Battle of Curupayty Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids

Battle of Curupayty

Top: Paraguayan artillery firing at allied forces
Middle: Assault of the second Brazilian column
Bottom: Brazilian navy bombardment

Date

22 September 1866

Location

Curupayty, Paraguay

Result

Paraguayan victory

Allied attack repelled;
Massacre of Allied troops;
Allied advance stalled.

Belligerents

Paraguay

Commanders and leaders

José E. Díaz

Bartolomé Mitre
Joaquim M. Lisboa
Marques de Sousa
Venancio Flores

Strength

5,000
49 cannons

11,000 Brazilians
9,000 Argentines
8 ironclads and 3 gunboats Imperial Navy

Casualties and losses

92:
54 killed
38 wounded

4,227:
2,225 Argentine casualties
2,002 Brazilian casualties

The Battle of Curupayty was a very important battle during the Paraguayan War. It happened on September 22, 1866, in Curupayty, Paraguay. Armies from Brazil, Argentina, and Uruguay attacked strong Paraguayan defenses.

The Paraguayan forces, led by General José Eduvigis Díaz, had about 5,000 soldiers and 49 cannons. Some of these cannons were hidden. The attacking Allied forces had around 20,000 soldiers. The Brazilian Navy tried to help by firing cannons from their ships. However, their ships had to stay far away from another Paraguayan fort called Humaitá. This made their shots less accurate and less powerful. The navy's failure to hit targets well was a big reason why the ground attack failed.

The Paraguayans were also clever. They made a fake trench that drew most of the Brazilian gunfire, while their real troops were safely hidden elsewhere. The Allied attack was a huge failure. About 20% of their nearly 20,000 soldiers were lost. In contrast, Paraguay lost fewer than a hundred men. This big defeat led to a change in the Allied command. Even though it was Paraguay's biggest win in the war, their leader, Francisco Solano López, did not counterattack. This limited how much they could gain from their victory.

Opposing Forces
Naval Attack: Ships and Cannons
Allied Ground Attack: A Difficult Advance
After the Battle: What Happened Next?
Gallery: Timeline of the battle of Curupayty by Cándido Lopez
See also

Opposing Forces

Naval Attack: Ships and Cannons

The attack on September 22 started with a naval bombardment at 7:00 AM. Admiral Joaquim Marques Lisboa's fleet fired cannons until noon. However, this attack had very little effect.

Ships like the Brasil, Barroso, and Tamandaré took part. They fired about 5,000 bombs and shells. But only one Paraguayan cannon was damaged. This showed that the naval attack was not successful in weakening the Paraguayan defenses.

Allied Ground Attack: A Difficult Advance

After the naval bombardment, Bartolomé Mitre thought the Paraguayan defenses were destroyed. So, he ordered the ground troops to advance. The Allied army was divided into different groups.

The right side had two Argentine groups led by General Emilio Mitre and General Wenceslao Paunero. The left side had two Brazilian groups led by General Albino de Carvalho and Colonel Augusto Caldas. The Brazilian center was commanded by Colonel Lucas de Lima.

General Polidoro Jordão was supposed to attack another Paraguayan defense point with 20,000 Brazilians. General Venancio Flores was to lead a cavalry force to attack the Paraguayan side.

As the Allied soldiers moved forward, they had to cross two ditches. When they reached the top of a wall, they came within range of the Paraguayan cannons. General Díaz ordered his artillery to fire special types of cannonballs like grape and canister shot. These shots caused many injuries among the Allied troops. The soldiers were moving slowly in thick groups through muddy ground. They could not get close to the Paraguayan fort's wall. Only about 60 soldiers managed to reach it, and they were quickly killed. By 2:00 PM, the attack was called off. By 5:00 PM, the Allied army had retreated back to Curuzú.

After the Battle: What Happened Next?

Immediate Results of the Battle

Right after the battle, the Triple Alliance forces went back to where they started. They had lost many soldiers. Their plan to attack was stopped for ten months. The Paraguayan victory made their soldiers feel stronger and more confident. They also captured weapons, ammunition, and supplies from the Allies. However, this victory also helped President López stay in power, which sadly made the war last even longer.

Military Changes and Outcomes

After the Battle of Curupayty, both sides thought about their war plans again. The Triple Alliance realized they had not taken Paraguay's strong defenses seriously enough. So, they decided to be more careful in future attacks. Paraguay, on the other hand, kept building more forts and making its positions stronger along the Paraguay River.

Even with their win at Curupayty, the Paraguayan forces could not stop the Triple Alliance in the long run. By 1868, after the Siege of Humaitá and the fall of Asunción, Paraguay was in a very bad situation. But President López still refused to give up, which made the war continue and caused more destruction to his country.

Political Impact of the Battle

The Paraguayan victory at Curupayty also changed the politics of the war. The unexpected defeat caused problems among the Triple Alliance members. People started asking for the Brazilian commander, Marshal Osório, to be replaced. In Argentina, people began to protest against the war in January 1867. This forced President Mitre to send an army of 4,000 soldiers to calm things down. In Uruguay, problems also led to General Flores being called back, and he was later killed. Overall, the battle made people wonder if a quick victory was possible. This helped make the war last longer and made the humanitarian crisis in the region worse.

Legacy: Remembering Curupayty

The Battle of Curupayty is remembered as a turning point in the Paraguayan War. It showed how strong and determined Paraguay's military was. But it also led to the war lasting longer and causing great damage to the country. Today, the Battle of Curupayty is a symbol of Paraguayan resistance and national pride. It also reminds everyone of the terrible cost of war.