Wenceslao Robles | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | c. 1820 Santísima Trinidad, Asunción, Paraguay |
| Died | January 6, 1866 (aged 45–46) Paso de Patria, Ñeembucú, Paraguay |
| Allegiance |  Paraguay |
| Branch |  Paraguayan Army |
| Years of service | ??? – 1866 |
| Rank | Brigadier General |
| Battles/wars | Paraguayan War
|
Wenceslao Robles was a Paraguayan general of the Paraguayan War who led the Battle of Corrientes and was described as "the oldest and the most forgotten of the generals of the war of 64/70". [1]
Wenceslao Robles was born at Santísima Trinidad, Paraguay. [1] In 1864, the year in which the Paraguayan War broke out, he held the rank of brigadier general of the Paraguayan army. Only Francisco Solano López held the rank of general, which was why Robles was responsible for organizing and commanding the troops of his nation gathered at Fort Cerro León. When Paraguay attacked Argentina, he was placed in charge of the Fortress of Humaitá and was responsible for transmitting the news of the declaration of war and the corresponding instructions from Foreign Minister José Berges and from Finance Minister Mariano González to Paraguayan officials in the Río de la Plata. [1] [2]
On April 14, 1865, he left Itapirú at the head of an expeditionary force of 3,000 men, occupied the city of Corrientes, and advanced towards the south of that province. [1]
López sent Lieutenant Colonel Paulino Alén to award the National Order of Merit to him, but Robles violently rejected the decoration, protesting loudly about the hardships suffered by his troops, especially their lack of coats. [1]
In response, López promoted Colonel Francisco Isidoro Resquín to the rank of brigadier general and named him second commander of the Southern Division. Next, he sent the Minister of War and Navy, General Vicente Barrios, with the order for his dismissal and arrest. Barrios presented himself at Fort Empedrado, Corrientes and proceeded to carry out his commission. [1] [3]
Robles was transferred to Humaitá and after being judged for failure to comply with orders, he was shot at the Paso de Patria Camp on January 6, 1866. [1]
A witness portrays him thus: "Among the diners are... Wenceslao Robles, the only general in the ranks, apart from Solano López, and one of the few soldiers who did not wear a beard at that time..." [4]
Francisco Solano López Carrillo was a Paraguayan military officer, politician and statesman who served as President of Paraguay between 1862 and 1870, of which he served mostly during the Paraguayan War (1864–1870). He succeeded his father Carlos Antonio López as the second president of Paraguay. Solano López is the only Paraguayan ruler to have been killed in action. He is one of only two Paraguayans to have received the rank of Marshal, along with José Félix Estigarribia.
The Paraguayan War, also known as the War of the Triple Alliance, was a South American war that lasted from 1864 to 1870. It was fought between Paraguay and the Triple Alliance of Argentina, the Empire of Brazil, and Uruguay. It was the deadliest and bloodiest inter-state war in Latin American history. Paraguay sustained large casualties, but the approximate numbers are disputed. Paraguay was forced to cede disputed territory to Argentina and Brazil. The war began in late 1864, as a result of a conflict between Paraguay and Brazil caused by the Uruguayan War. Argentina and Uruguay entered the war against Paraguay in 1865, and it then became known as the "War of the Triple Alliance."
The Battle of Riachuelo was a large and decisive naval battle of the Paraguayan War between Paraguay and the Empire of Brazil. By late 1864, Paraguay had scored a series of victories in the war, but on 11 June 1865, its naval defeat by the Brazilians on the Paraná River began to turn the tide in favor of the allies.
The Mato Grosso campaign was an early Paraguayan offensive in the Paraguayan War. Paraguay invaded the Brazilian province of Mato Grosso.
The military history of Brazil comprises centuries of armed actions in the territory encompassing modern Brazil, and the role of the Brazilian Armed Forces in conflicts and peacekeeping worldwide. For several hundreds of years, the area was the site of intertribal wars of indigenous peoples. Beginning in the 16th century, the arrival of Portuguese explorers led to conflicts with the indigenous peoples; a notable example being the revolt of the Tamoio Confederation. Sporadic revolts of African slaves also marked the colonial period, with a notable rebellion led by Zumbi dos Palmares. Conflicts were fought with other European nations as well – two notable examples being the France Antarctique affair, and a conflict with the Netherlands in the early 17th century over control of much of Northeastern Brazil. Although Portugal retained its possessions during conflicts with other nations, it lost control of the colony after the Brazilian war of Independence, which led to the establishment of the Empire of Brazil.
The Battle of Cerro Corá was the last battle of the Paraguayan War, fought on 1 March 1870, in the vicinity of Cerro Corá, 454 kilometres (280 mi) northeast of Paraguay's capital Asunción. It is known for being the battle in which Francisco Solano López, Paraguayan president, was killed at the hands of the Imperial Brazilian Army.
Venancio López Carrillo was a Paraguayan politician and military officer. He was Carlos Antonio López's son, and Francisco Solano López' brother; Carlos was Paraguay's leader between 1841 and 1862, and Francisco was President between 1862 and 1870. Venancio was for years Minister of War and Navy, and, before that, commander of the Asunción Paraguayan Army garrison.
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The Second Battle of Tuyutí was fought on 3 November 1867 between the Paraguayan Army and a smaller allied Brazilian-Argentine force. The Paraguayans lost twice as many soldiers as the allies and were defeated.
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Francisco Isidoro Resquín Xara was a Paraguayan general during the War of the Triple Alliance. He was considered to be one of the most brilliant generals of the war and his writings are one of the main primary sources on the conflict.
José Elizardo Aquino Jara was a Paraguayan general who was considered a hero of the War of the Triple Alliance. He was one of the first senior Paraguayan military leaders to die in combat. Aquino was a lieutenant colonel at the time of being shot during the Battle of Boquerón.
Antonio de la Cruz Estigarribia was a Paraguayan Lieutenant colonel who was notable for his service in the Paraguayan War. He served as one of the main Paraguayan commanders during the Invasion of Rio Grande do Sul, organizing the Battle of São Borja and the Siege of Uruguaiana before his surrender.
Pedro Ignacio Meza was a Paraguayan commodore who commanded the Paraguayan Navy in the early years of the War of the Triple Alliance until his death at the Battle of Riachuelo.
Vicente Barrios Bedoya was a Paraguayan general and politician who was the son-in-law of President Carlos Antonio López. Under López and his successor, Marshal and President Francisco Solano López, Barrios held many positions throughout the earlier years of the Paraguayan War and participated in the earlier battles and campaigns of the war.
The Corrientes campaign or the Paraguayan invasion of Corrientes was the second campaign of the Paraguayan War. Paraguayan forces occupied the Argentinian city of Corrientes and other towns in Corrientes Province. The campaign occurred at the same time as the Siege of Uruguaiana.
Wenceslao Paunero was an 19th-century Argentine General, politician and diplomat of Uruguayan origin. He was born within the Banda Oriental and would go on to be a major member of the Unitarian Party. He was also the Minister of War and Navy of Argentina and the provisional Governor of Córdoba.
The San Fernando massacre, was an episode that took place on 21 December 1868, on the eve of the Battle of Lomas Valentinas, during the Pikysyry Campaign in the Paraguayan War, which consisted of the summary trial and execution of hundreds of prisoners by order of Paraguayan president Francisco Solano López. Some prisoners were accused of plotting an alleged conspiracy to overthrow López. Among the dead was López's own brother, Benigno López.
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