People

Manuel Luís Osório

The imperial commander at Tuyutí, wounded at Avay.

Life: 10 May 1808, Conceição do Arroio (Rio Grande do Sul); 4 October 1879
At Tuyutí: Commander of the imperial army
Wound: Shot in the face at Avay, 11 December 1868
Titles: Baron (1866), viscount (1868) and Marquis of Herval (1869)
Today: Patron of the Brazilian Army cavalry

A horseman from Rio Grande do Sul, he was the most popular commander among the imperial troops. On 16 April 1866 he led the landing at Paso de la Patria, and on 24 May he commanded the Brazilians at Tuyutí. In 1868 he led the failed assault on Humaitá, on 16 July, and in December he commanded the 3rd Army Corps. At Avay a bullet shattered his jaw: he wrapped his face in his poncho and went back to the front.

‡ Disputed.That he was the first to set foot on Paraguayan soil at Paso de la Patria is Brazilian tradition; according to another source, the first companies to land were those of the 2nd Volunteers. Place of the wound: Avay, according to most sources; a Brazilian military study also mentions a jaw wound at Humaitá.

Sources: “Manuel Luís Osório, Marquis of Erval” and “Battle of Paso de Patria”, English Wikipedia; Revista Militar of the Brazilian Army; BDEx, “Batalha de Ytororó e Avaí”; Verde-Oliva (2019).

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