Libertad o Muerte! Pt. XXIX - 1856
On April the third, peruvian president Castilla declared war upon Platinea to 'liberate' all peruvians living under the platinean 'yoke'. The news of Peru's declaration of war led to anxiety among the civilian populace especially in those provinces bordering Peru. The national government was trying to calm down the people by an information campaign about Perus military which comprised only two divisions[1]. Furthermore the government promised that the platinean army would do everything to protect every single platinean city, town and village. Eased by these promises most civilians just commenced their everyday life. But in the border regions many knew that the platinean army was still faraway and began to arm themselves and to found militias in order to observe the border to Peru.
Only hours after Peru declared war upon Platinea the platinean government assembled for an emergency cabinet meeting and ordered the redeployment of all army corps from the brazilian to the peruvian border. Only the Royal Guards remained at La Plata to defend the entire region against a possible peruvian landing. The Foreign Legion on the other hand was ordered to leave their positions in La Serena and to march north to Calama to oppose the anticipated peruvian attack on the city.
All other units were ordered to gather at state capital of Alto Platinea, La Paz. There General Urquiza, Chief of the Army, was planning to establish his headquarters and base of operations against the peruvians.
The government at once raised army and navy maintenance to max and bolstered all units with some reinforcements.[2]
A detachement of the Foreign Legion marching north towards Calama in the first days of the conflict.
The platinean command was anticipating that the bulk of the peruvian units would be trying to capture or at least raid the very rich provinces south and east of Arica. First and foremost the claimed province Calama but also the rhich silver mines of Potosi seemed to be tempting targets for the peruvian army and would provide the peruvians with some bargaining chips.
And with the support of the navy they could also try to take Antofagasta, La Serena and Copiapo, provinces rich in resources and population.
The map shows the political situation the peruvian-platinean border at the outbreak of hostilities.
The peruvians however had other plans. The 1st peruvian Corps marched towards Lima and began to besiege the city in late April. On the 6th of May General Mitre arrived with his troops and outright engaged the peruvians. As shortly afterwards General Diaz arrived with the two cavalry divisions under his command the peruvian lines were disrupted and they retreated to Arica. On the platinean side some 100 casualties were accounted while the peruvians lost some 370 men. First blood had been spilled.
The final cavalry charge of the 'Gauchos' which finally routed the peruvian forces who had tried to capture Lima.
Finally on June 10th, General Urquiza arrived at La Paz after all other armies already had arrived and began to establish his headquarter. He summoned a meeting at once, with the Generals Mitre, Diaz and Mora attending it as well as their adjutants.
"Gentlemen it's good to see you all sane and sound. It's upon me to congratulate Teniente General Mitre for his victory at the gates of La Paz, it's upon me to deliver you the congratulations of king and prime minister, too. But enough of this chitchat, we got a war going." General Urquiza gave a sign to one of his adjutants who displayed a map of the entire region on the centre table. "Our scouts report that the 2nd Corps [3] already is occupying Esperanza while the 4th Corps is moving to Puerto Maldonado to oppose any attacks. Further the 1st Corps seems to be ordered to guard the border between the pacific and lake Titicaca. The deployement of the gros of their troops along the northern border shows that the peruvian high command priorizes this theater over the southern one. We will counter their operations and give them no quarter. Then, after we have driven them out of Esperanza and Puerto Maldonado, we will pursue them into Atalaya there the terrain is to our favour and we could use our gaucho cavalry to it's full effect. If the enemy should still put up some resistance in this area we will march to Jauja thus crossing the andes quickly and taking the Jauja goldmines and then we finally will take Lima." Urquiza told the assembled officers. "To achieve this I will march with the Army of the Andes straight to Puerto Maldonado and occupy it. General de Division Mora will march with the Army of Paraguay to Ixiamas to protect my left flank and the line of communications to La Paz. On my right flank Teniente General Diaz will march with his Army of the Pampas to Puerto Hearth." Urquiza take a look around to see the reactions of his generals. Mitre shook his head in bewilderment.
