Juan José Latorre

Biography

As captain of the ironclad Cochrane, Juan José Latorre was the tactical victor of the decisive naval battle of Angamos, closing on Admiral Grau's Huáscar and pounding her with accurate fire until the Peruvian ironclad — the terror of the Chilean coast — was crippled and captured. It was the blow that won Chile command of the sea and, with it, the war. A highly professional officer, Latorre embodied the technical excellence of the Chilean navy that proved decisive against a materially comparable enemy. He remained a leading naval figure for the rest of his life, and warships of the Chilean navy have borne his name into the modern era.

Key Battles