ORDER OF BATTLE // December 27, 1864
Coimbra Fort Skirmish
Estimated force strength by side, with confidence labels per surviving record.
Forces engaged
1 sides catalogued · combined 3,200 estimated
Paraguay
3,200
Medium-confidence figure
Battle context
The skirmish at Fort Coimbra opened the Mato Grosso campaign of the Paraguayan War, marking Paraguay's first offensive action of the conflict. Under Colonel Vicente Barrios, a force of 3,200 men supported by eleven warships moved against the Brazilian position held by H. Portocarrero, establishing Paraguay's early initiative on this front. The operation signaled that the war would extend beyond the southern theater into Brazil's interior, with the Mato Grosso campaign representing a second axis of Paraguayan pressure on the Empire of Brazil from its outset.
‹ Full battle dossier