They established a beachhead that allowed an initial force of about 1,000 Chilean soldiers in two assault waves to disembark onto Peruvian territory at Pisagua in Tarapacá Department.

This vast territory has never been returned to Bolivia and Peru; it was annexed in perpetuity to Chile by the Treaty of Ancon, signed in 1884.

After a reconnaissance made by a commission formed by General Luis Arteaga, Baldomero Dublé Almeyda, José Velásquez and Emilio Gana, the port of Pisagua, located 500 km north of Antofagasta, and was selected as the site for an amphibious landing operation, because its bay was suitable for landing troops and supplies.

[2] Hence, on October 9, the day after the Angamos victory, Sotomayor ordered that the transports carrying the Atacama, Lautaro and Coquimbo civic battalions sail to Antofagasta.

[3] The next days were of feverish activities, transporting troops to Antofagasta, from where on October 19, the final preparations were made for the Chilean expeditionary force's departure.

The war vessels forming this convoy were the Magallanes, O’Higgins, Covadonga, Amazonas, Angamos, and Loa, and the steam transports Itata, Lamar, Limarí, Matías Cousiño, Santa Lucía, Copiapó, Toltén, Huanay, and Paquete del Maule.

[3] Aboard the flagship Angamos were Sotomayor and Escala, plus Fleet Commander Manuel Thompson, the Chief of Staff, and the General Headquarters personnel.

Two miles beyond the shore, the Cochrane, Magallanes, Covadonga and O’Higgins would enter the bay and attack the forts guarding the port.

The Cochrane, Captain Latorre, answered immediately, and by 09:00 the northern cannon was silenced and the Chilean troop transports then entered the bay.

The Chileans struck both Playa Blanca and Caleta Guatas,[6] dislodging the defenders, who fled to Alto Hospicio under a constant barrage.

When the Bolivian troops began retiring toward the train station at Alto Hospicio, their comrades on the beach also were forced to retreat.

[7] When the Chilean commander of the Second Division, Luis José Ortíz, arrived on shore, the main assault on the high plateau began.

It required two hours for the Chilean infantry to climb the slope, since the ascent of steep terrain was very difficult with the strong Allied defense in this sector.

However, in the end, the vehemence of the Chilean attack made it possible to reach the summit and engage the Allies, vanquishing all resistance and forcing them to abandon their positions and withdraw northward toward Alto Hospicio.