# Capture of Talca

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The **Capture of Talca**, occurred on 3 March 1814, during the [War of Chilean Independence](/source/War_of_Chilean_Independence).

## Background

The town of [Talca](/source/Talca), held by the Patriotic forces under the command of [Carlos Spano](/source/Carlos_Spano), had sent a military force [Juan Rafael Bascuñán](/source/Juan_Rafael_Bascu%C3%B1%C3%A1n) to the aid of [Bernardo O'Higgins](/source/Bernardo_O'Higgins).[1] This left the town relatively exposed, with only 300 men defending it. [Gabino Gaínza](/source/Gabino_Ga%C3%ADnza), commanding the Royalist army had left a small force on the other side of the [Maule river](/source/Maule_river) under the command of [Ildefonso Elorreaga](/source/Ildefonso_Elorreaga), but with orders not to attack [Talca](/source/Talca). [Elorreaga](/source/Ildefonso_Elorreaga), realising the Patriots' true situation, seized the opportunity and crossed the river, surprising the Patriots guarding the crossing points.[1] He then advanced on [Talca](/source/Talca).

## The Attack

At 0700 on 3 March, [Elorreaga](/source/Ildefonso_Elorreaga) sent an ultimatum to [Spano](/source/Carlos_Spano) to surrender [Talca](/source/Talca) within fifteen minutes, or face destruction. [Spano](/source/Carlos_Spano) concluded he might be able to hold out long enough for [Bascuñán](/source/Juan_Rafael_Bascu%C3%B1%C3%A1n)'s force to return and defend the town; sending an urgent message to [Bascuñán](/source/Juan_Rafael_Bascu%C3%B1%C3%A1n), he arrayed all his forces, including his three artillery pieces, to defend the location. [Elorreaga](/source/Ildefonso_Elorreaga), knowing he had to take the town before Patriot reinforcements arrived, launched a ferocious attack.

The fighting went on all morning, but by noon the Royalist forces had managed to take and position themselves on the roof of the house of Vicente de la Cruz Bahamondes; a substantial and well positioned building, this enabled them to dominate the town. With this, the battle became a massacre. [Spano](/source/Carlos_Spano) was killed in the fighting and by the time [Bascuñán](/source/Juan_Rafael_Bascu%C3%B1%C3%A1n) arrived, the Royalists were in control of [Talca](/source/Talca).

## Aftermath

[Bascuñán](/source/Juan_Rafael_Bascu%C3%B1%C3%A1n) managed to save the money and materiel which [Spano](/source/Carlos_Spano) had sent with him originally, sending it to [Curicó](/source/Curic%C3%B3) by the way of the coast. With the loss of [Talca](/source/Talca), [O' Higgins](/source/Bernardo_O'_Higgins) and [Mackenna](/source/Juan_Mackenna) had lost their key supply base, with both commanders divided and now surrounded by the enemy.

## References

1. Delgado, Hernán Alejandro Delgado (2010). ["Militares liberales españoles y su actuación en la Independencia de las colonias americanas"](https://revistas.ulagos.cl/index.php/espacioregional/article/view/2814) (in Spanish). *Espacio Regional. Revista de Estudios Sociales*. **2** (7): 123–139. [ISSN 2735-6175](https://www.worldcat.org/issn/2735-6175)

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Capture of Talca](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Capture_of_Talca) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Capture_of_Talca?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.