"General, this plan might be succesfull and might bring us victory in the end but right now our divisions are still not at full strength and even with the six divisions you are going to lead to the northern theatre you have only some 27,000 men with you while the two peruvian divisions in this region have a total of 22,000 men. And we have informations that their is another peruvian Corps operating in this area. With all due respect Sir I don't think we can carry out your plan at half strengt." Mitre brought forward.
"Nonsense Mitre, their 3rd Corps is nothing but an attempt to delude us, it is jus a ghost unit. There are two divisions and I'm convinced we can acieve our goals even at half strength." Urquiza replied.
"General even if we beat the peruvians at large in the northern theater won't we be able to cross the Andes before the dawn of winter and that would mean many casualties due to the cold climate." Replied Mitre in an attempt to convince his commander.
"I also thought about this problem but my staff has calculated that we will be able to cross the Andes two weeks before snow falls. Anyway I'm going to execute this plan unless someone can make up a better one. So, does anyone?" Urquiza asked.
"Yes I think I can do so!" Mitre responded. "Here in Arica" he pointed a finger on the map "there is a lonely peruvian infantry division. They have just taken a beating and were reinforced. They are not organized or dug in yet, they won't withstand an attack." Mitre made sure he god everyones attention and continued. "We send the cavalry to Puno to cut 1st Corps from their supply-, communications- and retreatlines. Mora marches to Puno too and occupies the city while the Gauchos and the Foreign Legion attack the 1st Corps in Arica. With little to no supplies and nowhere to retreat they will surrender soon. Thus we can get rid of an entire peruvian division, at least a quarter of their army, and could secure the entire southern flank."
"While we expose the northern theater completely" Urquiza interrupted.
"Well not completely, the Army of the Andes under your command could set up defensive positions at Misíon Calvinas and Ixiamas. And once we have finished this operation the northern theater will receive adequate attention."
"But this would mean to leave Esperanza and Puerto Hearth to the peruvians uncontested." Urquiza interrupted again.
"This is true for the early stage. But with 1st Corps gone the peruvian high command will have to redeploy its troops along the frontier in order to deny us the possibility to march straight to Lima. This on the one hand will take pressure from the northern theater and will allow us to perfom another encirclement. Once the peruvians have deployed a division to Arequipa to counter our troops in Puno we send the Gauchos to Cuzco and the Foreign Legion will take Chalhuanca from the sea, thus encircling another peruvian division. Which will definately cripple their war effort." Mitre ended his statement.
"You could as well send the Legion to get slaughtered in the bay of Lima." Urquiza opposed Mitre's propsal. "An amphibious assault would end up in a disaster with numerous deaths. But anyways you leave La Paz unprotected during all the time of phase one. That is not acceptable.The attack on La Paz emphasizes the value of this city for the enemy. The peruvians didn't take the chance to take the claimed province of calama unopposed but rather tried to steal La Paz from right under our nose. One reason clearly is that it is the largest population center far and wide and would give them something to bargain with, but there is a far more military reason for this. La Paz is the main railroad junction for the whole region. Control of this junction would enable the peruvians to cut through our lines and separate the northern provinces from the rest. It would also enable them to breakthrough towards our industrial base around the mouth of the La Plata. No plan can be acceptable which exposes our base of operations."
"General with all due respect..." Mitre began to contradict his superior but was cut off at once.
"With all due respect Teniente General, I am Chief of the army and not you. We will stick to my plan. You better get used to it." Urquiza replied and left the meeting.
General Urquiza's plan for the deployment of the platineans troops to counter the peruvian offensive in the northern theatre.
Author's note:
Selfmade event: Atacama War (in fact it is a whole eventchain for Peru and for me only some eyecandy)
[1] Well without my modding this would be correct.
[2] I had maintenance down to almost zero so my divisions now have been reinforced to 4,500 men.
[3] As the platinean army is not organized into corps. 1st Corps etc. will alwys refer to peruvian units.
