José E. Díaz
Encyclopedia
Paraguay
Paraguay , officially the Republic of Paraguay , is a landlocked country in South America. It is bordered by Argentina to the south and southwest, Brazil to the east and northeast, and Bolivia to the northwest. Paraguay lies on both banks of the Paraguay River, which runs through the center of the...
an general. Díaz was born in the town of Cerro Verá east of Pirayú
Pirayú
Pirayú is a town in the Paraguarí department of Paraguay.- Sources :* – World-Gazetteer.com...
in the department of Paraguarí
Paraguarí
Paraguarí is a city, distrito and capital of Paraguarí Department in Paraguay, located 66 km from the country’s capital, Asunción. At the 2002 census it had a population of 22,154.- Toponymy :...
. His parents were named Juan Andrés Díaz and Dolores Vera.
In 1852 he joined the militia and later led Battalion #40 of the police. He became the police chief in Asunción
Asunción
Asunción is the capital and largest city of Paraguay.The "Ciudad de Asunción" is an autonomous capital district not part of any department. The metropolitan area, called Gran Asunción, includes the cities of San Lorenzo, Fernando de la Mora, Lambaré, Luque, Mariano Roque Alonso, Ñemby, San...
and first distinguished himself on raids across the Río Paraná at Corrientes
Corrientes
Corrientes is the capital city of the province of Corrientes, Argentina, located on the eastern shore of the Paraná River, about from Buenos Aires and from Posadas, on National Route 12...
in the spring of 1866 during the War of the Triple Alliance
War of the Triple Alliance
The Paraguayan War , also known as War of the Triple Alliance , was a military conflict in South America fought from 1864 to 1870 between Paraguay and the Triple Alliance of Argentina, Brazil, and Uruguay...
. Díaz was the hero of the September 22, 1866 battle of Curupaity
Battle of Curupaity
The Battle of Curupayty was a key battle in the War of the Triple Alliance.On the morning of September 22, 1866, the joint force of the Imperial , Argentine and Uruguayan armies attacked Paraguayan fortified trenches on Curupaity. The Paraguayans were led by General José E. Díaz...
, leading a humiliating rout of the allied forces. Barely four months later, however, on February 7, 1867, he died on a mission entrusted to him by Francisco Solano López
Francisco Solano López (politician)
Francisco Solano López Carrillo was president of Paraguay from 1862 until his death in 1870. He was officially the eldest son of president Carlos Antonio López, whom he succeeded...
. He was hit by a shell shot by a Brazilian ship while scouting a river on a canoe; his leg was amputated by doctors, but they could not save him, and he was promoted to the rank of general an hour before his death.
In addition to the battle of Curupaity
Battle of Curupaity
The Battle of Curupayty was a key battle in the War of the Triple Alliance.On the morning of September 22, 1866, the joint force of the Imperial , Argentine and Uruguayan armies attacked Paraguayan fortified trenches on Curupaity. The Paraguayans were led by General José E. Díaz...
, Díaz participated in the battles of Corrales, Estero Bellaco
Battle of Estero Bellaco
The Battle of Estero Bellaco was one of the bloodiest battles of the War of the Triple Alliance , with the Republic of Argentina, the Empire of Brazil and the Oriental Republic of Uruguay banded together against the Paraguayan government of Marshal Francisco Solano López.This battle took place on...
, and Tuyutí
Battle of Tuyutí
The Battle of Tuyutí was a Paraguayan offensive in the War of the Triple Alliance. The allied victory added to the Paraguayan troubles that began with a failed offensive and continued with the loss of its fleet in the Battle of Riachuelo....
(in which he commanded Paraguay against the combined allied forces), Boquerón
Boquerón Department
Boquerón is a department in the western region of Paraguay. It is the country's largest department, with an area of , but its population is only 45,617 . The department includes the Russian Mennonite colonies of Fernheim, Menno and its administrative center Loma Plata and Neuland. The capital is...
, and Sauce
Sauce, Corrientes
Sauce is a town in Corrientes Province, Argentina. It is the capital of Sauce Department. It is separated from Entre Ríos Province by the Guayquiraró River....
.
After his death, his coffin was brought to Asunción, where the town accompanied it to its resting place in the Recoleta neighborhood. In 1939, Díaz's remains were deposited in an urn in the Pantheon of Heroes, along with the remains of Carlos Antonio López.