First Retreat

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Battle of River Feio
Part of the Paraguayan War
Date January 1, 1865 Location Guia Lopes da Laguna, Empire of Brazil Result Paraguayan victory
Belligerents
Paraguay Paraguayan Army	Empire of Brazil Imperial Army Armed civilians
Commanders and leaders
Captain Blas Rojas	Col. Dias da Silva
Strength
2,000 soldiers	200 soldiers and civilians
Casualties and losses
3–60 casualties	70 casualties

The Battle of River Feio or First Withdrawal, was an episode that occurred even at the beginning of the Mato Grosso Campaign in which about 200 Brazilians between civilians and soldiers under the command of Col. Dias da Silva faced a Paraguayan column of 2,000 men commanded by Captain Blas Rojas. After a failed attempt at dialogue between both parties, the two forces engaged in combat in the vicinity of the Feio River, in the municipality of Laguna on January 1, 1865, where the outcome was defeat and withdrawal of the imperial forces to Nioaque. It is considered the first Brazilian reaction after the invasion of the Empire. It was known as the First Retreat due to the defeat and subsequent withdrawal of soldiers from the Laguna region, preceding the famous Laguna Retreat that occurred two years later.^{[citation needed]}