Page:A history of Chile.djvu/328

CHAPTER IV THE OCCUPATION OF MOQUEGUA, TACNA AND ARICA NAVAL OPERATIONS THE ADVANCE UPON LIMA FIRST ATTEMPT TO ARRANGE A TREATY The Chileans now determined to prosecute the war on Peruvian territory and to destroy the allied armies assembled at Tacna and Moquegua. On the 24th of February, 1880, they embarked twelve thousand men at Pisagua in transports and the next day landed about ten thousand of them at Pacocha, the seaport of Mo- quegua, sixty miles north of Arica. A day or two afterward an additional force of three thousand men was landed at Vitar, which joined the main army. After reconnoitering the country and destroying some property at MoUendo during the first week in March, the Chilean array under General Baquedano, who had succeeded General Escala in command, advanced toward Moquegua, which is connected with its ports by rail- roads. After a week's toilsome march Moquegua was reached and occupied without resistance. From the heights above the town the Peruvian forces could be seen oc- cupying the strong position of Los Angeles, an histori- cal spot, where, in 1823, General Valdez repulsed the attacks of the patriot forces led by General Alvarado ; it was also occupied by Pierola in- 1874, in his revolt against the government. At this almost impregnable