Piquissiri maneuver

Piquissiri maneuver
Part of the War of the Triple Alliance
Date end of 1868 Location Formosa province, Argentina Result Allied victory
Belligerents
Paraguay Paraguayan Army	Empire of Brazil Argentina Uruguay Brazilian Army Argentine Army
Commanders and leaders
Francisco Solano López	Marquis of Caxias
Strength
7,500 soldiers	11,000 soldiers
Casualties and losses
4,000 dead	765 dead

The so called Piquissiri Maneuver was a tactic used by Brazilian marshal Luís Alves de Lima e Silva, Duke of Caxias, during the War of the Triple Alliance. It is considered the most daring and creative strategy of the entire conflict.

History

After the fall of the Humaitá fortress in July 1868, Francisco Solano Lópes centered his troops in a strong position at the Piquissiri stream, which runs on the left margin of the Paraguay River.

To circumvent it, Caxias decided to build an 11-kilometer-long road on the right bank of the Paraguay River, passing through the Gran Chaco swamps, and leading to the Paraguayan rear.

With the aid of the Brazilian Imperial Navy, Caxias carried 23,000 troops to the beginning of the road, from where they advanced along the right river bank, outflanking the enemy's fortified position.

The Navy ships, after reaching Angostura pass, sailed north, where they re-embarked the troops from the road and carried them to the left bank in San Antonio, north of the enemy position.

Solano Lópes, believing that the allied troops could not cross Chaco, was caught by surprise when the allied troops assaulted his rear, being forced to retreat with his surviving troops. This led to the battles of Itororó, Avaí and Lomas Valentinas.

External links

• http://web.archive.org/web/20091027012012/http://br.geocities.com/guerrapara/dezembrada.htm (Portuguese)
• http://web.archive.org/web/20091027111502/http://www.geocities.com/Pentagon/Camp/2523 (English)
• http://web.archive.org/web/20091027043104/http://geocities.com/ulysses_costa/Guerradoparaguai (Portuguese)