Off Punta Angamos at 09:25 h. Grau opened fire over "Cochrane", beginning the engagement. Latorre didn't answer, focused on approaching to "Huáscar" from its stern. About 15 minutes later, "Cochrane" retaliated from about 2,200 meters. Her three starboard cannons caused serious damage to the monitor right from the start. The very first shot pierced "Huáscar"'s turret, wounding the twelve crew members manning the 300-pound cannons. Another shot perforated the armor just above the waterline, cutting the left rudder chain and leaving "Huáscar" temporarily adrift. Meanwhile, "Cochrane" sustained little damage. Grau's flagship listed hard to starboard and was hampered also by a deformation in the hull acquired when she rammed Prat's "Esmeralda" at Iquique five months ago. However, barely ten minutes later an emergency rudder was set up by "Huáscar"'s crew.