 Porto Alegre , who had been promoted from baron to viscount , led an amphibious attack that lasted from 1 September until the 3rd . His forces were victorious in the Battle of Curuzú . The allied army next marched to Curupayty , an outer line of defense of Humaitá . The Battle of Curupayty that ensued on 22 September was an immense allied defeat . The allied leaders blamed each other for disastrous failure at Curupayty , but the main focus of Porto Alegre 's denunciations was Mitre . He said : " Here is the result of the Brazilian government 's lack of confidence in its generals and giving its armies to foreign generals . " To end the internecine squabbling , the Brazilian government placed Caxias in command of all Brazilian forces in Paraguay . Formerly friends , Porto Alegre and Caxias ( a member of the Conservative Party ) had been estranged by politics . Tamandaré was replaced by Caxias ' fellow Conservative Chief of Fleet Joaquim José Inácio ( later the Viscount of Inhaúma ) , but Porto Alegre was kept on as head of the 2nd Corps . 
