Malvinas: Battle Chronology

Maps, Dates and Battle Places

Goose Green Next to Waterloo: The 20 Greatest Battles in British History

The 20 greatest battles in British history

The Telegraph reports that the British National Army Museum has published its shortlist of the greatest battles in British history. The public will vote, either online or at the museum, on which one is the greatest.

The battles, in chronological order:

Battle of Blenheim, August 13, 1704, at Blenheim, Bavaria (War of the Spanish Succession)

Battle of Culloden, April 16, 1746, at Drumossie Moor in Scotland (Jacobite Rebellion)

Battle of Plassey, June 23, 1757, at Plassey in West Bengal, India (Seven Years War

Battle of Quebec, June 13, 1759, outside of Quebec City in Canada (Seven Years War)

Battle of Lexington, April 19, 1775, at Lexington, Massachusetts (American Revolution)

Battle of Salamanca, July 22, 1812, at Salamanca, Spain (Peninsular War/Napoleonic Wars)

Battle of Waterloo, June 18, 1815, at Waterloo, Belgium (Napoleonic Wars)

Battle of Aliwal, January 28, 1846, at Aliwai in Punjab, India (First Sikh War)

Battle of Balaklava, October 25, 1854, at Balaklava, Ukraine (Crimean War)

Battle of Rorke's Drift, January 22-23, at Rorke's Drift, South Africa (Zulu War)

Gallipoli Campaign, April 25, 1915 to January 9, 1916, on the Gallipoli Peninsula in Turkey (World War I)

Battle of the Somme, July 1 to November 18, 1916, on the Somme River in France (World War I)

Battle of Megiddo, September 19 to October 31, 1918, in Israel/Palestine, Jordan, and Syria (World War I)

Battle of El Alamein, October 23 to November 4, 1942, near El Alamein, Egypt (World War II)

Normandy Campaign, June 6 to August 25, 1944, in Normandy, France (World War II)

Imphal/Kohima Campaign, March 8 to July 3, 1944, around Manipur and Nagaland, India (World War II)

Battle of the Imjin River, April 22-25, 1951, on the Imjin River in Korea (Korean War)

Battle of Goose Green, May 28-29, 1982, on East Falkland (Falklands War)

Battle of Musa Qala, July 17 to September 12, 2006, Helmand Province, Afghanistan (War in Afghanistan)


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Triple Alliance War: Roca at Curupaytí

Roca at Curupaytí

Julio Argentino Roca participated in the Battle of Curupaytí, where our troops were defeated. This is how General Garmendia described that return:

“I saw Sarmiento dead – Dominguito, son of the hero –, carried in a blanket by four wounded soldiers: that livid face, full of mud, had the brutal appearance of death (…)

I saw in the distance that Roca came out alone with a torn flag; Around that glorious banner reigned the emptiness of the tomb. When he approached and avoided his sullen horse, I could make out that one of them was riding on his rump: it was Solier covered in blood. Friend had saved friend.

Rivas, so brave on that day as a General on the battlefield, I saw him moaning because of his wound. Anomaly of the brave: many times his own blood troubles them far from the heat of the slaughter.

Ayala, Calvete, Victorica, Mansilla (...) and who knows how many more, all wounded, dripping blood, retreated in silence (...).

That procession of bloody rags was endless, among which was headless Darragueira; of dying people, of unbreakable heroes, of shattered harmonies, of pieces without artillerymen, of horses without restraints (...).

Then it was that the commander-in-chief [Mitre] with his General Staff appeared before my eyes, fatigued by so much horror (...) then I just emotionally suffered the gloomy silence of the soul, that loneliness of ghosts of defeat, and I understood for the first time “In my life what was a great national disaster”

Triple Alliance War: Williams, John Hoyt (2000). "A Swamp of Blood. The Battle of Tuyuti"

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Williams, John Hoyt (2000). "A Swamp of Blood. The Battle of Tuyuti". Military History 17 (1).

