The Peruvian Congress ratifies the Chilean-Peruvian alliance…
January 1866 CE
The Peruvian Congress ratifies the Chilean-Peruvian alliance on January 12, and two days later, on January 14, 1866, Peru finally declares war on Spain.
Immediately after, and given Chile's obvious weak naval power—which at this time, is almost nonexistent—a Peruvian squadron under the command of Captain Lizardo Montero, composed of several ships, among them the steam frigates Amazonas and Apurímac, sets out southward to reinforce the Chilean ally.