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 was the deadlies ...

. After the first

Battle of Tuyutí The Battle of Tuyutí (Tuiuti in Portuguese) was a Paraguayan offensive in the Paraguayan War targeting the Triple Alliance encampment of Tuyutí. It is considered to be the bloodiest battle ever in South America. The result of the battle was ...

, 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 An ironclad is a steam-propelled warship protected by iron or steel armor plates, constructed from 1859 to the early 1890s. The ironclad was developed as a result of the vulnerability of wooden warships to explosive or incendiary shells. Th ...

, ''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 (Río Paraguay in Spanish, Rio Paraguai in Portuguese, Ysyry Paraguái in Guarani) is a major river in south-central South America, running through Brazil, Bolivia, Paraguay and Argentina. It flows about from its headwaters i ...

.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 – 1 March 1870) was President of Paraguay from 1862 until his death in 1870. He was the eldest son of Juana Pabla Carrillo and of President Carlos Antonio López, Francisco's predecessor. ...

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

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 Victor Meirelles de Lima (18 August 1832 – 22 February 1903) was a Brazilian painter and teacher who is best known for his works relating to his nation's culture and history. From humble origins, his talent was soon recognized, being admitted as ...

. 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 Edoardo Federico De Martino (29 March 1838 – 12 May 1912) was an Italian painter, active in South America and London as a painter of warships and naval battles. Biography He was born in Meta di Sorrento. He served as an officer in the Italian ...

). 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 ( , , ; literally 'River of January'), or simply Rio, is the capital of the state of the same name, Brazil's third-most populous state, and the second-most populous city in Brazil, after São Paulo. Listed by the GaWC as a ...

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 events 1866 in Paraguay History of Ñeembucú Department