Triple Alliance War: Battle of Yatay

Battle of Yatay

Battle of Yatay - August, 17th 1865

The War of Paraguay can be divided into five campaigns: that of Matto Grosso, that of Uruguay, that of Humaitá, that of Pikysyry and that of the Cordilleras. In Matto Grosso's campaign, the Paraguayans took over the fortresses of Coimbra, Alburquerque, Corumbá, Miranda and Dorados. The second had as its objective Uruguay, where two columns of the Paraguayan army headed, through Corrientes and Río Grande, to expel the Brazilians and maintain the sovereignty of that country. The objective of the third - for the allies - was the capture of the stronghold that was the center of the Paraguayan resistance. The fourth is called that because it was developed on the fortified line of the Pikysyry stream, the second center of the resistance in Paraguay. The fifth was the one that took place after the battle of Lomas Valentinas, on the other side of the Cordilleras, to Cerro Corá.

At the beginning of the second campaign, Solano López left the capital to go and lead his armies. He thus left the Assumption forever. He would never enter her again, not allowing her the hazards of a war to the death or even contemplating her from a distance again.

In reality, at that moment - June 8, 1865 - his agony began, which was that of his country, as he was condemned to a cruel and irremediable death. Before leaving, he addressed a proclamation to the people, in which he implied that he was determined to abandon “the bosom of the Homeland,” to join “his comrades-in-arms in the campaign.”

But he arrived in Humaitá and changed his mind, under the influence of insinuating courtiers, such as Bishop Palacios, who ended up convincing him that this useless sacrifice should not be imposed, having at his side so many capable men who could very well replace him... He therefore installed , there his headquarters, establishing active telegraphic communication with the city of Corrientes, where José Berges exercised his representation.

General Wenceslao Robles had, meanwhile, gathered 30,000 men from all three arms and was in a position to march, without any difficulty, overcoming the small obstacles that he found in his path. At that time the general camp of the allies in Concordia had not yet been established, nor did they have troops capable of counteracting the action of Paraguay. No Paraguayan doubted the success of the enterprise entrusted to Robles, an experienced military man, who had given so much evidence of his brilliant organizational skills. But events soon dashed such optimistic hopes.

At the head of that powerful column, Robles felt inferior to his task, unable to act with the resolution and expertise that circumstances imposed on him. He wasted his time with futile pretexts, advancing extremely slowly, distracted by small, unimportant guerrillas. Thus he lost the unique opportunity given to him, giving all the advantages to the opponents. Finally, he entered into deals with the allies, paying with his life for the serious errors committed.

He was replaced by General Francisco Isidoro Resquín, who made his army countermarch, returning with him to Paraguayan territory. The failure of the Robles expedition determined the failure of the Estigarribia expedition. He, leading 12,000 men, invaded the State of Río Grande del Sud, following the line of Uruguay, to meet the other expeditionary column on the border of the Eastern Republic.

The timely arrival of Robles must have prevented the formation of the allied army that went out to defeat him, allowing him to easily subdue the Brazilians. But it didn't happen like that. Robles never reached the eastern border, not passing beyond the limits of Corrientes. Thanks to this, Miter was able to organize the army until he was in a position to defeat the Paraguayans.



Estigarribia really had to back down when he saw that the agreed plan had failed. But he was pushed forward by the numerous eastern leaders who accompanied him, who assured him that, upon reaching the border of his country, he would have the frank support of all Uruguayan compatriots.

Entering Uruguayana was for him entering a mousetrap. He was soon there surrounded by the already powerful allied army, having to succumb, defeated by hunger and death. A part of his army, which was marching along the right bank of the Uruguay River, under the command of Major Pedro Duarte, also succumbed, crushed by much superior forces.

In fact, on August 17, 1865, 3,500 Paraguayans, cavalry and infantry, fought battle, with 11,000 allies of the three arms, under the command of General Venancio Flores.

Despite his overwhelming enemy superiority, Estigarribia ironically rejected the proposal to surrender to the “liberators of his homeland.” “If VV.EE. (he said to the allied leaders) they are so zealous to give freedom to the Paraguayan people, why don't they start by giving freedom to the unhappy blacks of Brazil, who make up the majority of the population, and groan in the harshest and most frightening captivity to enrich and be idle for some of the hundreds of grandees of the Empire?”

