The Battle of Cerro Corá was fought on 1 March 1870 on a hill-surrounded valley of the same name, in the north-east of

Paraguay Paraguay (; ), officially the Republic of Paraguay ( es, República del Paraguay, links=no; gn, Tavakuairetã Paraguái, links=si), is a landlocked country in South America. It is bordered by Argentina to the south and southwest, Brazil to t ...

Background

In February 1870, an allied column under the command of colonel Bento Martins de Meneses, learned that the President of Paraguay, Francisco Solano López, was in the vicinity of Cerro Corá. It relayed the information to general José Antônio Correia da Câmara on 18 February. Paraguayan general Bernardino Caballero was on a foraging expedition with 40 men when, on 1 March, the Allied vanguard under the command of Lt. Col. Francisco Antonio Martins attacked the Paraguayan camp at 1900 along the Aquidaban River. Present with President Francisco Solano López's personal guard were a group of women, led by his mistress Eliza Lynch. This group was composed of the soldier's wives, daughters, and others, who supported the soldiers called ''Las Residentas''.

Battle

Vice President Domingo Francisco Sánchez and Secretary of State Luis Caminos were killed trying to flee. López was surrounded by six cavalrymen, and after refusing to surrender by firing his revolver, corporal José Francisco Lacerda, known as ''Chico Diabo'', i.e., "Frank, the Devil", thrust his lance in López's abdomen, mortally wounding him. Assisted by captain Francisco Argüello, López evaded the Brazilians and reached the Aquidabán-Niquil stream, but was unable to climb the steep bank because of his wound. Left alone, he was found by the Brazilians, but refused to surrender again, when João Soares shot him in the back.

Aftermath

After the Brazilian forces killed López, they headed towards the civilians in order to capture them. López and Eliza Lynch's eldest son Juan Francisco, who had been promoted to

colonel Colonel (abbreviated as Col., Col or COL) is a senior military officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations. In the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries, a colonel was typically in charge ...

during the war and was 15 years old, was with her. The Brazilian officers told him to surrender, and upon replying "''Un coronel paraguayo nunca se rinde''" ("A Paraguayan colonel never surrenders"),Bareiro Saguier, Ruben; Villagra Marsal, Carlos. ‘'Testimonios de la Guerra Grande. Muerte del Mariscal López. Tomo II'’, Editorial Servilibro. Asuncion, Paraguay, 2007. Page 106. he was shot and killed. Whereupon jumping and covering her son's body, Lynch exclaimed "''¿Ésta es la civilización que han prometido?''" ("Is this the civilization you have promised?"),Bareiro. Tomo I. Page 106 in reference to the allies' claim that they intended to free Paraguay from a tyrant and deliver freedom and civilization to the nation. She then buried both López and her son with her bare hands before being taken prisoner.

In popular culture

*'' Cerro Cora'' is a 1978 Paraguayan film set on the last days of the Paraguayan War.

Gallery

Image:Muerte de López en Río Aquidabán..jpg, Death of Francisco Solano López in the Aquidabán River (by Adolfo Methfessel) Image:Image-CerroCora DesdeCerroMuralla.jpg, Landscape of Cerro Corá as seen from the top of Cerro Muralla

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Battle of Cerro Cora Cerro Corá Cerro Cora Cerro Cora March 1870 events