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The Battle of Pacocha; Action between HMS Shah and Ameth
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The Battle of Pacocha; Action between HMS Shah and Ameth
Engraving showing the battle between HMS Shah and Amethyst and the Peruvian Ironclad turret ship Huascar on the 29th May 1877. The Huascar had been taken over by some Peruvian revolutionaries and declared a pirate by the Peruvian government. The Shah and Amethyst were ordered to protect British Merchant Shipping and after the Huascar had stopped several British merchant ships, the Royal Navy decided to hunt down the Huascar. In the action depicted, the 70 guns of the British ships were unable to do much damage to the Huascar as she was an heavily-built ironclad. In return the gunnery crew of the Huascar was not well drilled enough to hit the British ships much. In desperation the Shah launched a Whitehead torpedo at the Huascar, but the Peruvian ship was able to dodge it with some ease. The battle became a stalemate and the two sides slipped away after the fall of darkness. Reputedly this was the last action by a wooden warship, firing a broadside of muzzle-loading guns and the first use of a torpedo in anger
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Media ID 4385251
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1877 29th Action Anger Broadside Crew Damage Darkness Decided Declared Depicted Desperation Dodge Ease Firing Gunnery Guns Heavily Hunt Ironclad Launched Loading Merchant Muzzle Ordered Peruvian Protect Reputedly Return Revolutionaries Shipping Sides Slipped Stalemate Stopped Torpedo Turret Unable War Ship White Head Drilled
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The Battle of Pacocha: A Naval Standoff between HMS Shah and Huascar, May 29, 1877 This engraving captures the intense action between HMS Shah and the Peruvian ironclad turret ship Huascar during the Battle of Pacocha on May 29, 1877. The Huascar, which had been taken over by Peruvian revolutionaries and declared a pirate by the Peruvian government, had previously stopped several British merchant ships, prompting the Royal Navy to take action. In the image, the 70 guns of the British ships, HMS Shah and Amethyst, are shown firing relentlessly at the heavily-built Huascar, but to little avail. The ironclad's thick armor proved effective in deflecting the British broadsides. In response, the gunnery crew of the Huascar, though not well-drilled, managed to land a few hits on the British ships. Desperate for a decisive advantage, the Shah launched a Whitehead torpedo at the Huascar. However, the Peruvian ship was able to dodge the torpedo with remarkable agility. The battle became a stalemate, with neither side gaining the upper hand. As darkness fell, both sides slipped away, marking the end of the engagement. This engagement is notable as the last action by a wooden warship, firing a broadside of muzzle-loading guns, and the first use of a torpedo in anger. The Battle of Pacocha underscored the evolving nature of naval warfare and the importance of advanced technology in gaining a strategic advantage on the battlefield.
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