§cenes of War and (Jh a racters Kpt c ^ e^
Universily of California, Los Angeles
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The
Fritz L. Hoffmann Collection
A Gift of
Olga Mingo Hoffmann
1994
Mains on Hip lliii Paraguay
SCENES OF DEB AMD CHAR1CTEBSCETCBK
BY
Albert Amerlan
With Illustrations by A. Methfessel,
Translated from the German
BY
HENRY F. SUKSDORF.
ir
BUENOS AIRES
Proprietors and Publishers, Hermann Tjarks & Co.
648 — C A i. i. k CU y — 648
19 2
This work is the property of the publishers, who reserve to themselves
all the rights to which they are entitled by law.
Oof ^
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CONTENTS.
PAGE
A Short Review i;y the Translator 1
Introduction . . . .- 7
A Lonely Man II
After the Death of the Dictator t\
The Marshal-President 2(!
Tuyctv 37
Cdruzl 49
The Tun hi: of the Tenth 56
The Conference 62
With the I IutposTS 73
CURDPAITl 79
Cessation of Operation. . . 87
The Si rprise 94
The Alagoas ' 104
Tin. Bog ubantes* 109
Tin; Lagi \a Acayi .nasa 112
In the Camp of a Tyrant 119
Tin. Lomas Ita-Yvate and Cumbarity 131
In the Sierra Mbonaypey 1 '§- 1
• In i hi: AqGIDABANIGUY 1 ItN
('.unci. I SION 156
-••:••
A short Review by tl\e Translator.
The tragic fate of a brave people, battling heroically for
Iheir existence against great odds, but suffering annihilation
through internal and external causes, will always challenge the
attention, sympathy and admiration of the whole world. Such
,-i spectacle is furnished us in the almost complete extermina-
tion of the Guaranis in Paraguay in their war with the com-
bined armies of the Argentine Republic, Brazil and L'ruguay
from 1865 to 1870.
The history of the aborigines of America, since the advent
ill Colombus, is one continuous, doleful chronicle of the des-
truction of an, in many respects, noble race, by the resistless
advance of invading and conquering nations. The noonday
of the native American race, the dayof its strength, vigor and
progress, belongs to the distant, prehistoric past. It had grown
old. feeble, fossilized, nnprogressive and stagnant when Euro-
peans discovered the new continent, old age had come over
the race and it had lost all capacity to adapl itself to the new
conditions and to join tin- advancing hosts of progress and ci-
vilization. It was doomed to perish in accordance with the se-
vere hut immutable laws ol nature, h\ which everything which
grown old ami has outlived its usefulness, must hi' des-
troyed ami removed, to make room for thai which is younger,
stronger ami better suited to the new. prevailing conditions.
Tin- downfall of hardy, noble, warlike bul petrified and
unprogressive tribes ami nations before the uninterrupted as-
saults of Hi' ssive ami progressive invaders tills manj
highlj interesting and instructive pages of American history
dining the last lour centuries. A whole race, counted h\
millions, and peopling the two continents from Cape Horn to
beyond the Artie circle, lias heen almost wiped out of exis-
tence- in that brief time. The conquests of 3Iexico and Peru
and the ceaseless wars along the ever expanding frontiers of
white settlements furnish chapters full of episodes of romantic
interest, hold adventure, courageous endurance, stubborn resis-
tance, intrepid and heroic self-sacrifice noble love of home and
race and stoic indifference to pain and death. They also furn-
ish valuable lessons to mankind. They teach us that the final
decay of decrepit old age awaits all nations and races sooner
or later and that culture and civilization demand that nations
grown old and feeble will be accorded the kind and considerate
treatment which christian and civilized people extend to the
aged at their homes.
The extermination of the Guaranis, in these last days of
the Indian, is an episode, unique in its kind and of surpassing
value as an ethnical study. In all the other wars and conflicts
the Indian opposed his aboriginal methods, manners, institu-
tions and culture to those of the invading conquerors. It was
a test of strength between an ancient and a modern civiliza-
tion, and the old went down. With the Guarani it was different.
They were, what was called, civilized and christianized In-
dians. They had abandoned the old gods, habits, customs and
institutions of their fathers and had adopted in their stead
those of their white tutors and conquerors. They had been,
docile pupils of foreign masters for three centuries.
Did European civilization penetrate deep into the na-
ture of the Guarani ? Did the religion of Christ, as taught
by the missionaries, leaven and modify his mental and moral
character ? Did he absorb, digest and assimulate Arian civi-
lization to make it his own ? What fruit did the foreign graft
on the native slock produce ? Was the reformation wrought,
superficial or radical, beneficial or otherwise ? These questions
arise and are partly answered by a perusal of Guarani history.
Kindred questions are asked throughout all America by states-
men and philantropists when confronted by the Indian problem.
The answer is, that the nature of the Indians cannot be eradi-
cated, that* the adoption of foreign institutions, forms and man-
ners is only a superficial varnish, and that the essential and
fundamental traits of his character, for ^ r ood or for evil, re-
main fixed and unchangeable. The Guarani must be consider-
ed as an Indian dressed in the garb of civilization.
