First years In May 1869 he graduated from the military academy with the rank of
ensign of cavalry and entered the Chilean Army, forming part of the Regiment Cazadores a Caballo. As an officer of that cavalry regiment, he participated in the military campaigns of the
Occupation of Araucanía, between 1872 and 1874. His first military action in the north was at the
Battle of Calama in March, where he commanded a section of his regiment. During the
naval campaign, he was present in the bombardment of
Antofagasta by the Peruvian ironclad
Húascar. In 2 November he was at the
Battle of Pisagua, the military action with which the
Campaign of Tarapacá began. In that same month, already as captain, he participated in the
reconnaissance of an area with two companies of Cazadores a Caballo, which he had under his command with a captain named Baharona, but both under the command of Lieutenant Colonel
José Francisco Vergara. During reconnaissance, he fought a fierce
cavalry battle, in which they defeated a Peruvian-Bolivian cavalry force at Pampa Germania. Later, he was present in the
Battle of San Francisco. Between 1880 and 1881 he participated in the
Campaign of Tacna–Arica and the
Campaign of Lima, under General
Manuel Baquedano. In the first campaign he was present in military actions such as the
Battle of Los Ángeles, Battle of Pajonales de Sama, in the military operations in the
Locumba valley,
Battle of Tacna,
Battle of Arica and in
Tarata against the
montoneras of the Peruvian
Leoncio Prado. In the second campaign, he was in the
Battle of Chorrillos and in the
Battle of Miraflores, engagements that allowed the
Chilean occupation of Lima in 1881. After the occupation of Lima, Parra did not return with the first Chilean troops that returned to Chile, but remained in Peru with his cavalry regiment. On 23 February, he was promoted on merit to sergeant major, at the age of thirty. At that time Parra enjoyed great prestige, being considered one of the best in the army's cavalry branch, for having distinguished himself and risked in several of the aforementioned engagements. He then participated in the
Campaign of Sierra, from 1881 to 1883. For his distinguished services, he served on various commissions in central and northern Peru, being appointed Chief of Staff in the
Cañete Division of the Chilean Army of occupation in 1881. In that same year he was part of the expedition to
Junín, under Commander Ambrosio Letelier. In 1883, he participated in military operations in the
Sierra to defeat the elusive Peruvian general
Andrés Avelino Cáceres, who was still resisting the Chilean occupation. In July, Parra was in the decisive
Battle of Huamachuco against this Peruvian leader, being the second commander of the Regiment Cazadores a Caballo present at the battle. He led the charge of his cavalry squadron against the adversary in that battle, in the final attack of the Chilean forces, at the most critical moment, which decided the Chilean victory. After this last campaign, which concluded the War of the Pacific with a Chilean victory, he returned to Chile. In 1885, he received several military medals for his merits in war.
Post-war period Upon his return to Chile, Chilean President
Domingo Santa María appointed him his
personal assistant. In 1885, Parra was also promoted to lieutenant colonel and appointed second commander of the
Regiment Granaderos a Caballo, although he was later appointed commander of the regiment. When the
Chilean civil war broke out in 1891, he abstained from participating in any of the fighting sides. Although, the reprisals of the victors of the war forced him to retire from the army in May 1892. But then he served as an instructor of the Militia Regiment Death
Hussars, which was organized by a Chilean citizen, Enrique Allende Ríos, when the war between Chile and Argentina seemed imminent in that period. In 1896, after three years retired from the army, he was reinstated and appointed commander of the Cazadores a Caballo, a cavalry regiment with which he had previously distinguished himself during the War of the Pacific. In his ranks, he would also be promoted to colonel.
Military attaché in Germany In 1900, in recognition of his merits, Parra was sent to
Germany as a
military attaché. He remained attached to the renowned Cavalry Regiment
Uhlans and later to the Hanoverian Cavalry Practical Military School. His good performance in that country gave prestige to the Chilean Army, and he received from the hands of
Wilhelm II, German Emperor, the Royal Star of the
Order of the Crown.
Last commissions and retirement of 1910 Upon returning to Chile, Parra held various positions in the high command of the Chilean Army, such as Inspector General of the Cavalry and commander of the Army's IV Division. In June 1908 he was promoted to brigadier general and assumed command of the Army's II Division. In 1910, he led the
Great Military Parade for the centenary of Chile's independence. In 1912, he reached the highest military rank of his career, that of divisional general. With that rank he held the General Command of Arms of Tarapacá. On 16 November 1916, he was granted absolute retirement from the Chilean Army, when he completed sixty-six years and almost fifty years of service in the army. ==Last years==