1846 - NAVAL AND LAND COMBAT OF THE DEL TONELERO

The news arrived from Europe on the reaction of the European press and even in the cabinets of the aggressor powers were encouraging for the Argentine Confederation. however the abuses in the Rio de la Plata by the Anglo-French seafarers were more virulent by the anger and bitterness and helplessness before the spectacular failure that was looming, of those who had been accustomed to take on the world .

Europeans in the Plata redoubled their war efforts which never ceased to find response in defense of Argentine sovereignty and honor.

Refused in their first attempts to make landings after Obligado.

The forces of the Argentine general Lucio Norberto Mansilla recover the small schooner "The Federal" taken to the Confederate fleet in the bay of Montevideo in July last year, and now commanded by English Lieutenant Fagan.

Enraged by these contrasts the aggressors redouble their outrages, on April 21 assault at Rio de la Plata la Ensenada the port of (near the present city of La Plata), committing all kinds of attacks. On April 29, burned the port of Atalaya province of Buenos Aires in the first episode, they stranded an attacking ship when withdrawing, the British officer raises a flag of truce, but when approaching the Argentines were greeted with heavy fire, the which was  answered killing the English midshipman Wardlaw.

Given these attacks, Rosas decrees the penalty of arsonists prescribed in the general laws, for the prisoners to be made ​​to the Anglo French engaged in these activities.

The Tonelero and Quebracho, combats between February and June 1846.

In February and April were conducted different skirmishes in front of the Tonelero and Angostura of the Quebracho during which HMS Harpy, HMS Alecto and HMS Lizard were seriously damaged especially the last two.

The February 10, 1846 the British steamer HMS Gorgon who had gone for reinforcements, was attacked in Angostura of the Quebracho forcing him to return.

On February 11, HMS and HMS Firebrand Alecto were also attacked in the Tonelero where the French furiously bombed the troops of General Mansilla Tonelero field for 3 hours with 64 mm projectiles.

In mid-April, Navy Lieutenant Colonel Juan Bautista Thorne, with one of the mobile batteries puts to flight from El Tonelero the HMS Philomel, and flips the piece of the forecastle of the French Lizard, according to the confession of the English officers in their reports to the commander Hotham.