Salaverry-Santa Cruz War

This article is about the 1835–1836 war. For other conflicts, see Peruvian Civil War and Peruvian–Bolivian War.

The Salaverry-Santa Cruz War, sometimes called the Peruvian Civil War of 1835–1836, was an internal conflict in Peru with the involvement of the Bolivian army of Andres de Santa Cruz. It ended with the defeat and execution of Felipe Santiago Salaverry and the creation of the Peru-Bolivian Confederation.

Salaverry-Santa Cruz War
Map of the Bolivian campaign during the conflict.
Date 1835–1836 Location Peru Result Pro-Confederate victory Execution of Felipe Santiago Salaverry Creation of a confederate state Start of the War of the Confederation
Belligerents
Pro-Confederation: (Liberals) Orbegosistas Crucistas Supported by: France Republic of Iquicha Pipiolos	Anti-Confederation: (Conservatives) Salaverristas Gamarristas Supported by: Argentina Chile Spain Limeños and Arequipeños
Commanders and leaders
Luis Jose de Orbegoso Andres de Santa Cruz José Miguel de Velasco José Trinidad Morán Anselmo Quiroz Francisco Anglada † Blas Cerdeña José Ballivián Otto Philipp Braun Francisco Burdett O'Connor	Felipe Salaverry  José Quiroga Juan Bautista Eléspuru Juan Pablo Fernandini  Manuel Ignacio de Vivanco Manuel de Mendiburu Carlos del Postigo Agustín Gamarra
Strength
5,000	3,500 (Salaverry's forces) 12,000 (Gamarra's forces)

Context

In 1834, a civil war had been fought between Pedro Pablo Bermúdez and Agustín Gamarra on the one hand against Luis José de Orbegoso and Felipe Salaverry on the other hand. The war was won by the constitutional President Luis José de Orbegoso.

In 1835, while President Luis Orbegoso was travelling to the south, his former ally General Felipe Salaverry proclaimed himself Supreme Head of the Republic on 23 February 1835, deposing Orbegoso. Orbegoso fled to Bolivia and asked Andrés de Santa Cruz, president of Bolivia, for his support to overthrow the Salaverry government.
Santa Cruz was alarmed by Salaverry's coup, who also received the support of his former enemy General Agustín Gamarra. Santa Cruz agreed to invade Peru to overthrow them, since Orbegoso would not be able to confront Salaverry and Gamarra alone.

Battles

There were 4 major battles in this war:

• The Battle of Yanacocha (13 August 1835), where Santa Cruz defeated Agustín Gamarra and Santa Cruz's army lost 211 men and 71 wounded, while Gamarra's army lost 400 men and 985 taken prisoner.
• At Cobija on 24 September, where Felipe Salaverry conquered the Bolivian port.
• The Battle of Uchumayo (Arequipa) on 4 February 1836, where Salaverry defeated Santa Cruz and Santa Cruz's army lost 315 men.^{[1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8]}
• At Socabaya (Arequipa) on 7 February 1836, where Santa Cruz defeated Salaverry in one of the bloodiest battles in the history of Peru. In this battle Salaverry, self-proclaimed President of Peru, was taken prisoner and shot in the plaza of Arequipa.^[9]

Consequences

After the civil war was won, Santa Cruz and Orbegoso merged their two countries into the Peru–Bolivian Confederation. This alarmed neighboring countries Chile and Argentina and led to the War of the Confederation and Tarija War. After defeat in War of the Confederation and growing internal resistance by Conservative factions in Peru, the Peru–Bolivian Confederation was dissolved in 1839.