Battle of Huaqui

Battle of Huaqui
Part of Bolivian War of Independence
Old map of the battle, showing Titicaca lake on the north
Date June 20, 1811 Location Guaqui, near the Desaguadero River 16°38′34.21″S 68°54′05.29″W / 16.6428361°S 68.9014694°W / -16.6428361; -68.9014694Coordinates: 16°38′34.21″S 68°54′05.29″W / 16.6428361°S 68.9014694°W / -16.6428361; -68.9014694 Result Royalist victory
Belligerents
United Provinces of South America Republiquetas	Spanish Empire Viceroyalty of Peru
Commanders and leaders
Juan José Castelli Antonio González Balcarce	José Manuel de Goyeneche
Strength
5,000 soldiers and 13,000 native auxiliaries	8,000 soldiers (including 4,700 royalist militias from Viceroyalty of Peru)
Location within Bolivia

The Battle of Huaqui (in some sources also called Guaqui, Yuraicoragua or Battle of Desaguadero), was a battle between the Primera Junta's (Buenos Aires) revolutionary troops and the royalist troops of the Viceroyalty of Peru on the border between Upper Peru, (present-day Bolivia), and the Viceroyalty of Peru on June 20, 1811.

The army commanded by Juan José Castelli and Antonio González Balcarce had their first encounter with the royalists under the command of General José Manuel de Goyeneche in October 1810. The royalist army did not press their advantage and did not pursue, and while retreating to the South, they had another encounter which they lost at Suipacha.

The successful advance of the Primera Junta's troops continued to the North of Upper Peru and on June 20, 1811 they met again near the Desaguadero River where battle ensued.

On the morning of June 19, the revolutionary army had placed their troops in Huaqui, Caza and Machaca and built a temporary bridge over the Desaguadero River moving 1,200 troops across. The aim was to distract Goyeneche's troops on their front and right flank while surrounding the royalists on their rear through the lines established by this new bridge.

General Goyeneche decided to effect a direct attack with his full force. At three in the morning of June 20 he ordered colonels Juan Ramírez and Pablo Astete, lieutenant colonels Luis Astete and Mariano Lechuga (with 350 cavalry and four cannons) to attack Caza, near the road to Machaca and communication to Huaqui, while he marched towards Huaqui with colonels Francisco Picoaga and Fermín Piérola commanding 300 cavalry, 40 guardsmen and 6 pieces of artillery.

At dawn the heights on the hills the royalist troops needed to take were already teeming with revolutionary troops, cavalry and fusiliers who started shooting the Spaniards along with grenades and slingshots. The royalists responded and within a few hours made the revolutionaries retreat.