The Battle of Angamos (Saltpeter War ) during the War of the Pacific in Peru marks the commemoration of a naval battle with Chile that took place in 1879.
The Battle of Angamos (Combate Naval de Angamos) was a decisive naval engagement fought on October 8, 1879, during the War of the Pacific (1879–1883), also known as the Saltpeter War. The conflict began as a dispute between Chile and Bolivia over control of the mineral-rich Atacama Desert. When Bolivia declared war on Chile, it called upon Peru to join the fight under a secret mutual defence agreement.
The Chilean Navy and the Peruvian Navy fought each other off the coast of what was then Bolivian territory, which is now part of modern-day Chile. The Chilean fleet, headed by Captains Galvarino Riveros and Juan José Latorre, encircled and captured the Peruvian ironclad vessel Huáscar, which was captained by Admiral Miguel Grau Seminario. He was killed during the fight.
The loss changed the course of the conflict, and Peru could not stop Chile from invading its territory again. People in Peru remember Admiral Grau as a national hero because he was brave and did the right thing. In Peru today, several streets, parks, and public buildings are named for him and his ship, Huáscar.
