1846 - LAND AND NAVAL COMBAT NARROWNESS OF THE QUEBRACHO
The Battle of Quebracho (from Punta Quebracho or Narrowness Quebracho) against the Anglo-French invasion fleet, occurred on June 4, 1846, about eight months after the battle of Vuelta de Obligado. The place is about a league north of San Lorenzo, today near the town of Puerto General San Martín, 35 km. upstream of Rosario, province of Santa Fe Anglo-French ships returned to the Rio de la Plata after having been its campaign a total economic and military failure, eight months after had forced the passage northward into the Vuelta de Obligado.
On June 2, 1846the authorities in Goya, Corrientes Province, which confronted with the Argentine Confederation led by Brigadier General Juan Manuel de Rosas, offered a farewell reception and dance in honor of the Anglo-French fleet . The latter departed with 95 ships escorted by 16 British and French warships including the steamship HMS Gorgon totaling 37 guns.
On June 4, the forefront of the fleet of 12 ships and 95 merchant ships full of goods, tried to force their way through the Pass of Narrowness of Quebracho.
The first warships appeared at 10.30 am: HMS Firebrand, HMS Gorgon and HMS Alecto followed by San Martin, HMS Fanny and Procida, in the rear and the Corvette Coquette and the Steamers Lizard and Harpy
Confederate forces of the General Lucio Norberto Mansilla, had three batteries with 17 guns led by Colonel Manuel Virtoin the center was Navy Lt. Col. Juan Bautista Thorne with two batteries and two companies of infantry and, on the other hand, Santa Fe Corps, commanded by Lt. Col. Martin Isidoro Santa Coloma and Lezica.
Approximately 300 meters from the canal were crouching, 750 men of the Argentine Confederation.
At 1045 hours Navy Lt. Col. Alvaro Alzogaray opened fire on HMS Gorgon with Congreve rockets. After 2 hours of fighting the Anglo-French fleet had to retreat to cover the remaining merchant. The HMS Harpy was severely damaged, were also sunk two merchant ships and 4 others were burned to not be captured by Confederate forces. The Anglo-French fleet suffered 60 casualties and Confederate forces had one man dead and four injured including Juan Bautista Thorne who suffered a shrapnel wound in his back.
Six months earlier, against the same invaders, General Mansilla had received a gunshot that practically left him for dead (bout of Vuelta de Obligado), however, within a few hours rose from his tent and kept fighting. Now in Quebracho, returned to the attack shouting "Long live the Argentina sovereign independence."
the combat of the of Quebracho besides its enormous military and political importance, was the final seal of the economic and commercial disaster of an unjust and arrogant company, held by those who, secure in their enormous material superiority with no all human considerations and trampling on the legal rights of the Argentine Confederation, proposed a substantial dividend.
Report from Paraná War - Battle of Punta del Quebracho:<
Date: June 4, 1846.
Location: Rio Parana - A league north of San Lorenzo - Province of Santa Fe
Result: Victoria Confederation from the Argentine.
Belligerent: Argentine Confederation - UK + France.
Commanders: General Lucio Norberto Mansilla + Tte. Col.. Navy Juan Bautista Thorne.
Argentine Forces in combat: 17 guns + 600 infantry + 150 riflemen
Casualties: 1 dead - 2 injured.
Anglo French Invading Forces: 6 sunken ships and 60 dead.
As a result of this action the invasion of the Anglo-French naval forces in the Parana River ends and shortly thereafter, on July 13, 1846, Sir Thomas Samuel Hood, with full powers of the governments of England and France, presented humbly before Juan Manuel de Rosas with this request:
"the most honorable possible withdrawal of the joint Anglo-French naval intervention."
The Argentine government gets this:
End the naval blockade of France and England and to Argentine Río de la Plata ports.
Retrieve the Argentine Fleet captured illegally during diplomatic negotiations of the belligerents front of Montevideo.
Retrieve Martin Garcia Island.
Receive front of Buenos Aires a 21-gun salute to the Flag of Argentina by each of the invading fleets.
The recognition of the sovereignty of Argentina and its exclusive rights to the navigation of inland rivers.
On 13 July 1846 arrived the mission of Thomas Samuel Hood aboard HMS "Devastation" which agreed that our rivers were subject to Argentine regulations, although the European trend of the time was to allow free navigation of all flags such the case the Rhine, presented at the Congress of Vienna in 1815.
To William Gore Ouseley and French baron Defaudis were ordered to return to Europe
The Admirals Laine (France) and Inglefield (England), were replaced by Admirals Le Predour and Herber, respectively.
In May 1847 arrived to Argentina the commissioners Count Alexandre Joseph Colonna-Walewski (France) and Lord Howden (England) and July 14, 1847 stopped the British blockade the Rio de la Plata. France stopped blocking the June 16, 1848.
In November 1848 arrived in Buenos Aires the British commissioner Southern. The British forces evacuated the Martín García island, returned our vessels caught illegally and paid tribute to the flag of Argentina Confederation.
The British Admiral Reynold arrived aboard HMS Southampton and returned our Brigantine ARA "25 de Mayo" which came towed by steam HMS Harpy.
On March 6, 1849 Arana-Southern pact was signed and in 1851 Arana-Le Predour.
In 1851, the French returned the Brigantine ARA Maipú.