After the defeat of the Paraguayans, Flores declared: “The Paraguayans are worse than savages in fighting, they prefer to die rather than surrender…”

Most of the prisoners were put to the sword (it is estimated that there were around 1,400) and the surviving soldiers were enlisted in the battalions of the allied army, thus forcing them to go against their homeland. Flores said: “The eastern battalions have suffered a great loss in Yatay, and I am determined to replace them with the Paraguayan prisoners, giving a part to General Paunero to increase his battalions, some of which are small.” Meanwhile, Argentine Vice President Dr. Marcos Paz adds: “General Flores has adopted a system of incorporating all prisoners into his ranks, and after reloading his battalion with them he has organized a new one of 500 places with pure Paraguayans.” .

The great oriental publicist, Carlos María Ramírez, protested in 1868 against the systematic repetition of the same event: “The prisoners of war,” he said, “have been distributed among the line corps and, under the flag and in the uniform of the allies, compelled to to turn their weapons against the defenders of their homeland. Never has the 19th century witnessed a greater outrage to the rights of nations, to humanity, to civilization!

In the Fifth Section, the Ombucito farm, there is a monolith that evokes the Battle of Yatay. This site was declared a Historic Site on February 4, 1942, by Law 12665, as stated in “Monuments and Historic Places” by Hernán Gómez. There a stream meanders, through bushes and grasslands, which empties into the Uruguay River. This landscape is adorned with elegant Yatay palm trees (Yatay means Palm Tree in Guaraní). They gave their name to the stream and the place. The toponym gave the name to the battle.

Source

Efemérides – Patricios de Vuelta de Obligado
O’Leary, Juan E. – El Mariscal Solano López – Asunción (1970).
Portal www.revisionistas.com.ar
Rosa, José María – La Guerra del Paraguay y las Montoneras Argentinas – Buenos Aires (1985).
Turone, Gabriel O. – La Batalla de Yatay – (2007)

Source: www.revisionistas.com.ar

Conquest of the Desert: Battle of Paragüil

Battle of Paragüil

Monolith commemorating the Battle of Paragüil

On March 1, 1876, Colonel Salvador Maldonado faced and defeated 2,500 lancers in Horquetas del Sauce. Despite this setback, the indigenous people regrouped and launched further attacks on the towns. However, they were once again defeated by Colonel Victoriano Rodríguez and Lieutenant Colonel Antonio Dónovan at the Paso de los Chilenos. The fierce battle saw the savage warriors fighting fiercely on foot and horseback, as exemplified in the combat of La Tigra, where thousands of cattle, sheep, and mares were driven to the toldería. After two days of intense fighting, commanders Vintter and Freire managed to seize 250,000 head of livestock.

The decisive battle that marked the climax of this series of terrorizing raids was the Battle of Paragüil. From March 16 to 18, a brutal wave of 3,000 horsemen, led by caciques Manuel Namuncurá, Juan José Catriel, and Pincén, unleashed havoc in Juárez, Tres Arroyos, and Necochea. Colonel Levalle was entrusted with the grave responsibility of confronting them. The fiercest battle of the "big invasion" series unfolded near the Paragüil lagoon. The Indians fought with untamed fury, determined to win or die in combat. For five hours of bloody engagement, the numerical superiority of the aborigines seemed to prevail, and the resistance of Colonel Levalle's forces was on the verge of collapse, encircled by a narrow circle of spears and shouts. However, providentially, Colonel Salvador Maldonado, renowned as "the best spear in the army, a disciple of Sandes," intervened like a cyclone of gleaming steel. The sight of Maldonado overwhelmed the Indians with terror, causing them to flee, abandoning everything and never returning (1).

In a letter to the Minister of War and Navy, Colonel Alsina, Colonel Nicolás Levalle reported the victory at Laguna Paragüil on March 19, 1876. He informed the minister that he had completely defeated the Indians at that location. However, pursuit of the retreating Indians was limited as they dispersed in defeat, some heading south between Libertad and Lamadrid, while others moved southwest between Aldecoa and Defensa. Exhausted and with a horse that had covered more than 40 leagues, Levalle and his forces had to rest for the night, preventing them from engaging in further pursuit to protect their gear.

