Exhibition

Over time, the events of the past that are considered worthy of being known as historical events are incalculable.

For various reasons, many of them have shaped the world today and have given rise to many of the customs that we still preserve, while others are part of the collective memory and are approached from different perspectives. However, all the facts of history allow us to know the evolution of societies over time, and help us not to repeat the same mistakes in the present.

In this historical exhibition we remember the actions of each person, discovering the facts that came as a result of their decisions.

Battle of Paso de Cuevas / August 12, 1865

The Battle of Paso de Cuevas was fought on August 12, 1865 during Paraguay's invasion of the Corrientes province and as part of the War of the Triple Alliance (1864-1870) in South America.

The confrontation consisted of Argentina, Brazil and Uruguay against Paraguay, which decided to invade the aforementioned province, causing 21 deaths and 38 wounded in the opposition forces in the Paraná River.

Painting of the Battle of Cuevas (August 12, 1865) during the War of the Triple Alliance (1864-1870), made by José Murature (1804-1880). c.1865. Oil on canvas. 78 x 194 cm.

Invasion

After several years of territorial confrontations in which the Republic of Paraguay advanced on the northeastern provinces of Argentina in clear attempts of possession, the Paraguayan troops seized the ships 25 de Mayo and Gualeguay, formally beginning the occupation of the territory and advancing through the coast of the Paraná river towards the south of the province of Corrientes.

In this context, the Battle of the Riachuelo, on June 11, 1865, and that of Paso de Cuevas, on August 12, 1865, become important, paving the way for the looting of the town of Bella Vista.

The battle takes place between part of the Brazilian fleet and an Argentine ship, against the Paraguayan artillery stationed in the ravines of the Paraná River.

The ships were heading downstream towards the port of Goya but a Paraguayan battery located in the ravines of that pass bombed the ships, dismantling the attack.

Battle of Paso de Cuevas (August 12, 1865): First Lieutenant Fortunato Foster Vidal (1832-1915), secretary of the sea captain Francisco Cordeiro Torres e Alvim (1822-1883), seeing the rudder of the Beberibe corvette disabled by a bullet from the Paraguayan batteries, runs to repair the accident and under fire indicates the ship's course. Semana Illustrada, nº 275, 1866. Made by the German painter Henrique Fleiuss (1824-1882).

Beberibe

Beberibe was a warship that served the Imperial Brazilian Navy during the War of the Triple Alliance (1864-1870), and one of the ships that participated in the Battle of the Riachuelo on June 11, 1865.

Under the command of Captain Joaquim Bonifácio do Amaral (1815-1884), the Beberibe corvette left for Buenos Aires on April 30, integrating a division formed by the Amazonas Frigate, the Jequitinhonha, Belmonte and Parnahyba Corvettes and the Araguary, Mearim Cannoneiras, Ipiranga and Iguatemy commanded by Admiral Francisco Manuel Barroso (1804-1882) to definitively block the enemy in the Paraná River.

Plan showing the upper floor, the main floor and the Beberibe winery (1853), a screw gunboat for Brazil. 505 mm x 1305 mm. National Maritime Museum, Greenwich, London, England.

On June 11, 1865 at 9:00 am the Battle of the Riachuelo begins, favoring the Paraguayans in its beginnings. Belmonte, Jequitinhonha, and Parnahyba were hit and knocked down, and Parnahyba was invaded by enemies, causing heavy casualties. Until finally the Amazon arrived and managed to save the rest of the survivors.

In this battle, Beberibe had 24 casualties, 5 dead and 19 wounded.

The Beberibe corvette participated on August 12, 1865 in the Battle of Paso de Cuevas under the command of First Lieutenant Fortunato Foster Vidal (1832-1915), future Minister of the Brazilian Navy.

Visit to Bernardino Rivadavia / June 1842

At the end of 1840, General Juan Lavalle (1797-1841) in war against Juan Manuel Rosas (1793-1877) invaded the province of Santa Fe in the Argentine Republic. Finally, defeated by federal forces, he died in 1841 in San Salvador de Jujuy.

