Celebrating the Month of the Sea from Iquique

A TRIBUTE TO THE HERO: CAPTAIN ARTURO PRAT CHACÓN

by Carlos Tarifeño Rojas

One of the most important landmarks of the Pacific War which emphasized the patriotism and symbolism of our Chileans traditions like , was The Iquique Naval Combat and the glorious accomplishment of Captain Arturo Prat Chacón.

His address to the crew of the Esmeralda before the Iquique Naval Combat has been preserved in Chilean history:

“Mates, the odds are against us. Our colours have never been lowered to the enemy, and I trust this will not be so today. As long as I live that flag will fly high in its place and, if I die, my officers will know how to fulfill

their duty.”

The figure of Commander Arturo Prat faithfully represents the commitment of Chilean seamen to their country due to his heroism displayed in the Iquique Naval Combat, on May 21st, 1879, during the War of the Pacific against Peru and Bolivia. On that day, Arturo Prat was the Commanding Officer of a fragile wooden ship, the corvette “Esmeralda” which together with the small schooner “Covadonga” in the early hours of that day faced two Peruvian ironclads, the powerful “Monitor Huáscar” and the battleship “Independencia. ”

Commander Prat, in spite of his inferior force, decided not to withdraw, but to confront the Huascar, sacrificing his life in battle together with more than one hundred members of his crew who decided to fight to the very end instead of lowering the flag.

Commander Prat became legendary when the Huascar rammed the almost motionless corvette Esmeralda, after hours of fighting. Precisely at that moment, Prat boarded the Peruvian monitor while calling on his men to follow. He was only heard and followed by Sergeant Juan de Dios Aldea. The rest of his men could only watch helplessly as the Huascar backed away with Commander Prat falling on the enemy deck under a volley of rifle fire.
After two more rammings from the Huascar, the Esmeralda sank with her flag being the last to disappear.
Arturo Prat and the daring sacrifice of his crew made a profound impression on Chilean public opinion at that time, awakening a patriotic enthusiasm that prompted thousands of youngsters to volunteer for the war.
Besides his gallant behaviour in combat, Prat is remembered as an integral, intellectual, righteous officer, endowed with solid moral values that formed an exemplary family together with his wife, Carmela Carvajal, and their three children. He was also the first Chilean naval officer to receive a university degree, after studying Law with great effort, at the same time as he performed his naval duties.