The corvette Magallanes was ordered by the Chilean government after the disastrous consequences of the War against Spain in 1864-1866 and the rising border conflict with the neighboring countries at the end of the 1870s.

In January 1876, during patrols off the far south of Chile and under the command of Juan José Latorre, the French ship Jeanne Amelie was seized off the coast of Rio Negro as they loaded guano without a Chilean license.

By the attempt to bring the ship to Punta Arenas, the Jeanne Amelie sank on 27 April 1876 at the eastern entrance of the Strait of Magellan.

[2] In 1877, also under the command of Juan José Latorre, the crew of the corvette put down "El motín de los artilleros" ("The Mutiny of the Artillerymen") and restored the rule of law in Punta Arenas.

[citation needed] In July 1878, Magallanes was despatched from Punta Arenas to Melville Sound to tow the British barque Kate Kellock, which had been struck by a wave and severely damaged, in to Punta Arenas.