Among the officers of his army was Brigadier General Tomás de Iriarte (1794-1876), who later wrote his extensive Memoirs. Accompanying Juan Lavalle, Iriarte finally went to Chile and from there he emigrated to Rio de Janeiro where he arrived in 1842.

In Rio, he related to the exiled emigrants who opposed Juan Manuel de Rosas, among them the first president of the United Provinces of the Río de la Plata, Bernardino Rivadavia (1780-1845), whom he visited at his residence in Botafogo with the Portuguese colonizer Ricardo Foster (1808-1865).

Portrait of Bernardino Rivadavia (1780-1845) during his stay in London, England. Oil on canvas. After joining forces to secure Argentina's independence in 1810, Bernardino Rivadavia is appointed as the first president of the Argentine Republic (1826-1827) to provide a solid foundation for the newly independent country.

Memory Museum

Those who lend their memory to complement the story reflect their ability to overcome and at the same time, represent a tool for reconstructing the events of the past through a view of the present.

Meeting of Ricardo Foster & Tomás de Iriarte

Brigadier General Tomás de Iriarte (1794-1876) was a military man and chronicler who left the royalist Army in America and joined the independence movement, fighting in the Brazilian War (1825-1828) and in the Argentine Civil Wars (1814-1876) that faced Juan Manuel de Rosas (1793-1877).

He took part in the Battle of Yavi (1816), then in the campaign over Jujuy and was received by General Manuel Belgrano (1770-1820) and Martín Miguel de Güemes (1785-1821). In 1818 he accompanied General Carlos María de Alvear (1789-1852) in his campaign against the government but was later exiled to Montevideo.

Finally he travels to Chile, then to Rio de Janeiro and years later, in 1849, with the permission of Juan Manuel de Rosas (1793-1877) he returned again to Buenos Aires and wrote the 8 volumes with 10,000 pages of his Memoirs where he describes his meeting with Ricardo Foster (1808- 1865) and his wife Ana Amalia Kagel (c.1819-?).

Tomás de Iriarte (1794-1876) was a military man and chronicler who left the royalist army in America and joined the independence movement, fighting in the Brazilian War (1825-1828), and in the Argentine Civil Wars (1814-1876) that faced Juan Manuel de Rosas (1793-1877). He also served under the command of Manuel Belgrano (1770-1820), who appointed him director of the artillery school, and wrote his instruction for the use of artillery.

Writes: "On the 12th I visited Mr. Bernardino Rivadavia (1780-1845), who has his residence in Botafogo on a well-cultivated farm that serves as great recreation, Mr. Margariños provided me with his carriage and I was accompanied by Dr. Varela, his brother Toribio and the Portuguese merchant Ricardo Foster (1808-1865). I will say in passing that this excellent colleague for whom I brought a letter of introduction from Valparaíso, made so many requests for me to stay at his house that, out of a duty of care and courtesy, I was forced to accept; and I have not had reason to regret it, because the treatment and the frankness and its kind and young companion have enchanted me." (Memorias Del General Iriarte, Volume II - Page 330).

And later: "The third day we did a water tour with Mr. Foster, to Playa de Barreto, north of Playa Grande." (Memorias del General Iriarte, Volume II - Page 342).

And finally, ready to embark for Montevideo, Iriarte says: "On the eighth day after noon I was on board with my little luggage: I returned to land and said goodbye to my esteemed superiors, Mr. Ricardo Foster (1808-1865) and his wife, Mrs. Ana (c.1819-?), who by their attentions and delicacies have made my stay in Rio de Janeiro more bearable: I will never forget the kindness this interesting family has had for me."

"At eight o'clock at night Mr. Foster and Mr. Ceijas accompanied me to the Largo do Passo pier, and after saying goodbye with the most sincere demonstrations of friendship, I boarded a boat." (Memorias del General Iriarte, Volume II - Page 342).

Photograph of Ricardo Foster around 1856 existing in the Gallery of Presidents of the Club del Orden, of the Province of Santa Fe, Argentine Republic. He was a prominent Portuguese colonizer, businessman, landowner, surveyor, and politician. Founder of San Jerónimo Norte and meritorious in the founding of the city of Esperanza.