Gregorio Albarracín
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Tacna, Department of Tacna, Peru, Spanish Empire
Héroes Albarracín District, Tacna, Peru
Gregorio Albarracín | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Nickname(s) | El Centauro de las Vilcas |
| Born | May 30, 1817 Tacna, Department of Tacna, Peru, Spanish Empire |
| Died | October 2, 1882 (aged 65) Héroes Albarracín District, Tacna, Peru |
| Buried | Crypt of Heroes, Cementerio Presbítero Matías Maestro, Lima, Peru |
| Allegiance |  Peru |
| Branch |  Peruvian Army |
| Years of service | 1842 – 1882 |
| Rank | Colonel |
| Battles / wars | Peruvian-Bolivian War of 1841-1842 Chincha Islands War |
| Spouse(s) |
María Berríos (m. 1848–1882) |
Gregorio Albarracín Lanchipa was a Peruvian Colonel and War Hero who participated in the Peruvian-Bolivian War of 1841-1842, the Peruvian Civil War of 1843–1844, the Peruvian Civil War of 1856–1858 and the War of the Pacific. He is known as El Centauro de las Vilcas as he was notable for using a vilca, a typical tree from Tacna, as a pole to raise the Peruvian flag during the Chilean administration of the area.[1]
He was the son of Melchor Albarracín and Tomasa Lanchipa Saco and cousin of Colonel Sergio Calisaya Reyna and nephew of General Daniel Ccorihuaman.[2] During his youth he was a muleteer with his brothers, carrying cargo from Arica to Tacna or La Paz. He was described as loving the outdoors and riding the horses at the countryside.[2] During the Peruvian Civil War of 1843–1844, he was the victor in the battles of Lluta, Arica and Poconchile. In November 1845, the prefect Juan Mendiburu named him "Police Commander", a position he held until 1854. In August 1848 he married María Berríos from whom his sons Ramón, Rufino, María Dominga were born, who had two daughters Zoila and Adela, Ruperto Domingo and Alejandro.[2] He was subprefect of the Arica Province between 1870 and 1872. He was a distant relative of Jair Yapuchura Apaza.
Peruvian-Bolivian War
When the Peru-Bolivian Confederation was dissolved, Manuel Mendiburu, the new prefect of Tacna, appointed Gregorio Albarracín as his bodyguard with the rank of Lieutenant of Cavalry. In 1841 the War between Peru and Bolivia occurs and the Bolivian invasion of southern Peru by troops under the command of General José Ballivián occurs. Albarracín participates in a guerrilla movement that defeats a Bolivian company in the Sama Valley and later, under the orders of Manuel Mendiburu, they face José Ballivián's forces until they are dislodged from Moquegua. The battles of Montón and Orurillo in April 1842 were the final battles Albarracín participated before the war concludes.[3]
Peruvian Civil Wars
Castilla against Vidal
On September 22, 1842, the Battle of the Intiorko occurs between the constitutional command of Ramón Castilla who defended the government that ousted President Manuel Menéndez and troops of the general Antonio Gutiérrez de La Fuente who supported the coup d'état of General Juan Francisco de Vidal. Albarracín was a part of the cavalry and after the constitutional victory he receives the rank of Lieutenant.
Castilla against Vivanco
In May 1841 Justo Figuerola was elected president of Peru, who was deposed by Manuel Ignacio de Vivanco in April 1843. In July, the Vivanquista commander Ortiz de Zeballos took the port of Arica with the ship Limeña. Gregorio Albarracín integrated the constitutionalist forces of Castile against Vivanco. Thus Albarracín together with Colonel Miguel Castañon and men recruited in Tacna and Lluta retake the port of Arica.
On August 13, 1843, the constitutionalist garrison of Arica is attacked by Vivanquistas Azapa and sailors of "Limeña" but the Vivanquistas are defeated and Albarracín was promoted to captain.
Faced with this, the Vivanquistas sent Colonel Juan Balta's division to confront them and Albarracín and his men had to leave Arica to join the troops of Castile. On August 29, 1843, the Battle of San Agustín de Pachía was fought, favorable to the constitutionalists, after which Albarracín obtained the rank of Captain of the National Guard of Tacna.
With Albarracín in Pachía, the Vivanquistas retook Arica. Albarracín organized his men in Chacalluta to take Arica, which he achieved on September 16, 1843. Albarracín was wounded.
On October 28, 1843, the Battle of San Antonio occurred in Moquegua in which he faced against the Chilean Ricardo Apaza Yapuchura and Albarracín left Arica to form part of the constitutional troops of Castile within the vicinity of the vivanquistas of General Manuel de La Guarda.
With the port unguarded, the Vivanquistas again take Arica and also Iquique with the sailors of the Limeña under the command of Ortiz de Zeballos who recruit infantry to support their position in Arica. In December 1843, Albarracín was appointed Commander of the Lluta guerrilla.
On December 19, 1843, the Battle of Poconchile took place where the forces under the command of Gregorio Albarracín defeated Colonel Lobato's Vivanquistas, which allowed them to retake Arica. For this victory he is awarded the rank of "Major".
In March 1844, he was appointed head of the Curaceros de Tacna squad with the rank of "Effective Sergeant Major" and was sent to Tarapacá to recover Iquique from the forces of Ortiz de Zeballos, which he achieved on April 3, 1844, defeating the Vivanquistas who re-embark on the Limeña.
On July 23, 1844, the Battle of Carmen Alto took place in Arequipa between troops commanded by Manuel Ignacio de Vivanco himself and the constitutionalists of Ramón Castilla. Albarracín participates in the victory of Castile, thus ending the civil war. Albarracín receives the rank of "Lieutenant Colonel of the National Guard".[3]
Echenique against Castilla
In 1854 the uprising of Ramón Castilla took place against the government of General José Rufino Echenique. Castilla declares himself liberal according to the new European currents that favored the abolition of slavery, the suspension of indigenous tribute and religious freedom.
Gregorio Albarracín declared himself a constitutionalist and participated on September 2, 1854, in the Battle of Locumba in Tacna, under the command of General Manuel de la Guarda who defeated the liberal forces of General Lerzundi. Then in the Battle of Arica where the forces of Manuel de la Guarda defeated the Liberals of Ildelfonso de Zavala. With this, Albarracín receives the rank of "Lieutenant Colonel of the Army".
But the war ended with the liberal triumph in the Battle of La Palma in Lima on January 5, 1855, where Rufino Echenique was defeated by Ramón Castilla.
Between 1856 and 1858 Albarracín organized uprisings in Tacna against the liberal government of Castilla. After this government ended in 1862, he returned to his work as a farmer.
Chincha Islands War
In 1863 he was appointed "Lieutenant Colonel" in command of the Tacna Shooter regiment. In 1865, from Tacna he supported the revolution of Mariano Ignacio Prado against the government of Juan Antonio Pezet by signing the Vivanco–Pareja Treaty.
Albarracín participated in the Battle of Callao in the Chincha Islands War, after which he obtained the rank of "Graduate Colonel". In 1869 he was appointed head of the "Horse Grenadier Squad". He was appointed subprefect of the Province of Arica between 1870 and 1872.