Jorge Beauchef
Encyclopedia
Jorge Beuchef was a French military who participated in the Napoleonic Wars
and later on in the Chilean Independence War.
In 1808 he felt prisoner in Spain
but managed to escape to United States
where he was invited to join South American patriots in the Army of the Andes
. He did however not manage to arrive in time for the army's crossing of the Andes into Chile and the decisive battle of Chacabuco
. When he arrived he soon begun to participate in engagement with the royalist; first in the siege of Talcahuano
(1817) and later on in the decisive patriot victory at the Battle of Maipú
(1818).
In 1819 he joined the newly formed Chilean Navy
under the command of Lord Cochrane
. In February 1820 he led an amphibious assault on the heavily fortified Corral Bay
leading to the capture of Valdivia
. He stayed in Valdivia to chase remaining royalist while Cochrane sailed further south to Chiloé Island
. Beauchef left Valdivia to expel the royalist from Osorno
. The royalist of Valdivia had fled to Osorno and then gathered at Carelmapu fort where they received orders by Antonio de Quintanilla to confront the Beauchef. In the Battle of El Toro
(1820) Beauchef succeeded in defeating the royalist expedition.
In 1823 he was sent in charge of a reinforcement to José de San Martín
's army in Peru. There he served as governor of Lima
for a short time. Back in Chile he participated in the 1824 expedition to Chiloé Island where he was defeated in the Battle of Mocopulli
. Chiloé would only be incorporated into Chile after Ramón Freire's 1826 expedition. In 1828 Beauchef left the army and three years later, in 1831 he went on visit to France where he remained two years before returning to Chile. He died in Santiago on June 10 of 1840.
Napoleonic Wars
The Napoleonic Wars were a series of wars declared against Napoleon's French Empire by opposing coalitions that ran from 1803 to 1815. As a continuation of the wars sparked by the French Revolution of 1789, they revolutionised European armies and played out on an unprecedented scale, mainly due to...
and later on in the Chilean Independence War.
In 1808 he felt prisoner in Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
but managed to escape to United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
where he was invited to join South American patriots in the Army of the Andes
Army of the Andes
The Army of the Andes was a military force created by the United Provinces of the Río de la Plata and mustered by general José de San Martín in his campaign to free Chile from the Spanish Empire...
. He did however not manage to arrive in time for the army's crossing of the Andes into Chile and the decisive battle of Chacabuco
Battle of Chacabuco
The Battle of Chacabuco, fought during the Chilean War of Independence, occurred on February 12, 1817. The Army of the Andes of the United Provinces of the Río de la Plata led by General Captain José de San Martín defeated the Spanish force led by Rafael Maroto...
. When he arrived he soon begun to participate in engagement with the royalist; first in the siege of Talcahuano
Talcahuano
Talcahuano is a port city and commune in the Biobío Region of Chile. It is part of the Greater Concepción conurbation. Talcahuano is located in the south of the Central Zone of Chile.-Geography:...
(1817) and later on in the decisive patriot victory at the Battle of Maipú
Battle of Maipú
The Battle of Maipú was a battle fought near Santiago, Chile on April 5, 1818 between South American rebels and Spanish royalists, during the Chilean War of Independence...
(1818).
In 1819 he joined the newly formed Chilean Navy
Chilean Navy
-Independence Wars of Chile and Peru :The Chilean Navy dates back to 1817. A year before, following the Battle of Chacabuco, General Bernardo O'Higgins prophetically declared "this victory and another hundred shall be of no significance if we do not gain control of the sea".This led to the...
under the command of Lord Cochrane
Thomas Cochrane, 10th Earl of Dundonald
Admiral Thomas Cochrane, 10th Earl of Dundonald, 1st Marquess of Maranhão, GCB, ODM , styled Lord Cochrane between 1778 and 1831, was a senior British naval flag officer and radical politician....
. In February 1820 he led an amphibious assault on the heavily fortified Corral Bay
Valdivian Fort System
The Fort System of Valdivia are a series of Spanish colonial fortifications at Corral Bay, Valdivia and Cruces River established to protect the city of Valdivia, in southern Chile. During the period of Spanish rule , it was one of the biggest systems of fortification in the Americas. It was also a...
leading to the capture of Valdivia
Capture of Valdivia
The Capture of Valdivia was a battle in the Chilean War of Independence between Spanish forces commanded by Colonel Manuel Montoya and the Chilean forces under the command of Lord Cochrane, held on 3 and 4 February of 1820.-Background:...
. He stayed in Valdivia to chase remaining royalist while Cochrane sailed further south to Chiloé Island
Chiloé Island
Chiloé Island , also known as Greater Island of Chiloé , is the largest island of the Chiloé Archipelago off the coast of Chile, in the Pacific Ocean...
. Beauchef left Valdivia to expel the royalist from Osorno
Osorno, Chile
Osorno is a city and commune in southern Chile and capital of Osorno Province in the Los Lagos Region. It had a population of 145,475, as of the 2002 census...
. The royalist of Valdivia had fled to Osorno and then gathered at Carelmapu fort where they received orders by Antonio de Quintanilla to confront the Beauchef. In the Battle of El Toro
Battle of El Toro
The Battle of El Toro was a battle fought near Maullín, Chile between Chilean patriots and Spanish royalists, during the Chilean War of Independence.-Background:...
(1820) Beauchef succeeded in defeating the royalist expedition.
In 1823 he was sent in charge of a reinforcement to José de San Martín
José de San Martín
José Francisco de San Martín, known simply as Don José de San Martín , was an Argentine general and the prime leader of the southern part of South America's successful struggle for independence from Spain.Born in Yapeyú, Corrientes , he left his mother country at the...
's army in Peru. There he served as governor of Lima
Lima
Lima is the capital and the largest city of Peru. It is located in the valleys of the Chillón, Rímac and Lurín rivers, in the central part of the country, on a desert coast overlooking the Pacific Ocean. Together with the seaport of Callao, it forms a contiguous urban area known as the Lima...
for a short time. Back in Chile he participated in the 1824 expedition to Chiloé Island where he was defeated in the Battle of Mocopulli
Battle of Mocopulli
The Battle of Mocopulli was fought on April 1 of 1824 as the culmination of a Chilean patriots invasion plan against royalist Chiloé...
. Chiloé would only be incorporated into Chile after Ramón Freire's 1826 expedition. In 1828 Beauchef left the army and three years later, in 1831 he went on visit to France where he remained two years before returning to Chile. He died in Santiago on June 10 of 1840.