"Mr. Minister, I cannot calculate at this moment the immense herds that there were, having to remind you that the Indians had many flocks of sheep and many other objects. Mr. Minister, the Indians that were at this point would be 1,500, which makes me suppose that there are Indians inside, and I am afraid that many of them could collect the immense amount of property that was here that was withdrawn inland. Not being able to give V.E. exact data up to this moment, since such a dense fog has dawned and lasts until this moment, which is 10 in the morning, that it cannot be seen from a block away, however I have sent the three Cavalry Regiments to explore the field in different directions, looking for the rakes, which until now I have no part of, however, I harbor the hope that something else can be done, because groups of Indians have been sighted by some firefighters that I have just received.

"Mr. Minister, at the end of this, I must point out the brilliant behavior of the Regiments that have collided, which are the 1st and the 11th, not having had such a fate for the 5th Regiment for having started its charge supported by infantry, in view of which , the Indians withdrew at half rein, having followed the Regiment as far as they could, and completely closed the night, I ordered to ring a meeting in order to organize the forces and that groups of soldiers who had remained behind with the tired horses join us. ”.

"Mr. Minister and friend: I congratulate you with deep regret that this day has not been as complete as I wished, the Indians have left thirty-something dead, taking many wounded, for our part we have only two wounded from the 1st Cavalry Regiment and a soldier from my escort, a picket of 20 men from the 5th Battalion, which a part of it also charged. –Nicolas Levalle”

". Mr. Minister, among the Indians there were, for the most part, those of Catriel, those who fought bravely, firing at us with many carbines, Remingtons and revolvers, Juan José (Catriel) being found dead and the one supposedly wounded. Colonel Plácido López's horse was shot in the head by Remington. OK".

This combat had enormous consequences in the course of the campaign. The feeling of inferiority before the effective organization of the Christian (as the White man) took root with greater force in the conscience of the enemy. From then on things went from bad to worse for the ambitious and cunning chieftain of the last great Indian confederation to rule the plains. Hence, he began to retreat inland, forever leaving the initiative in the hands of the national troops.

The government men were aware of their unquestioned superiority, although they continued to negotiate as "power to power."

In most cases, however, the fruits of diplomacy were spoiled by subordinate executors. Dr. Alsina tried to exclude violence for reciprocal benefit, eliminating reasons for reprisals by the aborigines; but these occurred fatally. Sometimes it was because the offered grass or sugar did not arrive, or because the agreed cows were skinny and old, others because some Indian was mistreated, thus violating the solemn stipulation. As a result of all this, the indigenous people attributed a lack of seriousness to the government of the Huincas, which did not deserve their credit or confidence. This and the lack of resources often led them to join the raid.

Such a state of affairs made one fear the renewal of the secular struggle. Namuncurá tried to avoid open warfare, as long as it did not discredit him or undermine the confidence of the tribes in their political and military hierarchy.

Informed, already by the firemen who spied on the movements of the government troops, already by the reading of the Buenos Aires opposition press, which indiscreetly denounced the supposed errors of the ministerial plans, and still, in the last instance, by the direct impression of their skillful "foreign ministers" who interviewed the Argentine authorities to negotiate about any end of their relations; In short, aware of Dr. Alsina's designs, he arranged isolated and distant attacks to dismantle the enemy device. Knowing the effects of the Remington, he would scatter and move away immediately after the assault, dodging any sustained, formal clash when it didn't come under cover of shadows. Considering that the adversary's military plans could endanger him, he organized a series of raids with the idea of masking his true purpose, which was to carry out an attack on the city of Buenos Aires itself, for which he had summoned up to 6,000 spears. The dispersed actions brought him considerable booty.

Fifteen kilometers north of the Paragüil railway station is a monolith that recalls the place where the battle took place.

Reference

(1) E. Stieben – De Garay a Roca – Buenos Aires (1941).

