Ayacucho

December 9, 1824
Strategic Context
After the Spanish Royalist defeat at the Battle of Junin, Simon Bolívar organizes a
Revolutionary government in Lima while Antonio José de Sucre pursues José de la Serna’s

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Royalist army. La Serna halts and marches north of Sucre to do battle in the “Corner of the
Dead” in the hopes of cutting him off from any new army raised by Bolívar. La Serna tries to
encircle Sucre’s force but Sucre maneuvers out of the encirclement to establish a defensive

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position in a rugged area filled with ravines and hills.

Stakes
+ A Royalist victory would separate Sucre
and Bolívar’s forces and destabilize the
new regime based in Lima.
+ A Revolutionary victory would terminate
Spanish control over Peru.

By Jonathan Webb, 2009

 Ayacucho, 1824
Strength

 Loyalists  Revolutionaries

 José de la Serna  Antonio José de Sucre

 9,310  5,780
 Well  Well

By Jonathan Webb, 2009

South America c. 1821
The battlefield consists of an area known as the Corner of the Dead enclosed by the Pampas River to the north and the Heights of
Candorcanqui to the east. The surrounding area consists of rough terrain, river valleys, and deep ditches with the elevation higher in the
north and east. The ground is flatter and more open to the southwest in the Quinua Plain.
N Royalists
(La Serna)

Pampas River

Quinua Plain Heights of

Candorcanqui

Revolutionaries
(Sucre)
La Serna divides his army into three parts, his left wing the relatively weakest. He plans to draw Sucre’s attention and reserves by attacking his left wing and
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Royalist surges
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terrain into the plains.
Landmarks Royalists
(La Serna)
N

Revolutionaries Royalists
Pampas River

Infantry Infantry
Cavalry Cavalry

Quinua Plain Heights of

Candorcanqui

Revolutionaries
Royalists
Symbol guide
(Antonio
(José
José
de de
la Serna)
Sucre)
Revolutionaries
(Sucre) 5,7809,310
 Ayacucho, 1824
Casualties & Aftermath
Royalists: Revolutionaries:

4,600 979
or Or
49% 17%

By the terms of the surrender, La Serna withdrew all forces from Peru and
allowed Sucre to establish the Republic of Bolivia the following year. While
Spain’s dominance over South America was shattered by this battle and
preceding engagements, the last Spanish troops were not neutralized until 1826
at Callao.

By Jonathan Webb, 2009

 The Art of Battle:
Animated Battle Maps
www.theartofbattle.com

By Jonathan Webb, 2009