Adolfo Holley

Who was Adolfo Holley?

Adolfo Holley Urzúa was a Chilean general who served in the War of the Pacific and in the 1891 Chilean Civil War and held posts in the resulting government.

Holley embarked upon his military career in the Occupation of the Araucanía in the Arauco War. At the start of the War of the Pacific, he was commissioned as second in command of the regiment Esmeralda when it was created after the division of the older Carampangue in May 1879. Serving in this position, Holley fought in the Battle of Tacna. He was promoted to commander of the regiment when its prior commander, Santiago Amengual, was named chief of the First Division in the Lima Campaign. Holley fought in the Battle of Chorrillos and the Battle of Miraflores, where his regiment suffered heavy losses. After the capture of Lima and the Chilean occupation of Lima, he remained in Peru with the Esmeralda regiment, taking part in the Breña Campaign.

On 27 May 1891, Holley was named Minister of War and Navy by the Revolutionary Junta loyal to Congress established in Iquique. He defended the post, defeating the presidential government's forces loyal to José Manuel Balmaceda.