Passage of Humaitá

Victor Meirelles (1832-1903): Study for The Passage of Humaitá. In this 1886 study the event is represented in the romantic historical style.

Date	19 February 1868
Location	Paraguay River, Humaitá
Result	Brazilian victory

Belligerents

Paraguay

Empire of Brazil

Commanders and leaders

Paulino Alén

Delfim de Carvalho

Strength

Fortress of Humaitá

3 coastal battleships
3 river monitors

Casualties and losses

unknown

10 wounded

The Passage of Humaitá (Portuguese: Passagem de Humaitá) was an operation of riverine warfare during the Paraguayan War − the most lethal in South American history − in which a force of six Brazilian Navy armoured vessels was ordered to dash past under the guns of the Paraguayan fortress of Humaitá. Some competent neutral observers had considered that the feat was very nearly impossible.

The purpose of the exercise was to stop the Paraguayans resupplying the fortress by river, and to provide Brazil and its Allies with a much-needed propaganda victory. The attempt took place on 19 February 1868 and was successful, restoring the reputation of the Brazilian navy and the Empire of Brazil's financial credit, and causing the Paraguayans to evacuate their capital Asunción. Some authors have considered that it was the turning point or culminating event of the war. The fortress, by then fully surrounded by Allied forces on land or blockaded by water, was captured on 25 July 1868.

The Paraguayan War (also known as the War of the Triple Alliance) of 1864-1870 was the most lethal in South American history, and − in terms of its relative mortality − very possibly the worst in modern history, anywhere. It commenced when Marshal-President López of Paraguay seized the Brazilian government ship Marques de Olinda on her routine voyage up the River Paraguay to the Brazilian province of Mato Grosso, then sent military forces to invade the province itself. It developed further when he seized Argentine naval vessels moored in the port of Corrientes, north east Argentina. Thereafter López sent two further armies, one to invade the Argentine province of Corrientes along the River Paraná and the other to invade the Brazilian province of Rio Grande do Sul along the River Uruguay. On 1 May 1865 Brazil, Argentina and Uruguay signed the Treaty of the Triple Alliance by which they would not negotiate peace with Paraguay until the government of López had been deposed.

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