Erasmo Escala

Who was Erasmo Escala?

Erasmo Escala Arriagada, Chilean soldier, served as commander-in-chief of the Army during part of the War of the Pacific.

He was born in Valparaíso, where he also completed his first studies. He joined the Military Academy in 1837. He participated in the battle of Yungay, during the war against the Peru-Bolivian Confederacy, and later in the Pacification of the Araucanía. During the battle of Loncomilla, in the 1851 revolution, he was injured and lost one of his arms.

General Escala was alreay a veteran when on July 18, 1879, during the War of the Pacific, was called by Domingo Santa María, principal minister of President Aníbal Pinto, to assume command of the army in replacement of General Justo Arteaga, who had just resigned due to political in-fighting.

Santa Maria chose him because a popular soldier was wanted at the head of the army. More to the point, Santa Maria also wanted someone who would be malleable and pliant to his direction. Someone, in brief, that would not hinder his future presidential candidacy. But contrary to expectations, General Escala, due to his quick temperament, soon proceeded to get into a feud with the brothers Sotomayor: Rafael Sotomayor was Minister of War and Marine and organizer of the Army, and his brother, Colonel Emilio Sotomayor, was Chairman of the joint chiefs of staff.