Battle of Yatay

The Battle of Yatai was fought on August 17, 1865 between the troops of the Triple Alliance (Argentina, Brazil and Uruguay) and the soldiers of Paraguay near Paso de los Libres, Corrientes, Argentina.

The Battle of Yatai was the first major land battle of the war, and most important of the war's second phase, the battle was fought in the territory of Corrientes.

Background
Following the decalaration of war by Paraguayan president/dictator Francisco Solano Lopez on the state of Argentina the Paraguayans immediately attacked with two columns. The original plan was that the first column, commanded by Wenceslao Robles, would seize Corrientes. A second column of 12,000 men commanded by Antonio de la Cruz Estigarribia would then advance to the east of Corrientes and capture Brazilian possessions on the Uruguay river. The primary focus of this invasion plan was the capture of Brazilian possessions because this would prevent alleged Brazilian expansionsionism which was a great concern of President Lopez. The other column would then capture Corrientes distracting Argentine armed force and create a lifeline between Paraguay and the Atlantic Ocean. This plan was later revised so that two thirds of the assault force would attack Corrientes and latter divert southeast and invade Uruguay.

In response, on May 1 a military alliance was signed between Argentina, Uruguay and the Empire of Brazil.

Following the successful capture of Corrientes, Argentine General Wenceslao Paunero launched a daring attack – on May 25 – which recaptured the city. But, given the enormous numerical superiority of the enemy he chose to evacuated the city and its civilians two days later and head to the southwest of the province. Only after having evacuated Corrientes did Paunero learn that the Paraguayans were making progress on the Uruguay River.

Argentine President Bartolomé Mitre instructed general Urquiza, governor of the province of Entre Ríos,to face the Paraguayan column. Urquiza called on his aid Paunero, who had retreated to Esquina. These forces were joined by a battalion of volunteers from Corrientes, led by Colonel Desiderio Sosa, who had participated in the reconquest of Corrientes, in the battalion there were many future heroes of the History of Corrientes Province such as Santiago Baibiene and Plácido Martínez.

Meanwhile, the naval Battle of Riachuelo took place, during the course of the battle the Brazilian fleet destroyed the Paraguayan squadron near the city of Corrientes. This loss prevented the Paraguayan column Paraná River fom providing support to the forces on the Uruguay River.

Armies
Having invaded the northwestern province of Corrientes, General Estigarribia sent May 5 Colonel Pedro Duarte in front of a small advance column to control the bank of the Uruguay River. Duarte took the city of Santo Tome Estigarribia's forces followed up and met him there four days latter. The army then crossed the Uruguay River and entered the state of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. They left behind them the column of Duarte, with more than 3,000 soldiers to defend Uruguay.

Estigarribia advanced unopposed to the south, taking on São Borja and Itaqui. In the meantime,the Estigarribias's column was attacked and partially destroyed on the outskirts of São Borja, in combating Mbuty. Some of the Paraguayan forces were stationed in Sao Tome and São Borja while Duarte was heading south.

Urquiza ordered Paunero to join him in Concordia, but the leader delayed the completion of Urquiza's orders. On June 4 the troops of Urquiza who refused to fight the Paraguayans, because they considered them allies against Brazil which Argentina had frayed relations with, were disbanded. GeneralVenancio Flores, president of Uruguay fresh from his triumph over the white party or "blancos", marched to join Urquiza with 2 750 men. Also the Brazilian forces, commanded by Lieutenant Colonel Joaquim Rodrigues Coelho Nelly, composed of 1,200 men, were heading their way. They met on July 13. At the 1st meeting Flores was given the Line Cavalry Regiment "San Martín", with 450 men, plus the artillery squadron East with 140 men. In total, Flores had 4,540 men,not nearly enough to confront the Paraguayan columns

Flores, Duarte and Estigarribia marched slowly to meet and make battle, while with 3,600 men Paunero began a rapid march through swamps and rivers, rapidly crossing the southern province of Entre Rios to join Flores. In addition 1,400 of correntina cavalry under General Juan Madariaga joined their forces. Finally, Colonel Simeon Paiva, with 1,200 men, followed closely by the column of Duarte.

