Battles of the Cisplatine War
1825–1828 · 4 battles covered, in date order. Click a battle on the map for its summary.
Battle (size: ships engaged)
Argentine movement
Brazilian movement
Routes are approximate.
1826
11 June 1826 · Los Pozos anchorage, off Buenos Aires
Battle of Los PozosUnited Provinces success; the Brazilian attack beaten off
The Brazilian blockading squadron came up the river to attack Brown's ships at their anchorage of Los Pozos, in full view of Buenos Aires, where crowds watched from the shore. Brown had placed his ships in the deep pools between the shoals, and the bigger Brazilian ships could not close with him in the shallows. After an exchange of fire at long range they withdrew.
1
vs
0
29–30 July 1826 · Off Quilmes, Río de la Plata
Battle of QuilmesBrazilian victory; 25 de Mayo wrecked
Brown sailed out to attack the Brazilian squadron of James Norton, a British officer in Brazilian service, off Quilmes. At dawn on 30 July his flagship 25 de Mayo found herself engaging the Brazilian ships almost alone, the rest of his squadron holding back. After three hours she was a wreck, and Brown shifted his flag and fell back into the shallows where the Brazilians could not follow. 25 de Mayo was towed into Los Pozos and later capsized. Among Norton's ships were three veterans of the war of independence: the frigate Niterói and the corvettes Maria da Glória and Liberal.
4 (1 lost)
vs
15
1827
8–9 February 1827 · Juncal Island, Uruguay River
Battle of JuncalUnited Provinces victory; the Brazilian river squadron destroyed
Brazil sent a squadron of schooners and gunboats under Jacinto Roque de Sena Pereira up the Uruguay River to cut the Argentine army off from Buenos Aires. Brown followed it with a squadron of small craft and caught it near Juncal Island. On the second day he attacked and broke it up: Sena Pereira's flagship Oriental and twelve other vessels were taken, three were burned by their crews, and Sena Pereira was captured. It was the greatest Argentine naval victory of the war.
15
vs
1 (15 lost)
7–8 April 1827 · Off Ensenada, Río de la Plata
Battle of Monte SantiagoBrazilian victory; the best Argentine ships lost
Brown tried to break out of the river with his four best ships to raid Brazilian trade at sea. Off Monte Santiago, near Ensenada, the brigs República Argentina and Independencia ran aground on a bank, and the Brazilian squadron came up and pounded them for two days. Independencia struck and República was destroyed; Brown, wounded, got away in the schooner Sarandí. It left the Brazilians in command of the river for the rest of the war.
4 (2 lost)
vs
1