The Macheteros de Jara was an auxiliary cavalry regiment that was organized since August 15, 1932, before the
Battle of Boquerón
A battle is an occurrence of combat in warfare between opposing military units of any number or size. A war usually consists of multiple battles. In general, a battle is a military engagement that is well defined in duration, area, and force ...
began. The regiment was recruited from former outlaws from Paraguay who fought against Bolivian officers and soldiers.
It was an irregular unit whose mission was to prevent the Bolivian army from supplying provisions and ammunition to the defenders of Boquerón. When Boquerón had fallen they dedicated themselves to the assault and plunder of small ranches. All the attacks were led by Commander
Don Plácido Jara
Don, don or DON and variants may refer to:
Places
*County Donegal, Ireland, Chapman code DON
*Don (river), a river in European Russia
*Don River (disambiguation), several other rivers with the name
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who targeted isolated Bolivian troops and supplies. The Macheteros de Jara was nicknamed after its founder and the
machete, the Paraguayan soldiers favorite weapon for hand-to-hand combat. The mission of this unit was to cause panic in the Bolivian rearguard by hacking soldiers to death with machetes; body parts and heads were allegedly hung on trees to demoralize Bolivian officers and ratings. The macheteros also slaughtered cattle that could potentially fed the Bolivian troops.
See also
*
50th Infantry Regiment (Bolivia)
The 50th Infantry Regiment (Cuchilleros de la Muerte) was a Bolivian infantry regiment that fought in the Chaco War. Nicknamed the Knives of Death (), the regiment relied almost exclusively on the use of blade weapons, particularly bayonets. T ...
- Bolivian equivalent.
References
{{reflist
Michel, Pablo (29 September 2016) ''La Historia del Regimiento 50 de Infantería, los "Cuchilleros de la Muerte"'', Fortin De La Patria, Oruro
External links
Irregular units and formations
Chaco War
Guerrilla organizations