The Capture of Valdivia was an audacious military operation led by Lord Thomas Cochrane, a British naval officer serving the Chilean Navy during the South American wars of independence. Cochrane had previously earned a reputation for innovative naval tactics, and this particular mission aimed to take the heavily fortified Spanish port of Valdivia, located on the southern coast of Chile. Against a backdrop of increasing revolutionary fervor, the operation was set into motion as part of a broader campaign to weaken Spanish control in the region.

With a modest force of only 300 men, Cochrane organized an assault utilizing two ships: the O'Higgins and the San Martín. The attack commenced with strategic land and sea maneuvers, surprising the defenders and employing combined arms tactics that capitalized on both naval bombardment and infantry assaults. Cochrane's leadership and the bravery of his small contingent proved instrumental as they relentlessly pursued the defense, mounting pressure on the Spanish forces over a brief yet intense two-day conflict.

The successful capture of Valdivia on February 4 marked a significant victory for Chilean forces and served as a morale booster for the independence movement. The port held vital strategic importance, as control over Valdivia allowed the rebels to reclaim further territories and disrupt Spanish supply lines along the coast. The eventual permanent loss of Valdivia symbolized the diminishing influence of Spanish colonial power in Chile and was an important milestone in the broader South American struggle for independence from European colonial authority.