FRANCISCO BOLOGNESI CERVANTES

Francisco Bolognesi Cervantes


Francisco Bolognesi Cervantes was born in Lima on November 4, 1816. His parents were Italian Andrés Bolognesi and Juana arequipeña Cervantes. After studying at the colegio Seminario San Jerónimo de Arequipa, was devoted to the business.

He joined the army voluntarily in 1853 when the Peru was on the verge of go to war with Bolivia. He fought in the Liberal revolution of Ramon Castilla and was among the victors of the battle of la Palma that toppled to the corrupt regime of general Echenique. He defended the Liberal Constitution of 1856 battling the rebel general Manuel conservador in Arequipa Ignacio de Vivanco. In 1858, defended national sovereignty accompanying to Ramón Castilla in the conflict with Ecuador.

When the 1865 Spanish aggression, the President Juan Antonio Pezet he entrusted him with the mission to acquire guns in Europe, the same as They contributed to the defense of Callao in combat on May 2, 1866.

At the outbreak of war with Chile you entrusted command of the II Division of the South and He had outstanding participation in the battles of San Francisco and Tarapacá.

He was then tasked with the general headquarters of Arica. Doing his duty with the homeland. He day seven produced is the attack on the side, at five-thirty in the morning. After three and a half hours of fight the Peruvian flag was lowered the nose. The crew of the Manco Cápac sank the ship to prevent their collapse. The mine plan did not work. According to a Chilean version, Bolognesi ran towards the Santabarbara shortly before the end to detonate mines; seeing that not passing anything, he yelled "Treason". Peruvians were dying almost half of its troops; among them Colonel Bolognesi, completed of a recoil.