Battle of Curuzú

{{Use mdy dates|date=October 2018}} {{Infobox military conflict | conflict = Battle of Curuzú | partof = the Humaitá campaign | image = Tomada das Trincheiras de Curusu no Paraguay, Pelo Segundo Corpo de Exército ao Mando do Exmo Barão de Porto Alegre.jpg | image_size = 300 | caption = Taking of the trenches at Curuzú by the 2nd Army Corps commanded by the Baron of Porto Alegre | date = September 1–3, 1866 | place = Curuzú, Paraguay | casus = | territory = | result = Allied victory | combatant1 = {{flag|Paraguay|1842}} | combatant2 = {{plainlist | * {{flag|Empire of Brazil}} * {{flag|Argentina}} }} | commander1 = {{flagdeco|Paraguay|1842}} Antonio Giménez | commander2 = {{plainlist | * {{flagdeco|Empire of Brazil}} Marques de Sousa * {{flagdeco|Empire of Brazil}} Joaquim M. Lisboa * {{flagdeco|Argentina}} Bartolomé Mitre }} | strength1 = Over 2,500 men and 13 cannons<ref name=Hooker/>{{rp|61}} | strength2 = 4,500 infantry and 3,800 dismounted cavalry 5 Ironclads<ref name=Hooker/>{{rp|61}} | casualties1 = '''2,532''':<ref name=Hooker/>{{rp|61}} 700 killed 1,800 wounded 32 captured | casualties2 = '''788''':<ref name=Hooker/>{{rp|61}} 159 killed 629 wounded }} {{Campaignbox Paraguayan War}}

The '''Battle of Curuzú''' occurred between September 1 and 3, 1866 during the Paraguayan War. 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.<ref name="Hooker" />{{rp|60}}

==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.<ref name=Hooker>Hooker, T.D., 2008, The Paraguayan War, Nottingham: Foundry Books, {{ISBN|1901543153}}</ref>{{rp|61}}

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.<ref name=Hooker/>{{rp|61}}

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.<ref>Thompson, G, 1869, The War in Paraguay, London: Longmans Green and Co., p.169</ref>

==Aftermath== President Francisco Solano López decimated the 10th Infantry Battalion on 10 September 1866, killing 63 men.<ref name=Hooker/>{{rp|61}}

==Gallery== <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 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 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 </gallery>

== References == {{reflist}} * DONATO, Hernâni. Dicionário das batalhas brasileiras. 2a ed, IBRASA, 1996, {{ISBN|978-85-348-0034-1}}, 593 pp.

{{DEFAULTSORT:Curuzu}} Category:Battles of the Paraguayan War Category:Battles involving Argentina Category:Battles involving Brazil Category:Battles involving Paraguay Category:Battles involving Uruguay Category:Conflicts in 1866 Category:September 1866 Category:1866 in Paraguay Category:History of Ñeembucú Department