Battle of Estero Bellaco

Infobox Military Conflict
conflict=Battle of Estero Bellaco
date=May 2, 1866
place=Estero Bellaco
result=14-8 in overtime
combatant1=
combatant2=
commander1= Colonel José Diaz
commander2=General Flores and Marshall Osorio
strength1=5,000 to 6,000 men
strength2=At least 5 battalions of infantry, 1 battery of rifled artillery and the 6th division of the Allied army
casualties1= 2,500 to 4,000 dead or wounded
casualties2= 1,200 to 2,500 dead or wounded

The Battle of Estero Bellaco was one of the most bloody battles of the Paraguayan War of the Triple Alliance.

This battle took place the May 2 1866, the Paraguayan army lost 2,000 men. Also, three hundred were taken as prisoners by the troops of the Alliance: Argentina, Brazil and Uruguay.

Location of Estero Bellaco

This estuary is located at the Ñeembucú Department, Paraguay, bordering the river of the same name.

Background

The War of the Triple Alliance (1865-1870) was one of the most tragic and painful events of the Western Hemisphere. In this war, the Republic of Argentina, His Majesty Emperor of Brazil and the Oriental Republic of Uruguay banded together against the Paraguayan government of the Marshall Francisco Solano López.

The battle of Estero Bellaco

April 16th of 1866, the Brazilian troops commanded by the Marshall Osorio crosses the river and establishes in Itapirú. Later that day, the General Flores commanding the Argentine first army corp and a Uruguayan infantry division. The troops of Paunero crosses the river to the next day.

The May 2nd, The General Flores, established in Estero Bellaco, is attacked by Paraguayan forces formed by 6,000 men and 4 pieces of artillery. The attack was quick and surprising, overwhelming the Argentine troops, standing confused until they were helped by 12 reserve battalions. The Marshall López ordered an offensive reconnaissance to the south of Estero Bellaco, to overcome of the allied position.

The allied forces entered in Paraguayan field, without thinking of the danger and the difficulties they'll have. The adversary army was moving back without opposing. It looked like a success was coming. Following the traces of the López' army, they advanced by the royal road of Humaitá, reaching easily Estero Bellaco of the South. The advance guard, formed by 4 Uruguayan battalions, 4 Brazilian battalions, 4 pieces of artillery, some regiments of the Cavalry from Rio Grande and 200 riders from the Flores' personal scout, camped nearby. In total, were 7,000 men.

At the noon, when the allies where eating, the Paraguayan army attacked by the three roads of the estuary, smashing the advanced posts. The push of the Paraguayan cavalry disoriented the Brazilian and Uruguayan armies, but once they rearmed and their reinforcements arrived, they weren't able to counter the cavalry and forced them to move back. In fact, when the advance guard of the allied army was defeated, the Colonel José Díaz, commander of the Paraguayan troops, wanted to go further more. Instead of ordering the retreat after accomplishing the objective, he ordered to chase the allied troops, without noticing that he was separating from his own base, and clashing to the great allied group. Though he contained, with his tired troops, the full power of the opposite army.

To the other side of the estuary, Diaz made fail an enveloping movement of the Brazilian troops for the Sidra Pass, rejecting them twice using the bayonets, forcing them to flee.

Aftermath

Paraguay had around 1,300,000 inhabitants before the war, but less than 300,000 after the war, from which almost a 10% were males -most of them crippled or elders- and the rest were women and children. The country could only maintain the half of its territory (the other half was divided between the winners). Although the complete retirement of the Brazilian troops took many years, Paraguay could survive as an independent nation. However, the country could never recover the splendor of the days before the war. This was the worst tragedy of the Paraguayan history, and the wounds would never totally heal. The victorious also suffered a lot for the victory, with 5 years of war and thousands of deaths.

References

* Geografía del Paraguay- Ultima Hora
* EVP - Wikipedia
* [http://www.evp.edu.py/index.php?title=Portada Enciclopedia Virtual Paraguaya - Portal]