Battle of Estero Bellaco

Battle of Estero Bellaco
Part of the Paraguayan War
Detail from a painting by Cándido López
Date 2 May 1866 Location Ñeembucú Department, Paraguay Result Allied victory
Belligerents
Paraguay Paraguayan Army	Argentina Argentine Army Empire of Brazil Imperial Army Uruguay Uruguayan Army
Commanders and leaders
Lt. Col. José E. Diaz Lt. Col. Bruguez	General Venancio Flores General Osorio
Strength
4,500 infantry 1,000 cavalry mixed battery	At least 11 battalions of infantry two artillery batteries two cavalry regiments
Casualties and losses
2,300 330 captured	1,555 8 captured

The Battle of Estero Bellaco was one of the bloodiest battles of the Paraguayan War (1865–1870), with the Republic of Argentina, the Empire of Brazil and the Oriental Republic of Uruguay banded together against the Paraguayan government of Marshal Francisco Solano López.

This battle took place on 2 May 1866, in which the Allied army repulsed a surprise Paraguayan attack.

Setting

Combat of 2 May 1866 at Estero Bellaco: Attack of the vanguard of the Allied Army by the Division of the paraguayan Lieutenant-Colonel Don José E. Díaz.

Battle of Estero Bellaco, 2 May 1866(L'Illustration: journal universel, Vol. XLVIII, nº 1.227, 1º/09/1866).

On 16 April 1866, Allied troops under the command of Marshal Osorio, crossed the River Paraguay and attacked Fort Itapirú and Paso de la Patria. By the 23rd, the Paraguayans had retreated behind the great marsh of Estero Bellaco. The Allied vangurard, under the command of General Flores, was camped on the southern edge of the marsh, with four Uruguayan battalions and their artillery battery, six Brazilian infantery battalions including artillery battery, a Brazilian cavalry regiment, and further behind, elements of an Argentinian infantry battalion and a cavalry regiment. Flores forces included: the Brazilian 5th, 7th, 3rd, 16th, 21st and 38th Voluntarios da Patria, the Uruguayan 24 de Abril, Florida, Independencia and Libertad, the Argentinian Rosario. Nearby was the main Allied army camped north of Paso la Patria. On 2 May 1866, President Lopez sent 4,500 Paraguayan infantry against this Allied vanguard.

The Battle

The surprise attack started at 1130, the Paraguayans soon overwhelming the Brazilians and Uruguayans, and capturing the Allied artillery. It took the main Allied army, arriving an hour later, to force Colonel José Hedwig Diaz to retreat.

Aftermath

Gen. Flores wrote his wife, "In the future my vanguard will be composed of Argentines."

Location of Estero Bellaco

positions of the belligerent forces on May 2 in Estero Bellaco.

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