the Brazilians. By order of Marshal Argolo Stinger Son, the Brazilian Imperial Army began the attack, while the 1st Battalion followed in the rear of the Brigade of Colonel Fernando Machado to ensure their safety. The Colonel ordered further that cavalry brigades and fire-hydrants to follow the bridge to face. On the Paraguayan side, Colonel Serrano strengthened the defense of the land occupied, knowing that the fight on the bridge would be difficult, swelling the number of soldiers on the bridge with only the troops that were closer. The struggle depend more on dexterity of his men than the number of fighters on the river. In addition, a word-of-fire had been placed strategically next to the bridge to eliminate any soldier who exceed the other side. The first encounter was with Lieutenant Colonel João Antônio de Oliveira Valporto, 16 which progressed with five companies of the 1st Battalion line toward the mouth fire-posted by the Paraguayans. His onslaught was positive because could take her, however, was faced with a great line of enemy infantry and also four more mouths-of-smoke, which struck with devastating power. Accordingly, the Companies Lieutenant Colonel retreated in a confused way to the other side. Noticing that the battalion retreated, Colonel Fernando Machado advanced on the bridge with the bodies 34 and 48 of the Volunteers of the Homeland, thrusting against the enemy, leaving the 13th Corps line of protection for your artillery. However, his attack was a failure, because the enemy artillery opened heavy fire on his group, hitting him so deadly in the middle of the bridge. John Niederauer Nephew crossed the bridge with 6 ° Group Lancers and flanking Battalions Brazilian Imperial Army, stormed the Paraguayan troops, which retreated hastily. With this, Niederauer was able to take the four fire-mouths of the enemy, which had managed to disband the ranks of the allied battalions. The Brazilian Imperial army was weakening, losing many men and leaving many others out of the fight due to injury or bruising. The delay in the appearance of General Osório to combat, as determined previously by Marshal Duke of Caxias, made the latter, at 65 years of age, marched toward the enemy, cheering and calling the emperor Brazilians for what seemed to be the "all or nothing" this first episode of the War of the Triple Alliance. Soldiers weakened, but touched by the bravery of his marshal, followed him for