Siege of Humaitá

The siege of Humaitá ( es, Cerco de Humaitá) was a prolonged operation of encirclement that occurred at the Fortress of Humaitá, on the Paraguay River. Humaitá was surrounded by land on 2 November 1867, by water on 19 February 1868, and surrendered on 25 July 1868.

Fortress defences

The Fortress of Humaitá was built on a strategic bend of the Paraguay River that would force ships to steam head first into artillery fire. The Allied Command assumed that because of that and the chains installed, the fortress was impassible.

Encirclement

On 1 August 1867, the Argentine general and president Bartolomé Mitre ordered the Brazilian fleet to secure a passage through Curupayty and Humaitá. On 15 August, two divisions of five ironclads passed Curupayty without incident but the artillery fire forced them to stop at Humaitá. This news caused conflict in the Allied high command. The Brazilian commanders were determined that attacking the fortress from the river would be futile and withdrew their fleet, pending a land-based attack that began on 18 August.

From Tuyucuê, the Allies headed north and took the villages of San Solano, Tayi and finally laid siege to Humaitá itself, isolating it from Asunción by November 1867.Hooker, T.D., 2008, ''The Paraguayan War'', Nottingham: Foundry Books, On 19 February 1868, marshal Caxias and vice admiral Joaquim José Inácio ordered the fleet up the River Paraguay past Humaitá. There were few casualties and minimal damage caused to any of the ships. On 24 February, the ''Bahia'', '' Barroso'' and ''Rio Grande do Sul'' shelled Asunción, which had been evacuated earlier.

Paraguayan President Francisco Solano López decided to evacuate Curupayty and Humaitá. He crossed the Paraguay River to the Chaco side on 3 March 1868. Solano López left colonel Francisco Martínez in charge of a force of 3,000 men and 200 cannons. General Argollo attacked Sauce on 21 March, resulting in the Paraguayans retreating to Paso Pacu. Curupayty was abandoned the next day. The ''Bahia'', ''Rio Grande'' and ''Pará'' bombarded Humaitá on 23 and 24 March 1868. At the end of April, Allied forces had troops on the Chaco side of the river.

Battle of Acayuazú

The Allied army advanced on 16 July 1868, when it appeared Curupayty and Humaitá were abandoned. General Osório and 6,000 troops led an attack on the northeast side of Humaitá, unaware of the 46 concealed Paraguayan guns and over 2,000 men under the command of colonel Pedro Hermosa.

At the command of "muerte a los cambas", the Brazilians retreated. The Brazilian casualties consisted of 279 dead, 754 wounded and 100 captured, while the Paraguayan casualties were 89 killed and 104 wounded.

General Rivas ordered an attack on the Paraguayan Corá redoubt on 18 July, (year). An allied force of Argentine and Brazilian infantrymen was ambushed by a force led by colonel Caballero. The Argentine losses amounted to 90 killed, 87 wounded and 35 captured, while the Brazilians had 67 killed, 221 wounded and 2 captured. The Paraguayans suffered 120 casualties.

Evacuation of Humaitá

Col. Martinez asked Solano López for permission to start evacuating Humaitá on 19 July. Solano López ordered Martinez to hold out five more days, but the first wave of Paraguayan withdrawal started on the 24th with 1,200 men. The remainder left on the 25th after spiking their guns. The Allied force entered Humaitá ten hours later.

Aftermath

Colonel Martínez, along with 1,228 men, 96 officers, and women and children, was caught trying to cross Laguna Vera on 5 August 1868 where he finally surrendered. López branded Martínez a traitor and sought vengeance by murdering his wife. The allies captured 146 iron guns and 36, but most were unserviceable. A few men, colonel Alén among them, managed to escape the encirclement and make it back to Paraguayan lines via the jungle. However colonel Alén wasn't received with much adulation and was instead arrested for desertion.Kohn, Roger (2008). ''Weep, Grey Bird,Weep'', p. 239. Author House, Milton Keynes. .

Gallery

File:Posição da Fortaleza de Humaytá.jpg, Fortress of Humaitá
File:Bateria londres 1868.jpg, The ''Londres'' battery in 1868
File:A Passagem de Humaitá.jpg, Brazilian Navy forcing passage through the fortress Humaitá
File:PLANTA TOPOGRAPHICA mostrando as fortificações de Humaytá, a passagem da divisão encouraçada e a posição dos outros encouraçados que protegerão a mesma passagem.jpg, Topographic plant showing the fortifications of Humaitá, the passage of the armored division and the position of other ironclads that protected the passage.
File:GUERRE DU PARAGUAY. - Passage d'Humaïta, le 19 février, par une division cuirassée de l'escadre brésilienne. - D'après un croquis de M. Paranhos.jpg, Passage of Humaitá by an armored division of the Brazilian fleet (P. Blanchard, after a sketch of Mr. Paranhos).
File:Canoas paraguayas dando abordagem ao monitor ALAGOAS, nas proximidades das baterias do Timbó..jpg, During the passage of Humaita, Paraguayans tried to occupy the monitor "Alagoas".
File:Passagem de Humaitá.jpg, Passage of Humaitá, by Admiral Trajano Augusto de Carvalho
File:Passagem de Humaytá effectuada, na noite de 19 de Fevereiro de 1868, pelos encouraçados Barroso, Bahia e Tamandaré, levando a reboque os monitores Rio Grande, Alagoas e Pará.jpg, Passage of Humaitá, by Angelo Agostini ('' A Vida Fluminense'', 1868).
File:Victor Meirelles - Passagem de Humaitá, 1886.jpg, Passage of Humaitá, by Victor Meirelles.
File:Port of Humaita 02.jpg, Brazilian Navy in Humaitá
File:Rótulo de cigarro. Ao Bravo da Passagem de Humaitá, Cigarros a Maurity.JPG, Cigarette card to honour Maurity, the "''brave of the Passage of Humaitá''".
File:Almirante Barão da Passagem. Egregio vulto da marinha brazileira - fallecido no dia 20 de maio último. Preito da Revista Illustrada.jpg, Admiral Delfim Carlos de Carvalho, Baron of the Passagem, and scene of the Passage of Humaitá.
File:El Tte. Coronel Campos salva la bandera de su batallón.jpg, Lieutenant Colonel Gaspar Campos, chief of Battalion "'' Cazadores de la Rioja''", surprised at Acayuazú, saves the flag of his battalion, throwing it into the river.
File:José Ignacio Garmendia-Combate de Acaguazá.jpg, Battle of Acayuaza.
File:War in Parguay - Engagement at Chaco.jpg, Engagement at Chaco (''Harper's Weekly'', 1868).
File:Muerte del Coronel Martinez de Hoz en Acayuazú.jpg, Death of Colonel Martinez de Hoz in Acayuazú.
File:Reconhecimento de Humayta em 16 julho 1868.jpg, Recognition of Humaitá by General Osório on 16 July 1868.

References

Notes

Bibliography

* Donato, Hernâni. ''Dicionário das Batalhas Brasileiras''. São Paulo, Editora Ibrasa, 1987.

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