The Battle of Cerro Corá ended the Paraguayan War with the death of President Francisco Solano López, concluding over five years of devastating conflict.
Key Facts
- Date
- 1 March 1870
- Distance from Asunción
- 454 km (280 mi) northeast
- Brazilian force size
- ~2,600 men
- Paraguayans accompanying López
- ~500 people
- Paraguayan casualties
- ~100 killed, 240 captured
- Brazilian casualties
- 7 wounded
By the Numbers
Location
Cause → Event → Consequence
After more than five years of war, the Paraguayan army had been reduced to the elderly, the sick, and children. Following the last major combat at Acosta Ñu, López retreated northward with a column of about 500 people in desperate conditions. Brazilian commander Count of Eu organized pursuit expeditions, tracking López to Cerro Corá, which he reached on 8 February 1870.
On 1 March 1870, Brazilian general José Antônio Correia da Câmara led roughly 2,600 troops in a surprise two-pronged assault on López's weakly defended camp. Both defensive positions fell quickly. López refused to surrender, was wounded by a spear, fled into the forest, and was ultimately shot near the Aquidaban stream, ending the battle within minutes.
López's death effectively ended the Paraguayan War. Approximately 100 Paraguayans were killed and 240 captured, while only seven Brazilians were wounded. Over time, López's legacy became contested, viewed alternately as a tyrant and a national hero. The name Cerro Corá became embedded in Paraguayan culture, lending its name to streets, buildings, a national park, and a 1978 feature film.
Belligerents & Mobilization Analysis
Side A
1 belligerent
José Antônio Correia da Câmara.
Side B
1 belligerent
Francisco Solano López.