Eleuterio Ramírez Molina

Eleuterio Ramírez Molina (18 April 1837 – 27 November 1879) was a Chilean lieutenant colonel. He founded the Foro Militar military newspaper in 1871.

Battle of Tarapacá

During the War of the Pacific, Ramírez had obtained the rank of lieutenant colonel and commanded the , who numbered 1,117, at the Battle of Tarapacá. In accordance to and Luis Arteaga's plan, he led a detachment of his regiment that numbered 880 to engage the forces of Col. Miguel Rios and Francisco Bolognesi in the Quebrada de Tarapacá. He doubted the plan, saying, "They are sending me into a slaughterhouse." Battle commenced when the Allies fired at the exposed Chileans from Tarapacá. Ramírez sent two companies to flank while he led an attack into the town. The street fight went into the main plaza and both sides took considerable losses. Due to his men's exhaustion, Ramírez ordered the entire force retreat to Guarasiña, near the entrance of the gorge. The force was half in number and used most of its ammunition. Santa Cruz's force also experience defeat, and once the battlefield was the calm, the Chileans fed their horses and searched for food and water. The Allies, reinforced by Justo Pastor Dávila and Alejandro Herrera arriving from Pachica, attacked. Some Chileans only had bayonets and entrenching tools for weapons. By 3:30 p.m., Ramírez was wounded twice and with only his revolver, mustered a third bayonet charge from his men. He was wounded again and died laying on the side of a house; by the time relief sent by Manuel Baquedano got there, 45% of Ramírez's line were casualties. His body was recovered months later. His death was glorified and a dramatized account by correspondent , who got his information from testimonies, published in El Mercurio on 15 December claimed that in Ramírez's final moments he fired his revolver's last rounds. This process intended to create a narrative of brave Chilean devotion.

Tributes

A statue was opened in 1915 in , Santiago. His ashes lie within the "Infantry Regiment No. 2 Maipo" (former 2nd Line) located in , Valparaíso. His crypt mausoleum was inaugurated in 1937 by President Arturo Alessandri Palma, and can be accessed by civilians.