CHAPTER V BATTLES OF CHORRILLOS AND MIRAFLORES OCCUPATION OF LIMA AND CALLAO — ESTABLISHING A GOVERNMENT The Peruvian government issued a decree ordering every male resident in Lima capable of bearing arms to join the troops in the field for the protection of the capital. In this manner an army was hastily summoned, in four divisions, of five thousand to six thousand men each, commanded respectively by Colonels Iglesias, Suarez, Davila and Caceres. President Pierola com- manded in chief. General Silva was chief of staff. The men were poorly clothed, worse fed and armed with rusty Remingtons and Winchesters. The one hundred guns in the artillery parks and forts, were of Lima manufacture principally, and varied as to patterns. The whole of the Peruvian force in and about the capital has been given at 33,500. The Chileans had now in this vicinity 21,000 infan- try, artillery 1,370, cavalry 1,252; a total of 23,621 men, well-equipped and with sixty-three guns of good pat- tern. From this it will be seen that there was no great disparity either in numbers or strength in the respec- tive armies. Being now advised that the Chileans would advance upon the capital from the south, Pierola determined to form lines of defense in that direction. Breastworks 309
