Battle of Boquerón (1866)

Battle of Boquerón (1866)
Uruguayan soldiers at the funeral of Colonel León de Pallejas, killed in action at the Battle of Boquerón
Date 16 July 1866 Location Ñeembucú, Paraguay Result Paraguayan victory
Belligerents
Empire of Brazil Imperial Army * Argentina Argentine Army Uruguay Uruguayan Army	Paraguay Paraguayan Army
Commanders and leaders
Gen. Guilherme Souza	Col. Elizardo Aquino  †
Strength
3,000[1]:60	3 infantry battalions[1]:60
Casualties and losses
285 killed 1,631 wounded[1]:60	2,000 casualties[1]:60

The Battle of Boquerón (not to be confused with the 1932 battle of the same name of the Chaco War) was fought on 16 July 1866 and the Battle of Sauce on 18 July 1866, between an allied force of Uruguayans, Brazilian, and Argentines on one side and Paraguay on the other in the Paraguayan War. The Spanish-born Uruguayan officer León de Pallejas (1816-1866) and the Paraguayan officer Elizardo Aquino were killed in the battle.^[2][3]

Background

Following the First Battle of Tuyutí after the Allied force invaded Paraguay, President Francisco Solano López tried enticing the Allies into attacking his fortifications at Curupayti and Curuzu along the Paraguay River. By June 1866, Lopez had 20,000 soldiers along the front.^[1]:58

Battle of Yataitia-Cora

On 11 July, 2,500 Paraguayans under the command of Gen. Jose E. Diaz, attacked the positions outside the main Argentine camp perimeter. The attacked was stopped by dusk due to a grass fire set by the Congreve rockets, but soon resumed. By 2100, the fighting ended after the Paraguayans suffered 400 casualties and 30 wounded men captured. The Argentines lost 30 men killed, 177 wounded and 51 missing^[1]:59

Battle of Boquerón

Lopez had two trenches dug during the night of 13 July, from which he planned on having snipers and artillery fire into the Brazilian left flank.^[1]:59 Brazilian Gen. Guilherme Souza led 3,000 men from the 4th Brazilian Division in an attack on the southern trench at 0500 on 16 July, supported by three Brazilian cavalry regiments. The Paraguayans were led by Col. Elizardo Aquino who was mortally wounded after 16 hours of fighting and four counter-attacks. The Paraguayans suffered 2,000 casualties in the loss of the southern trench, while the Brazilians had 282 men killed, 1,579 wounded and 38 missing, and the Argentines lost 3 killed, and 52 wounded^[1]:60

Battle of Sauce

The Brazilians attacked again on 18 July, the flanking movement by Gen. Jose Luis Mena Barreto, and a frontal assault by Gen. Victorino J.C. Monteiro. Gen. Flores had Gen. Souza replace Gen. Monteiro when he was wounded. The allies lost Cols. Palleja, Aguero, and Martinez. The Brazilians had 630 killed, 2,938 wounded, and 54 missing, the Argentines had 201 killed, 421 wounded, the Uruguayans had 250 casualties, while the Paraguayans had 2,500 casualties.^[1]:60

Aftermath

The Battle of Curuzú was soon to follow.

• 

  León de Pallejas (1816-1866)

• 

  Elizardo Aquino (1824-1866)

References