The Battle of Curuzú occurred between September 1 and 3, 1866 during the
Paraguayan War
The Paraguayan War (, , ), also known as the War of the Triple Alliance (, , ), was a South American war that lasted from 1864 to 1870. It was fought between Paraguay and the Triple Alliance of Argentina, the Empire of Brazil, and Uruguay. It wa ...
. After the first
Battle of Tuyutí, won by the Allies on 24 May 1866, an Allied council of war decided to use their navy to bombard and capture the Paraguayan battery at Curupayty.
Battle
On September 1, five Brazilian
ironclads,
''Bahia'',
''Barroso'',
''Lima Barros'',
''Rio de Janeiro'' and
''Brasil'' began bombarding the batteries at Curuzú, which continued the next day. That is when the ''Rio de Janeiro'' hit two mines and sank immediately along with her commander Américo Brasílio Silvado, and 50 sailors.
Simultaneously, 8,391 men of the Brazilian 2nd Corps, under the command of
Manuel Marques de Sousa, then Viscount of Porto Alegre, attacked the Paraguayan batteries at Curuzú, south of the main stronghold of Humaitá on the shores of
Paraguay River
The Paraguay River (''Ysyry Paraguái'' in Guarani language, Guarani, ''Rio Paraguai'' in Portuguese language, Portuguese, ''Río Paraguay'' in Spanish language, Spanish) is a major river in south-central South America, running through Brazil, Bol ...
.
[Hooker, T.D., 2008, The Paraguayan War, Nottingham: Foundry Books, ]
On September 3, the fort, commanded by colonel Giménez, was stormed. The defenders relied on the advantage of the wetlands and bushes around the fort. The fort was conquered after a heavy bombardment, and the Paraguayan army was pursued until the vicinity of
Curupayty.
[
The Brazilian ironclad ''Rio de Janeiro'' had a hole blown in her bottom by a contact mine, and sank almost immediately – the greater part of her crew, together with her captain, being drowned. This was the only ironclad sunk during the war.][Thompson, G, 1869, The War in Paraguay, London: Longmans Green and Co., p.169]
Aftermath
President Francisco Solano López
Francisco Solano López Carrillo (24 July 1827 or 1826 – 1 March 1870) was a Paraguay, Paraguayan statesman, Officer (armed forces), military officer and politician who served as President of Paraguay between 1862 and 1870, of which he serve ...
decimated the 10th Infantry Battalion on 10 September 1866, killing 63 men.[
]
Gallery
File:Planta da parte do rio Paraguai em que se deu combate da canhoneira Ivaí com a Fortaleza de Curuzu.jpg, Map of the part of the Paraguay River
The Paraguay River (''Ysyry Paraguái'' in Guarani language, Guarani, ''Rio Paraguai'' in Portuguese language, Portuguese, ''Río Paraguay'' in Spanish language, Spanish) is a major river in south-central South America, running through Brazil, Bol ...
where took place the fight of the gunboat ''Ivaí'' with the Fortress of Curuzú
File:Cándido Lopez - Vista interior de Curuzú mirado de aguas arriba - Google Art Project.jpg, Interior view of Curuzú.
File:Battle of Curuzu by Vitor Meireles.jpg, The Viscount of Porto Alegre leads the Brazilian forces in the Battle of Curuzú, 1866, by Victor Meirelles.
File:GUERRE DU PARAGUAY. - Prise de la batterie de Curuzù (3 septembre) par le 2º corps d'armée brésilien, sous les ordres du lientenant-général vicomte de Porto-Alegre. D'après un croquis de M. Paranhos.jpg, Taking the battery of Curuzú (3 September) by the Brazilian 2nd Army Corps, under the command of lientenant-general Viscount of Porto Alegre (according to a sketch of Mr. Paranhos).
File:Attack on Paraguyan Forts.jpg, Attack on Paraguayan Forts.
File:Bombardeio de Curuzu.jpg, Bombardment of Curuzú
File:Bombardeio de Curuzu (MARTINO, Edoardo De).jpg, Bombardment of Curuzú ( Edoardo De Martino).
File:Buque Rio de Janeiro.jpg, ''Rio de Janeiro'' sunk by a contact mine, painted by Adolfo Methfessel.
File:El Encorazado Rio de Janeiro echado á pique por un torpedo paraguayo, frente a Curuzú, el 3 de setiembre de 1866.jpg, ''Rio de Janeiro'' sunk by a contact mine in front of Curuzú.
File:Naval Warfare in Paraguay. Destruction of a Brazilian Gunboat by a torpedo.jpg, Naval Warfare in Paraguay: Destruction of the ironclad Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro, or simply Rio, is the capital of the Rio de Janeiro (state), state of Rio de Janeiro. It is the List of cities in Brazil by population, second-most-populous city in Brazil (after São Paulo) and the Largest cities in the America ...
by a mine.
File:Passagem do Curuzu.jpg, Passage of Curuzú.
File:Cándido Lopez - Desembarco del Ejército Argentino frente a las trincheras de Curuzú - Google Art Project.jpg, alt=, Brazilian (all blue uniform) and Argentine (blue and red uniform) troops landing in Curuzú
References
* DONATO, Hernâni. Dicionário das batalhas brasileiras. 2a ed, IBRASA, 1996, , 593 pp.
{{DEFAULTSORT:Curuzu
Battles of the Paraguayan War
Battles involving Argentina
Battles involving Brazil
Battles involving Paraguay
Battles involving Uruguay
Conflicts in 1866
September 1866
1866 in Paraguay
History of Ñeembucú Department