Battle of Caldera Bay

Battle of Caldera Bay
Part of the 1891 Chilean Civil War
An outline of the battle in its final stage, when Blanco Encalada sinks because of a torpedo
Date 23 April 1891 Location Caldera Bay, Chile 27°03′36″S 70°49′39″W / 27.06000°S 70.82750°W / -27.06000; -70.82750 Result Balmacedist victory
Belligerents
Balmaceda Government	Congressionist Junta
Commanders and leaders
Carlos E. Moraga Juan Fuentes	Luis A. Goñi [1]
Strength
2 torpedo boats	1 armored frigate 2 transports
Casualties and losses
1 torpedo boat damaged	1 armored frigate sunk 1 transport damaged 182 killed

The Battle of Caldera Bay, or the Sinking of Blanco Encalada, was a naval engagement fought in the Caldera Bay during the 1891 Chilean Civil War between Balmacedist and Congressional naval forces on 23 April 1891. It involved two Balmacedist torpedo boats of the Almirante Lynch-class, and the Congressional armored frigate Blanco Encalada.

After both torpedoes from Almirante Condell had missed, Blanco Encalada was hit by a torpedo from Almirante Lynch and sank in minutes, with the loss of 182 men. The loss of Blanco Encalada hindered the Congressional forces, but they ultimately defeated the Balmacedist forces that August. Blanco Encalada was the first ironclad warship lost to a self-propelled torpedo. The engagement prompted countries to rapidly grow both their torpedo boat and torpedo boat destroyer forces (the latter commonly referred to as destroyers).