Battle of Pileu

Battle of Pileu
Part of the Chilean War of Independence
Date December 7, 1819 Location Píleo, on the south bank of the Biobío River, across from Hualqui Result Royalist victory
Belligerents
Chilean Army	Royalists
Commanders and leaders
Pedro Kurski  †	Vicente Benavides
Strength
50 cavalry	200
Casualties and losses
c. 45 killed

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Chilean War of Independence

Patria Vieja (1812–1814)

• 1st Talcahuano
• Linares
• Yerbas Buenas
• Valparaíso
• 1st San Carlos
• 1st La Frontera
• 2nd Talcahuano
• Thomas
• 2nd San Carlos
• 1st Chillán
• Aconcagua
• 1st Quirihue
• Cauquenes
• 2nd La Frontera
• Huilquilemu
• Quilacoya
• Florida
• El Roble
• Trancoyan
• Cucha-Cucha
• Penco
• Gomero
• 1st Talca
• El Quilo
• Membrillar
• Maule River north march
• 1st Cancha Rayada
• 1st Quechereguas
• 1st Concepción
• Rancagua
• Los Papeles

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Reconquista (1815–1817)

• Central Chile insurgency
• Juncalito
• Crossing of the Andes
  • Picheuta
  • Potrerillos
  • Guardia Vieja
  • Achupallas
  • Las Coimas
• Cumpeo
• Salala
• Chacabuco
• 2nd Valparaíso

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Patria Nueva (1817–1819)

• Juan Fernández Islands
• First southern campaign
  • 1st Parral
  • Curapalihue
  • 3rd La Frontera
  • Gavilán Hill
  • 3rd Talcahuano
  • 1st Carampangue
  • 2nd Carampangue
  • 2nd Chillán
  • Bustamante
• 3rd Valparaíso
  • Curaumilla
• 2nd Quechereguas
• Illapel
• 2nd Talca
• 2nd Cancha Rayada
• Maipú
• Second southern campaign
  • 2nd Parral
  • 2nd Quirihue
  • 3rd Chillán
  • Biobío River
• Spanish South Sea expedition

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Guerra a muerte (1819–c.1824/7/32)

• Fort Santa Juana
• Mesamávida
• Los Ángeles
• 4th Chillán
• Curalí
• Posillas
• Dolores
• 1st Quilmo
• Curanilahue
• Trilaleo
• Hualqui
• Talcamávida
• Pileo
• 1st Yumbel
• El Avellano
• Fort San Pedro
• 3rd San Carlos
• Monte Blanco
• 1st Araucanía
• 5th Talcahuano
• 2nd Quilmo
• 2nd Yumbel
• Pangal
• Tarpellanca
• 6th Talcahuano
• Cocharcas
• 2nd Concepción
• Chillán River
• 2nd Araucanía
• 3rd Araucanía
• Arauco Bay
• Vegas de Saldías
• 4th Araucanía
• 5th Araucanía
• Coast of Arauco
• Boroa
• Alico
• Laraquete
• Panguilemu
• Bureo
• Pincheira brothers brigandage
  • Neuquén

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Valdivia, Osorno and Chiloé (1820–1826)

• Valdivia
• Agüi
• El Toro
• Carelmapu
• Mocopulli
• San Carlos Bay
• Pudeto
• Bellavista

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Relevant civil conflicts

• Carrera uprising of 1814
  • Las Tres Acequias
• Prieto brothers uprising of 1819
• Osorno mutiny of 1821
• Abdication of O'Higgins in 1823
• Chiloé uprising in 1826
• Campino uprising of 1827

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External fronts

• Aid expeditions to the Río de la Plata
• Brown's privateer expedition to the Pacific
• Chile privateers campaign
  • Grenadine coast
• Cochrane campaign
• Liberating Expedition of Peru
• Benavente expedition to Peru
  • Coast of Cobija
• Callao

The Battle of Pileu (December 7, 1819) was a minor engagement that took place between the forces of the nascent Chilean Army and Spanish royalist guerrillas, in the context of the guerra a meurte (lit. English: War to the death) campaign, during the later stages of the Chilean War of Independence, and resulted in a Royalist victory.

Background

The main force of the Chilean Army, under General Ramón Freire, was defending the city of Concepción from the attacks of the Royalist guerrillas under the command of Vicente Benavides. As the city was under virtual siege, Freire ordered Captain Pedro Kurski and a company of 50 men to make a raid into the countryside and bring back some badly needed supplies to the food-starved city.

Captain Kurski left Concepción on December 6, crossed to the south bank of the Biobío River, travelled inland and discovered a herd of cattle that had been assembled there by the guerrillas. It was being kept in the area of Píleo across from the town of Hualqui, and guarded by 15 soldiers. On December 7, he carried an early morning surprise attack and killed all the Royalist garrison guarding it, taking over the animals. Kurski then started to drive them back to Concepción.

The battle

As Kurski was making his way back to Concepción with the cattle, he met a 200 men-strong column of the troops of Benavides, which were moving back from San Pedro. Even though Kurski was already at one of the fords of the Biobío River, instead of moving across to safety he decided to stand his ground and wait for the attack. A furious battle ensued, and Kurski was able to repulse two frontal charges from the Royalist guerrillas. Emboldened by his early success, and believing himself on the verge of dispersing the guerrillas, Kurski made the mistake of charging with his troops. It was then that the reserve of the attacking forces were able to position themselves between Kurski's troops and the river ford which had until then protected their rear, cutting off any possible retreat.

Kurski, trapped between two fires was soon totally overwhelmed, so he and his troops decided to risk an escape across the river, because as was customary in this campaign neither side took prisoners and any surrendering troops were executed on the spot, usually in a barbaric fashion. Most of the retreating forces were carried away by the flow and drowned, including Kurski himself. Another version indicates that he was captured, tortured and mutilated (including cutting off his tongue) before being finally killed.

External links

• General information about Benavides (in Spanish)
• List of battles of the War of Independence (in Spanish)

Sources