Pikysyry maneuver: Difference between revisions

{{Short description|Brazilian defense tactic}}

| conflict = Pikysyry maneuver

| partof = the [[Paraguayan War]]

| image = Pedro Américo - Estudo para Passagem do Chaco.jpg

| image_size = 300px

| caption = ''Passagem do Chaco'', oil on canvas by [[Pedro Américo]]

| date = 21December 1868

| place = [[Formosa province]], [[Argentina]]

| casus =

| territory =

| result = Allied victory

| combatant1 = {{flag|Paraguay|1842}}

| combatant2 = {{plainlist |

}}

| commander1 = {{plainlist |

* {{flagdeco|Paraguay|1842}} [[Francisco Solano López|Solano López]]

* {{flagdeco|Paraguay|1842}} [[George Thompson (engineer)|George Thompson]]

}}

| commander2 = {{plainlist |

* {{flagdeco|Empire of Brazil}} [[Luís Alves de Lima e Silva, Duke of Caxias|Marquess of Caxias]]

* {{flagdeco|Argentina}} [[Juan Andrés Gelly y Obes|Juan Andrés Gelly]]

}}

| strength1 = 2,000 men<ref name=Hooker>Hooker, T.D., 2008, The Paraguayan War, Nottingham: Foundry Books, {{ISBN|1901543153}}</ref>{{rp|95}}

| strength2 = 8,000 men<ref name=Hooker/>{{rp|95}}

| casualties1 = 600 killed, 200 captured<ref name=Hooker/>{{rp|95}}

| casualties2 =

The '''Pikysyry maneuver''' was a tactic used by Brazilian marshal [[Luís Alves de Lima e Silva, Duke of Caxias]], during the [[Paraguayan War]] to outflank the Paraguayan southern defense line along the stream of Pikysyry consisting of 142 gun platforms along a line 9.1&nbsp;km long, built by the British engineer Lt. Col. [[George Thompson (Military Engineer)|George Thompson]]. Just to the north were the batteries of Angostura, protecting the [[River Paraguay]]. Marshal Caxias decided to attack from the Paraguayan rear by constructing a 10.7&nbsp;km road on the [[Gran Chaco|Chaco]] side of the river starting at Santa Theresa.<ref name=Hooker/>{{rp|88–91}}

==Background==

On 11 Oct. 1868, 1,122 men under the command of Lt. Col. [[Antonio Tiburcio]] landed near Santa Theresa on the west side of the Paraguay River. An additional 2,925 infantry, 327 pontoniers, 198 artillerymen and 94 cavalry were landed and overall command for building the road was the responsibility of Lt. Col. Rufino Galvao of the Engineers. The road was constructed of palm tree trunks. On 27 Nov. Marshal Caxias moved his headquarters to the Chaco side of the river. By early December, the road had been completed to Santa Helena and 19,000 Allied troops were ready to cross over to San Antonio.<ref name=Hooker/>{{rp|90}}

==Battle of Pikysyry==

After the successful battles of [[Battle of Ytororó|Ytororó]] and [[Battle of Avay|Avay]], the allied army was ready to capture the Paraguayan defenses at Pikysyry. A column of 2,700 men under general [[João Manuel Mena Barreto]] mounted a flanking movement while troops under general [[Juan Andrés Gelly y Obes]] made a simultaneous feint to the front. The December 21 attack was a complete surprise to the Paraguayans.<ref name=Hooker/>{{rp|95}}

==Aftermath==

Some 500 Paraguayans escaped to Angostura and another 200 to Lomas Valentinas.<ref name=Hooker/>{{rp|95}}

==Gallery==

<gallery>

File:War in Parguay - Engagement at Chaco.jpg|Engagement at [[Chaco Department|Chaco]] ([[Harper's Weekly|''Harper's Weekly: A Journal of Civilization'']], Vol. XII, nº 617, 24/10/1868)

</gallery>

==References==

{{reflist}}

* https://web.archive.org/web/20091027012012/http://br.geocities.com/guerrapara/dezembrada.htm {{in lang|pt}}

* https://web.archive.org/web/20091027111502/http://www.geocities.com/Pentagon/Camp/2523 {{in lang|en}}

* https://web.archive.org/web/20091027043104/http://geocities.com/ulysses_costa/Guerradoparaguai {{in lang|pt}}

[[Category:December 1868 events]]

[[Category:1868 in Argentina]]

[[Category:History of Formosa Province]]