Carlos de los Heros

Carlos de los Heros Aguilar (1850-1878) was a Peruvian sailor and war hero of the War of the Pacific. He was known for his death during the Second Battle of Antofagasta and was the only Peruvian death in the battle.

Early military career He was the son of Dr. Juan de los Heros Castañeda and Petronila Aguilar Ramírez de Arellano. His father was a renowned magistrate, who held various positions, including Judge of 1st Instance, Prosecutor of the Superior Court of Lima, deputy for the Province of Cañete, and in his last years, Prosecutor of the Supreme Court. Likewise, he was part of the Lima bohemia, being a friend of Ricardo Palma.

Carlos began his studies at the College of Our Lady of Guadalupe, later moving on to the Peruvian Naval School. On July 29, 1868, he obtained the title of midshipman in the Peruvian Navy. That same year, along with other sailors, he embarked for the United States with the mission of retrieving the monitors Manco Cápac and Atahualpa to Callao, serving on the tug steamers Marañón, Reyes and Pachitea. In 1870, the ships entered Callao, and De los Heros was promoted to frigate lieutenant.

On November 7, 1870, with the purpose of completing his studies, he entered as a student at the Naval School and was assigned to the steamer Marañón. In January 1872, he received the gold medal for achievement. On January 1, 1874, he successfully completed his studies, being chosen, along with six other students of the School, to be part of the crew of the and the gunboats, which were built in Europe. He traveled first to France, and then to London. He returned on board the Pilcomayo, via the Strait of Magellan, arriving at Callao in January 1875. In June of that year he was assigned aboard the steamer Mairo, and in August, to the Chanchamayo.

On July 19, 1876, he was promoted to second lieutenant. In August, after the, Chanchamayo was wrecked, he transferred to the ironclad Independencia. In April 1877, he embarked on the ironclad Huáscar. On May 6 of that year, the took place, started up by supporters of Nicolás de Piérola. De los Heros was at the monitor but remained faithful to the constitutional government and was held prisoner. At 5 in the morning, the Huáscar returned, being received with applause by his companions and her boss. Admiral Miguel Grau expressed his sorrow for this loss in the combat report and in the letter he wrote to his father.

The feeling of pain that the death of the lieutenant provoked among his companions was recorded in a guard book:

On September 15, 1879, the funerals were held in Arica. In the days after his death, Lima newspapers published several poems in memory of him, written by Ricardo Palma, Juan de Arona, Juan de los Heros, among others.

Legacy Members of his family were then motivated to fight in the war due to the death of Carlos de los Heros. His father, at sixty years of age, joined the Reserve Army and participated in the Battle of Miraflores. Two of his uncles, Ramón and Ambrosio de los Heros, died in that battle, as did his cousin Francisco Javier Retes. His brothers Daniel, Arturo and Reynaldo de los Heros Aguilar, and his half-brother Ernesto de los Heros Piñatelli, also fought in Miraflores. Later, Ernesto and Daniel de los Heros participated in the Sierra campaign, the former fighting in the Battle of La Concepción, and the latter in the Battle of Huamachuco.

The was named after Carlos.

A poem about his death at Antofagasta was written by Alejandro Alarcón.