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Battle of Avay

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Battle of Avay
Part of theParaguayan War

Battle of Avay byPedro Américo
Date11 December 1868(1868-12-11)
Location
Avay stream, Paraguay
Result Brazilian victory
Belligerents
Empire of Brazil Paraguay
Commanders and leaders
Marquess of Caxias Bernardino Caballero
Strength
18,963 and 26 guns[1]: 93  5,000 and 18 guns[1]: 93 
Casualties and losses
1,663:[1]: 94 
297 killed
1,366 wounded
3,600:[1]: 94 
3,000 killed
600 wounded

TheBattle of Avayof 11 December 1868 was one of the last major combat engagements of theParaguayan War,fought near the Avay stream in Paraguayan territory between the forces theTriple Allianceand theParaguayan Army.

Background

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The battle was fought during a period of the war in which the Allied forces fought and won a number of battles while marching south in an attempt at takingPikysyryfrom the rear. In March 1868, most of the Paraguayan forces abandoned theFortress of Humaitá,underFrancisco Solano López's command, in order to set up a defence line in the margins of theTebicuary river.The fortress was left under command of Paraguayan colonel Francisco Martínez.

While the 2nd Corps of theImperial Brazilian Armybegan surrounding Humaitá, the 1st and 3rd Corps, alongside a Uruguayan division, followed the command of theMarquis of Caxiasand began chasing theParaguayan Army.[2]López, however, left his new position near the Tebicuary as well, in order to defend the Pikysyry lines, 130 kilometres (80 mi) to the south of the capital,Asunción,and 200 kilometres (120 mi) to the north of Humaitá. The Allied march was slowed, giving López enough time to reinforce the Pikysyry lines.

The week prior to the battle of Avay, the Paraguayan vanguard, under the command of generalBernardino Caballero,clashed with the Brazilian Army in thebattle of Ytororó.After the fight, Paraguayan forces retreated towardsVilleta,crossing theYpané riverand camping in a fortified spot, where their troops could gather their strength in relative safety and prepare for a new battle.[3]

Battle

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The Allied advance stopped where the road crossed the Avay stream. For the Allied army, the vanguard consisted of the 3rd Corps, commanded by generalManuel Luís Osório,the 2nd Corps under generalJosé Luís Mena Barreto,which formed the center, and the 1st Corps under generalJacinto Machado de Bittencourt[pt],which formed the rear guard. The Marquis of Caxias also had available the Cavalry Divisions, including the 1st under GeneralJoão Manuel Mena Barreto,the 5th under colonelJosé Antonio Correia da Câmara,and the 2nd and 3rd under GeneralJoaquim de Andrade Neves.The battle began at noon and lasted for five hours.

The flanking attacks by the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Cavalry Divisions into the Paraguayan rear made escape impossible. With the total defeat of general Caballero's forces, Caxias reached Villeta. The Paraguayan survivors, fewer than 50, retreated to Lomas Valentinas, where López had assembled 3,000 troops, plus another 2,000 at Pikysyry, and 700 at Angostura.[1]: 93–95 

López ordered the evacuation of Asunción to the provisional capital ofPiribebuy.[1]: 95 

References

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  1. ^abcdefHooker, T.D., 2008, The Paraguayan War, Nottingham: Foundry Books,ISBN1901543153
  2. ^Doratioto, Francisco (2002).Maldita Guerra.São Paulo: Companhia das Letras.ISBN978-8535902242.
  3. ^Garmendía, José Ignacio (1890).Recuerdos de la guerra del Paraguay.Peuser.

Further reading

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  • Donato, Hernâni.Dicionário das Batalhas Brasileiras.São Paulo: Editora Ibrasa, 1987.