Source

• Clifton Goldney, Adalberto A. – El cacique Namuncurá – Buenos Aires (1963).
• Efemérides – Patricios de Vuelta de Obligado
• Portal www.revisionistas.com.ar

Military Intervention to Banda Oriental: Battle of India Muerta

Battle of India Muerta

At the beginning of 1845 the fight was going to resume in the Argentine territory, but the war has never been interrupted. In Uruguay three armies of the Confederation are fighting and in Oribe's there are Argentine battalions. There has also been some insignificant meeting in Entre Ríos, promoted by the governor of Corrientes. But now Rosas will have before him the most notable of our soldiers, General Paz, who has just been appointed chief of the Allied Pacifying Army in Corrientes, and who has already begun to organize his troops. This appointment is not the only skill of the Corrientes government. His trade treaty with Paraguay, which Rosas considers a betrayal, because a province cannot agree with a foreigner, is the first step towards military collaboration.

Manuel Oribe defeated Fructuoso Rivera in Arroyo Grande (December 6, 1842). He lost all his army, and even his pistols and sword of honor, which he threw away in order to flee. This act of arms meant the end of the Federation of Uruguay that Rivera presided over. After that battle, the Rosas troops commanded by General Oribe crossed Uruguay, while Rivera's troops fled towards Montevideo without offering resistance. After that, Oribe with almost the entire country in his power. He set out to besiege Montevideo, in a siege that would last nine years and would be remembered by Uruguayan histography as the “Big Site”. And establish his seat of government in what is now known as the Cerrito de la Victoria neighborhood, in what was then the outskirts of Montevideo.

Fructuoso Rivera, who had not exercised acts of government except as he passed, at the points he occupied with his arms, was followed by the army under the command of Urquiza, who caught up with him in the Sierra de Malbajar, and forced him to cross the border and take refuge in Rio Grande. On behalf of the eastern government, Rivera addressed the Marquis de Caxias, Commander-in-Chief of the Empire's forces in that province, with whom he had had negotiations through his secretary, José Luis Bustamante. There he was able to reorganize with the help of weapons, clothing and horses that he received. The last days of January 1845 he passed to the eastern frontier. His divisions, under the command of Colonels Flores, Freire and Silveira, had minor clashes with those of Urquiza; but as he passed in mid-February from the north to the south of the Negro River and laid siege to the town of Melo, Urquiza gathered his forces and on the 21st moved from Cordobés in the direction of Cerro Largo. Rivera hid in the Sierra del Olimar and Cebollatí. Urquiza countermarched the 23rd of the Dead Fraile, and headed for the path of the blade, with the design of putting himself on the right flank and leading the way. But it was useless. Rivera, knowing the terrain, made Urquiza march and countermarch in order to ruin his horse and fall on him at a propitious moment. They remained like this until March 31, when Urquiza moved from his Los Chanchos camp, upon learning that Rivera, at the head of 3,000 men, was going to take the town of Minas. Urquiza was able to prevent him from reaching the San Francisco bar on time, but he had to remain at this point to give his horses a rest. On the 21st Rivera gathered his entire army and headed for Urquiza. On the 25th both armies sighted each other, and on the 26th he took up positions in the fields of India Muerta.

Rivera had just over 4,000 men; Urquiza had 3,000, most of them veterans. At sunrise on March 27, Urquiza led two strong guerrillas through the Sarandí stream, and behind them he advanced his columns, extending his line within Rivera's cannon shot, and made up the right: from the Entre Ríos division under the command of Colonel Urdinarrain ; center: three companies of the Entre Ríos battalion and three artillery pieces under the command of Major Francia; left: eight cavalry squadrons, two infantry companies and the eastern division commanded by Colonel Galarza. The Entre Ríos squadrons carried out a tremendous charge with saber and spear on the left and center of Rivera, the first made up of recently incorporated militias from the departments of Río Negro, and the second of an infantry battalion and two artillery pieces, respectively commanded by Colonels Baez, Luna, Silva and Tavares. The federal charges were irresistible, and very soon the battle on Rivera's right was reduced, where his best forces were under the command of General Medina, leader of the vanguard. Faced with the danger of being outflanked and encircled, Rivera personally went to his left to redo it, which he was able to accomplish by bringing some squadrons into combat. But Urquiza then launched his reserves, and after an hour of fierce fighting he completely defeated him, killing more than 400 men, among whom there were thirty-odd chiefs and officers; taking about 500 prisoners, the park, horses, all
to his correspondence, and even his sword with shots and balls.

