Battle of Lomas Valentinas

Battle of Lomas Valentinas
	Part of the Paraguayan War
	; Battle of Lomas Valentinas
Date	December 21–27, 1868
Location	Itá Ybaté, Central Department, Paraguay
Result	Allied victory
Belligerents
Paraguay Paraguayan Army; Armed civilians;	Empire of Brazil Imperial Army; ; Argentina Argentine Army; ; Uruguay Uruguayan Army;
Commanders and leaders
Francisco Solano López	Duke of Caxias
Strength
3,000 men	19,415 men
Casualties and losses
1,500 killed, 1,500 captured	Argentina: 64 killed and 283 wounded; Brazil: 382 killed and 2461 wounded; Uruguay: 80 casualties

The Battle of Lomas Valentinas (also known as the Battle of Ita Ybate) was fought in the Central Department of Paraguay on December 21–27, 1868. The Paraguayan Army, led personally by President Francisco Solano Lopez, were decisively defeated, though he managed to escape. On December 30, 1868, the Paraguayan garrison at Angostura, with 1,907 men, surrendered to the Allies.^[1]^:95–99

Battle[]

Charge of the Argentine infantary at Lomas Valentinas.

Marshal Caxias had left Villeta at 02:00 on the 21st, and was ready to storm the Lomas Valentinas range by noon. Two columns of infantry, one under Gen. Jose Luis Mena Barreto attacking the western defenses at Ita Ybate, and another under Gen. aided by cavalry under Gen. attacking the northern defenses at Loma Acosta, where the hill of Cumbarity was located. The hill was taken by sundown.^[1]^:95–96

On the 22 Dec., Argentine and Uruguay troops advanced towards Lomas Auxilio. Marshal Caxias spent the 23rd reorganizing his battalions. On the 24th, Marshal Caxias demanded the surrender of Lopez, which was refused. The Allied assault commended again with dawn on the 25th and the 26th. The Paraguayan defenses were finally taken on the 27th.^[1]^:97–98

Women[]

Nurse Ramona Martínez, was enslaved by Lopez, but due to her work fighting and encouraging troops at the battle, became known as "the American Joan of Arc".^[2]

Aftermath[]

Lopez made his escape with the Acavera cavalry acting as his escort. Gens. and Bernardino Caballero also escaped. This meant the war would continue.^[1]^:98

References[]

^ Jump up to: ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h Hooker, T.D., 2008, The Paraguayan War, Nottingham: Foundry Books, ISBN 1901543153
^ Delvalle, Acosta; Carolina, Yessica (2019-12-18). "Construcción de identidades, imaginarios y representaciones en el "Álbum Grafico de la República del Paraguay" : La creación de una idea de nación". Cite journal requires |journal= (help)

[Hooker-1] Jump up to: ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h Hooker, T.D., 2008, The Paraguayan War, Nottingham: Foundry Books, ISBN 1901543153

[:3-2] Delvalle, Acosta; Carolina, Yessica (2019-12-18). "Construcción de identidades, imaginarios y representaciones en el "Álbum Grafico de la República del Paraguay" : La creación de una idea de nación". Cite journal requires |journal= (help)

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