 men
- Balmacedist casualties
- 1,600 killed and wounded
- Balmacedist prisoners taken
- ~1,500 men
- Congressional casualties
- ~1,000 killed and wounded
- Disembarkation point
- Quintero, ~20 km north of Valparaíso
By the Numbers
Location
Cause → Event → Consequence
In mid-August 1891, the congressional rebel forces, numbering around 9,000 men, embarked from Iquique and sailed south. They disembarked at Quintero on August 10, deliberately landing out of range of Valparaíso's defensive batteries, and marched toward Concón where Balmaceda's government troops had entrenched themselves along the Aconcagua River.
On August 21, 1891, the congressional infantry forced a crossing of the Aconcagua River at Concón and stormed the heights held by the Balmacedist (Gobiernista) forces. Despite Balmaceda acting promptly upon learning of the landing, his troops were defeated in severe fighting, suffering 1,600 killed and wounded and losing approximately 1,500 men as prisoners.
The defeat dealt a heavy blow to Balmaceda's military strength. Nearly all 1,500 captured Balmacedist prisoners subsequently enrolled in the congressional army, allowing the rebels to more than offset their own losses of around 1,000 casualties. This victory cleared the way for the congressional forces to advance on Valparaíso and ultimately decide the civil war.
Belligerents & Mobilization Analysis
Side A
1 belligerent
Side B
1 belligerent