“I notified you of the unfortunate event of the 27th –Rivera writes to his wife- unfortunately I suffered another contrast that forced us to cross the Yaguarón in a bit of a hurry. I lost part of the mount and since that day we have been under the protection of the imperial authorities”.

This victory forever destroyed the military influence of the director of the war against Rosas.

In Buenos Aires, where the news arrives on the last day of March, the triumph is celebrated with great parties: fireworks, downloads, lighting, flagging and street demonstrations with music. A column of four to five thousand people arrives in Palermo. There are deputies, judges, officials. Rosas does not show up to receive his tribute and they are attended by Manuelita.

At the end of January, Admiral Brown, by order of Rosas, has restored the blockade. No longer the partial blockade, like the previous year, to certain merchandises and the exemption for England and France, but the absolute one. But Admiral Lainé does not know. Converted since the previous year into an enemy of Rosas, into another Purvis, he applauds the legionnaires and says he cannot dissolve them because they are no longer French. At the same time, he harasses Oribe, ignores his rights and does not allow other Frenchmen to go to Buenos Aires. He has established in Montevideo, an undoubted intervention. He is the one who now rules there. Very little is missing for the city to be occupied by France. Rosas then decreed, to the indignation of the representatives of France and England, that the ships that had landed in Montevideo should not enter Buenos Aires, the true port of destination.

After India Muerta, the fall of Montevideo seemed inevitable. The government itself even declared that the city could not sustain itself for forty days with its own resources. Oribe convened in May for the renewal of the legislative assembly and elections for the president of the Republic, and proposes the surrender. Repulsed, he prepares to attack. Lainé and Inglefield declare that they will not allow the fall of the city. And that is when they provide it with weapons, ammunition and food and when troops land. And the government of Montevideo writes to the government of Brazil some infamous and shameful words according to which Uruguay, almost having to surrender to a foreign power, "rather than succumb under the blade of Rosas" -words verbatim- "would lie down with preference in the arms of an American power”. That is to say, that before being governed by their compatriot Oribe, hero of Uruguayan independence, one of the "33" and head of Ituzaingó, those bad Uruguayans prefer to be Brazilians, they prefer to hand over their homeland to Brazil, the only and perpetual enemy of Their independence.

Once again, foreigners prevent the fall of Montevideo. Now only four hundred and nine Orientals defend it. The rest of the troops are slaves, mostly belonging to foreigners and in number of six hundred and eighteen; and 2,500 foreigners, including 1,554 French. What have the remaining thousand Frenchmen done? The most serious, as well as others who never formed in the legion, have taken refuge in Buenos Aires. From here they address a petition to the French government, where these significant words are read: "Mr. Lainé, has he been sent to protect the dying party that dominates in Montevideo, or to protect us?" That dying party, those four hundred and nine men, now that Rivera's army does not exist, represent the Eastern State for France and England. And in the name of that handful of individuals, France and England come to get involved in the politics of La Plata, to rule as owners, to impose themselves with their cannons.

And the emigrants? The number of Argentines who defend the plaza is barely one hundred and thirty. Very few more are those who carry weapons. The rest are in Buenos Aires or in Brazil. But those few Argentines are the owners of the Montevideo government, mainly Florencio Varela. Varela must be happy, seeing the result of his mission to Europe, seeing his homeland about to go to war against the two great powers of the world, in danger of being destroyed and devastated.

Source

• Efemérides – Patricios de Vuelta de Obligado (2008).
• Gálvez, Manuel – Vida de Don Juan Manuel de Rosas – Ed. Tor – Buenos Aires (1954).
• Portal www.revisionistas.com.ar
• Saldías, Adolfo – Historia de la Confederación Argentina.

Source: www.revisionistas.com.ar