Estigarribia had a chance to destroy all his enemies one by one, but missed. He also disobeyed orders from Lopez, who ordered him continue on his way to Alegrete: On August 5, he went to Uruguayana and ordered his troops to reorganize and supply themselves. Brazilian forces of General David Canabarro, too few to attack the column of 5,000 men Estigarribia, were limited to camp near the city without being attacked by the Paraguayans.

On August 2, Duarte occupied the village of San José de Restoration, now the town of Paso de los Libres. A week later, he advanced and was defeated suffering 20 casualties in the battle of Chap Kish. Given the news that all enemy forces were in pursuit, Duarte sought help from his superior, General Estigarribia, who sent him to answer:

""Tell the great Duarte that if he intends to take over command of the Uruguayan force that I would fight the battle myself.""

Insulted, Duarte was prepared to give battle without any help.

On August 13 Paunero avoided the army of Duarte and joined Flores whose forces then numbered 12,000 men, nearly four times the force of Duarte. Duarte moved away from Paso de los Libres and took position on the banks of the stream Yatay, near the village.

There was a brief encounter on the afternoon of August 16, and at dusk, the two armies were facing each other from half a mile off.

The Battle
Both the Yatay and Uruguay rivers had recently flooded, leaving most of the battlefield flooded. Most Paraguayan infantry forces were entrenched among trees and ditches in the area of the nearby village estates, and were protected by a mud that covered the frontal approach, but leaving the stream behind them made it impossible to retreat in the case of a defeat, which was considered very likely Duarte.

Duarte forces consisted of 1,980 infantry and 1,020 cavalry, with no artillery. The Allies had in total 5,550 foot soldiers, 5,000 cavalry and 32 pieces of artillery. Among the leaders of the allied army chiefs were experienced commanders Flores and Paunero, Lion Palleja, Ignacio Rivas, Enrique Castro and José Gregorio Suárez and Argentines Juan Bautista Charlone, José Miguel Arredondo, José Giribone Ignacio Segovia, Joaquin Viejobueno, Leopoldo Nelson, Simeon Paiva and Madariaga.

The battle began at ten o'clock, with a hasty attack on the Paraguayan positions by the Palleja Infantry Division. Duarte took advantage of the mistake and countered with almost all his cavalry, causing hundreds of casualties and forcing them to retreat. Faced with an increasingly bad situation, the cavalry division of Segovia attacked the Paraguayan cavalry, supported by Castro's eastern and Suarez. For two hours the battle was fought exclusively with cavalry.

Duarte ordered a withdrawal maneuver, which finally enabled the Allied infantry into action, and although their (the allies) numerical superiority was overwhelming, the Paraguayans fought back with tenacity. When the battle was almost lost, Duarte tried a desperate cavalry charge, with the result that his horse was killed. Paunero himself demmanded Duarte to surrender, which he finally agreed to do.

A final Paraguayan force of the infantry under Lt. Zorrilla, crossed the stream Yatay and was charged by a cavalry attack of Suarez and Madariaga, who attacked from the rear. A few hundred Paraguayan soldiers swam the river Uruguay, while the rest were killed or taken prisoner. In total, they suffered 1.500 dead and 1,600 prisoners, including 300 wounded.

Consequences
Among the prisoners, Flores found several dozen soldiers from Uruguay, Blanco Party supporters who had taken refuge in Paraguay, and then tried to wrest power in Uruguay from the hands of the Flores' forces. Flores ordered their execution as traitors.

On September 18, after having assured the representatives of Emperor that he would not surrender and would rather be buried under the rubble of Uruguayana, General Estigarribia surrendered almost without fighting anyway.

Soon after, the Paraguayan forces occupying the abandoned city of Corrientes, retreated to the north, and soon to Paraguay. Virtually all the rest of the war was fought in the territory of Paraguay until the country's complete defeat in 1870, after losing 70% of its adult male population.

A street in the city of Buenos Aires, in the district of Caballito, recalls this battle.

Main Bibliography

 * Giorgio, Dante A., Yatay, la primera sangre, Revista Todo es Historia, Nro. 445, Bs. As., 2004.