Battle of Itororó
Encyclopedia
On the morning of December 6, 1868, Marshal of the Brazilian Army
, Luís Alves de Lima e Silva
, Marquis (later Duke) of Caxias, moved with 13,000 men in two columns to take Villeta, a Paraguayan city, as a plan to make further attacks on the Paraguayan Army rear.
Nevertheless, Paraguayan president and commander-in-chief of the army Solano López was aware of the landing the Allies had made in the rear of his army.
Taking advantage of the Allies' slow march, he sent Colonel Bernardino Caballero
to stop the enemy at a narrow passage over a stream called Ytororó. Caballero deployed his troops so that Caxias would have to cross the only passage at disposal (a bridge) under heavy fire. On each side of the crossing, he located four guns. Another battery of four guns was put on the top of a nearby low-lying hill.
The battle started by late morning and was characterized by attacks and counterattacks for control of the bridge.
By 1 P.M., after a fierce fight, the bridge was taken and the Allies could advance towards Villeta.
Paraguay°N conflict=yes°W
Brazilian Army
The Brazilian Army is the land arm of the Brazilian Military. The Brazilian Army has fought in several international conflicts, mostly in South America and during the 19th century, such as the Brazilian War of Independence , Argentina-Brazil War , War of the Farrapos , Platine War , Uruguayan War ...
, Luís Alves de Lima e Silva
Luís Alves de Lima e Silva
Luís Alves de Lima e Silva, Duke of Caxias , nicknamed "the Peacemaker" and "Iron Duke", was an army officer, politician and monarchist of the Empire of Brazil. Caxias pursued a military career, as had his father and many relatives before him. In 1823, he fought as a young officer during most of...
, Marquis (later Duke) of Caxias, moved with 13,000 men in two columns to take Villeta, a Paraguayan city, as a plan to make further attacks on the Paraguayan Army rear.
Nevertheless, Paraguayan president and commander-in-chief of the army Solano López was aware of the landing the Allies had made in the rear of his army.
Taking advantage of the Allies' slow march, he sent Colonel Bernardino Caballero
Bernardino Caballero
Bernardino Caballero Melgarejo was the President of Paraguay from 1881 until 1886 and founder of the Colorado Party....
to stop the enemy at a narrow passage over a stream called Ytororó. Caballero deployed his troops so that Caxias would have to cross the only passage at disposal (a bridge) under heavy fire. On each side of the crossing, he located four guns. Another battery of four guns was put on the top of a nearby low-lying hill.
The battle started by late morning and was characterized by attacks and counterattacks for control of the bridge.
By 1 P.M., after a fierce fight, the bridge was taken and the Allies could advance towards Villeta.
Sources
Paraguay°N conflict=yes°W