Battle of Avay The Battle of Avaí was fought by the stream of the same name in Paraguayan territory in December 1868 during the Paraguayan War , between the forces the Triple Alliance and the Paraguay . It was one of the battles fought during the conflict known as December , when it recorded a series of victories achieved by Caxias in that month , to move toward the south to take Piquissiri behind , namely : the battles of Itororó , Avai , Valentinas Lomas and Angostura . On the night of December 10 , 1868 , 9 , 000 men of the Brazilian Army camped at Ipanema Porto , Paraguayan territory . At dawn , Caxias ordered to march toward the town of Villeta , Paraguayans , in equal numbers , standing at the bridge south of the creek Avai . After the victory , the Brazilian troops came to rest in Villeta , the river Paraguay . During the melee , the Paraguayan forces fought tenaciously , but was surrounded by a flank movement and shattered . Only 100 Paraguayans , including Gen . Bernardino Caballero , managed to escape . The oral tradition refers to the Paraguayan participation of hundreds of women between the combatants . The Battle . It was necessary to take Angustura and Vileta and make the connection with the squadron to receive supplies . At dawn on 11 December , the Army continues its advance into the South " The commander in chief , convinced of the importance of fighting the 6th , the resistance that the enemy had made the bridge decided not to lose the initiative to pursue vigorously its withdrawal . Having slept on the night of 6 to 7 , on the battlefield , rose before daybreak to order provisions of march . " Would have to cross the stream Avai : but on that waterline , cleverly leveraging the advantages of the land , there was again General Caballero , with 7 , 000 men and 18 artillery pieces , repeating the device bridge Itororó . " Interferes from this brief description that the Brazilian had first to descend the stream , then transpose it and finally climb the hill opposite to dislodge the enemy . These should be in an excellent position to repel the attackers or during the march approach , both in the loading phase " It is marked and quickly recognized the position of Caballero . Caxias decide without delay goes up to the attack , initiated by Osorio , in the center . The Paraguayans - with their traditional bravery - resist . At the most difficult time , falls on the battlefield violent squall : floods up the land , growing the volume of the stream , water is the ammunition of the attacking force , and the Brazilians had to resort to the weapon . Fight on every corner , with indescribable enthusiasm and bravery Homeric ! A load , drops dead , the cold iron , Lieutenant Colonel Francisco de Lima e Silva , then Lt . Col . Pedro Antonio de Oliveira and Colonel Niederauer , the ground is littered with heroes . Caxias , from his observatory on horseback , and near the front lines , accompanies all bids and command combat . He himself , in a moment , commands a personal violent intervention of the 2nd Corps on the right flank of the position . Osorio is wounded in the face by rifle bullet . José Luiz Mena Barreto is a battering ram , opening gaps . Colonel House - ahead of his cavalry - seems a figure caption in entreveros consecutive surrounded by squadrons battle it out . When going through the marshal , with his horsemen restive , Caxias promotes : " - General , praise him for his brilliant loads ! . . . " Andrade Neves and João Manuel Mena Barreto , running the final phase of the maneuver - each on one of the flanks of the position - arrive at the right time and desferem their fatal blows . The resistance weakens and the position is raptured . The fight lasted five hours . Caxias reaches one by one their goals in a victorious march with his name glorious immortality heroes .