Siege of Uruguaiana

Battle of Uruguaiana

Siege of Uruguaiana

Date	August–September, 1865
Location	Uruguaiana, Brazil
Result	Allied victory, Paraguayan surrender on 18 September

Belligerents

Paraguay

Empire of Brazil

Argentina

Argentine Army

Uruguay

Uruguayan Army

Commanders and leaders

Col. Estigarribia

Pedro II

Conde d'Eu

Bartolomé Mitre

Flores

Strength

8,000 men^[1]^:39
8 Cannons

18,584
42 pieces of artillery
6 steamers (Imperial Navy)^[1]^:39

Casualties and losses

5,545 surrendered
the rest died of hunger and sickness^[1]^:40

unknown

Paraguayan War

Mato Grosso Corrientes Riachuelo Mercedes Paso de Cuevas Yatay Uruguaiana Corrales Estero Bellaco Yataytí Corá 1st Tuyutí Boquerón Sauce Curuzú Curupayty Potrero Obella Laguna Tatayibá Humaitá Passage 2nd Tuyutí Acayuazá Pikysyry Ytororó Avay Lomas Valentinas Angostura Asunción Cordilleras Piribebuy Acosta Ñu Cerro Corá

The Siege of Uruguaiana was an engagement in the Paraguayan War that began in late August, 1865, and ended on the 18th of September that year when the Paraguayans were forced to surrender due to low food supplies, despite President López's order to the Paraguayan commander, Colonel Estigarribia, not to do so. After the allied victory at Uruguaiana, Lopéz withdrew his army from Argentina and Brazil.

Background

The Paraguayan Army had captured Uruguaiana at 5 August 1865, without any resistance.^[2] Yet, following their defeat in the Battle of Yatay, the Paraguayans fortified Uruguayana with 8,000 men and an abattis. Col. Estigarribia faced the combined allied armies of Brazil, Argentina, and Uruguay.^[1]^:39 On July 16, the Brazilian Army reached the border of Rio Grande do Sul and joined with President Mitre's forces to surround Uruguaiana by Sept.^[1]^:39 The Brazilian Navy held the river with the steamers Taquary, Tramandahy, Onze de Junho, Iniciador, Uruguay, and Unido.^[1]^:39

Siege

A call for Uruguayana to surrender was ignored on 4 Sept.^[1]^:40 On September 11, emperor Pedro II arrived at the scene of the siege, where there were the presidents of Argentina Bartolomé Mitre and Uruguay Venancio Flores and several military leaders, as Admiral Tamandaré. The allied forces of the siege counted on 17,346 combatants and 12,393 Brazilians, Argentine 3,802 and 1,220 Uruguayans, and 54 guns. The surrender came on September 18 when Estigarribia's men had exhausted all food except sugar.^[1]^:40

Aftermath

President Lopez evacuated Corrientes in order to defend Paraguay's frontier. Gen. Resquin commanded the evacuation, taking over 100,000 head of cattle and other livestock across the Paraguay River at Paso de la Patria from 31 Oct. until 3 Nov.^[1]^:40

References

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Hooker, T.D., 2008, The Paraguayan War, Nottingham: Foundry Books, ISBN 1901543153
↑ Leuchars, Chris. To the Bitter End: Paraguay and the War of the Triple Alliance (2002), Chapter 10.

Gallery

Paraguayan surrender at Uruguaiana.
Capitulation of Paraguayans locked in the city of Uruguayana (L'Illustration: journal universel, Vol. XLVII, nº 1.197, 03/02/1866).

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