Peruvian torpedo boat Republica

BAP República (ex-BAP No. 1)

Torpedo boats No. 1 and No. 2 were renamed República and Alianza respectively, the first being commanded by 2nd Lieutenant Bernabé Carrasco and the second commanded by Lieutenant Commander Manuel Carrasco. They formed a division under the command of Colonel Federico Larrañaga, embarked on the Republica. Both boats set sail from Callao on November 12 at 7:30 a.m. m. escorted by the Talismán transport, which was commanded by the frigate captain Leopoldo Sanchez.

At 8 a. m. and at 9:15 a.m. m. On the same day 12, the República suffered damage to its machinery, for which the Talismán had to tow it while they repaired it in navigation, maintenance that ended at 2:45 p.m.m.

At 7 pm m. the República had another problem, being towed again by the Talismán until 9 a.m. m. on November 13, which finished its repairs by arriving by its own means in Pisco at 3:30 p.m. m.

On the 13th at 1 pm m., the Alianza's propeller shaft was disconnected because the line with which it towed the República had become entangled in the propeller and, not being able to repair it, had to be towed by the Talismán, arriving in Pisco at 4 p. m.

As it was impossible to continue south due to the poor condition of the boats, the convoy returned to Callao on November 14, arriving on November 15.

Herreshoff torpedo boat in 1879

At dawn on December 6, the torpedo boat Fresia, 17 under the command of Lieutenant Álvaro Bianchi, along with his similar Guacolda and Colo Colo, 18 was on duty in the bay when at 4:30 a.m. m. they spotted the Peruvian boat Arno and approached her. At 4:40 a.m. m., Guacolda and Colo Colo opened fire on the Peruvian boat, commanded by 1st Lieutenant Antonio Jimeno, who responded and withdrew to the batteries, being quickly reinforced by the Resguardo boat.19 Then the Peruvian boats Urcos and Capitanía. Then came the torpedo República.

The fighting became general when the Peruvian batteries opened fire on the , which began to withdraw. The torpedo boat Tucapel, 20 the Princesa Luisa y Toro boats, 21 and the monitor Huáscar came to the aid of the Chilean torpedo boats. The match ended at 7:15 a.m. m.

As the Fresia retreated to her anchorage, she was hit by a shot from the Arno's 40-lb cannon, which shattered her stern. The Toro boat began towing him, but the Fresia sank at 9 a.m. m. at the anchorage of Chilean ships. The Fresia was refloated on December 14, 1880 and on the 24th she returned to service.

In the combat, the Fresia had 3 dead and 1 wounded, while the Arno, 4 wounded.

Plan of the torpedo Fresia of Chile

Yarrow of Poplar torpedo boat, possibly belongs to Chile

Torpedo boat República in 3D

Nicolás de Piérola gave the foreign Esteban Heaton command of the torpedo boat República with a payment agreement for each Chilean ship that torpedoed. The República, which had not been commissioned before due to defects in its machine, was transferred by rail to Ancón.

Heaton with the Republic attempted an attack in the early morning of January 3, but it was a failure. At dawn, the Chilean torpedo boat Fresia discovered the República in Ancón, which is why the Peruvians stranded their torpedo boat on the beach.

At dawn on January 4, the Chilean vessels Toltén and Fresia fired on the República boat, then withdrew. The small port garrison, commanded by 1st Lieutenant Aristides de la Haza, captain of the port, responded with shots from their rifles. De la Haza ordered the boat to dock and blow up. The Chilean ships were reinforced with the arrival of the O'Higgins, which restarted the bombardment of the port at 3:45 p.m. m. Some shots fell on houses and started a fire in the port.

At dawn on the 5th, Toltén and Princess Luisa attacked Ancón, but the fog forced the bombardment to be suspended until 11 a.m. m. When the bombardment was restarted, it was answered by fire from a rolling battery22 arriving from Miraflores under the command of the frigate captain Leandro Mariátegui. The Chilean vessels withdrew when they judged that the Peruvian torpedo boat had received sufficient damage. On this occasion, 2 fires were declared in the houses of the port that were promptly extinguished.