Siege of Paysandú

Date: January 2, 1865 • Location: Paysandú, Uruguay

This milestone marked the outbreak and beginning of this historic period, which spanned 1864–1865.

Uruguayan War: Brazilian and Colorado Party forces captured the city of Paysandú from its Uruguayan defenders.

The Uruguayan War was fought between Uruguay's governing Blanco Party and an alliance consisting of the Empire of Brazil and the Uruguayan Colorado Party, covertly supported by Argentina. Since its independence, Uruguay had been ravaged by intermittent struggles between the Colorado and Blanco factions, each attempting to seize and maintain power in turn. The Colorado leader Venancio Flores launched the Liberating Crusade in 1863, an insurrection aimed at toppling Bernardo Berro, who presided over a Colorado–Blanco coalition (fusionist) government. Flores was aided by Argentina, whose president Bartolomé Mitre provided him with supplies, Argentine volunteers and river transport for troops.