Page:A history of Chile.djvu/308

CHAPTER II NAVAL BATTLES PRAT AND GRAU During the latter part of April and the first half of May, the belligerents made active preparations for the impending struggle. "The Arm}' of the South," as the Peruvian-Bolivian troops of the Tarapaca region were called, assembled in Tacna, a short distance from the port of Arica. General Prado, the president of Peru, on the i6th, quitted Callao to take the command of the army, and sailed south with the fleet, consisting of the "Huascar, " commanded by Miguel Grau, and the "Independencia, " Captain Moore ; also the "Oroya," "Limiiia ' and "Chalaco. " The "Manco Capac" and "Atahualpa" remained at Callao. The vessels carried several regiments of soldiers, a large quantity of stores, arms and munitions of war. The president was ac- companied by a large staff and a bodyguard of young Peruvians from the best families of the capital. President Prado was landed at Arica and assumed the command of the allied armies. President Daza, of Bolivia, having previously arrived at Tacna with four thousand reinforcements. Captain Grau received information at Arica that Ad- miral Robelledo had sailed from Iquique in the "Blanco Encalada" to reconnoitre off Callao, leaving only the small vessels, the "Esmeralda" and "Covadonga, " to 280