Paraguay was discovered by Sebastian Cabot in t lie year
1530. The cih of Asuncion was founded in 1536 and the first
bishopric established in 1555. The labors of the missionaries
were crowned with uncommon success from the beginning.
The Jesuits obtained exclusive dominion over the land in 1690
and other organizations were forbidden to enter the territory.
The\ instituted and organized an almost independent theocra-
tic government. Thirty missions flourished in the country at
the middle of the 17th century and the number of christianiz-
ed and civilized Guaranis in \~,\i) was estimated at 140,000.
The country was hermetically sealed against all foreign in-
fluence except what came through Jesuit channels.
The missions were all built on the uniform plan then rul-
ing throughout all Spanish America. A large plaza formed, the
centre and around it were erected the church, the college or
school, the arsenal, the stores and the workshops of the arti-
sans. The priests exercised control and supervision over all.
Religious ceremonies were performed daily. The day opened
with prayers by the children. Mass, at which the whole popu-
lation attended, followed at sunrise. Baptisms took place in
the afternoon. Vespers were sun^' everj evening and holidays
were selected for the celebration of marriages. .Much time was
devoted to musical instruction, and the Guaranis manifested
considerable talent as musicians and singers, All dressed in
garments wowen of native cotton. The men wore shirts and
short trousers, and the women were attired in caps and loose
.own-;. Schools and workshops were admirahh managed and
the skill of some artisans, especiallj of the wood-carvers, was
oi a high order. Military drill, once a week, was obligator}
and prizes were awarded to the best marksmen. The w<c of
the Spanish language was prohibited and main works in the
language ol the Guarani issued from the printing presses. Agri-
culture, horticulture, gardening and stock raising wore foster-
ed. We have no reliable statistics of the more remote times,
hut in 1863, the countrj having continued in well nigh com-
plete isolatiou, 300,000 head of cattle roamed over the plains
— \ —
and there were in cultivation 240 acres of maize, J JO, 000 of
mandioca, 75.000 of beans, 32,000 of cotton. 23,000 of tobacco
25,000 of sugar cane, 11,000 of pea mils and 34,000 of rice
and vegetables. Such, in outline, is thepicture of Guarani life
nmler the dominion of Jesuits and a few Spaniards, as it pre-
sented itself for three hundred years.
The Jesuits were expelled from the country by the Span-
ish Government in 17G7. Their works fell to pieces and the
culture of the Guarani experienced a sudden relapse. The ab-
origines drifted back toward their old barbarism the moment
external incentive, support and authority were withdrawn. A
kind of anarchy supervened. The population at the missions
had dwindled down to 44,000 in 1801, a loss of over two
l birds in one third of a century, ruin spread everywhere and
decay succeeded to the former prosperity.
The appearance of the Dictator Dr. Francis, in the early
part of the present century, infused new life again into the
declining people. The Guaranis, once more became a content-
ed, industrious and prosperous people, in their slow peculiar
way, under the firm and able reigns of the Dictator Francis
and Lopez, father and son. Autocracy, a strong personal rule,
whether exercised by priests, soldiers or civilians, was evident-
ly the form of government best suited to the Indian charac-
ter. He had never risen above archaic patriarchal form. De-
mocracy was absolutely foreign to him, He had no conception
nor desire of civil and personal liberty as understood by the
Arians. He looked upon his ruler, especially if that ruler be-
longed to a foreign and superior race, as a father, unrestrain-
ed in authority, unlimited in power, moved by a strong anxie-
ty for the welfare of his people and as being mysteriously
endowed with supernatural insight, wisdom and force. To such
a being, it was but natural for the Guarani to yield unques-
tioning, absolute obedience and submission. The acts of vio-
lence committed by priests and dictators he accepted with
stoic, unperturbed equanimity as the decree of the godhead.
Tims the Guaranis prospered and were contented under the
firm, generally just, but often violent and cruel rule of priests
and dictators and would have continued to flourish if the youn-
ger Lopez had not provoked that disastrous war in 1805 which
was to involve the whole nation in ruin.
The population of Paraguay at that time was estimated at
140,000, mostly Guaranis and some half-breeds. Guarani was
the dominant language and a few hundreds of whites, of Span-
ish descent, formed the governing class. The war, of five
rs duration, destroyed one half of the inhabitants. The
census of 1ST:'., taken three years after the war. showed a total
population of 2^1.()7 ( .». of which onlj :2S.7'i»; were males.
106,254 females over 15 years of age and 86,079 children of
both sexes under 15 years. Not less than 170,000 males and
50,000 females perished in battle or from disease, exposure,
privation and starvation.
The Dictator Francisco Solano Lopez was the central figure
in the bloodj drama. He was a man filled with a vaulting
ambition and uncommonly endowed with clear insight, cool
calculation, indomitable perseverance, military talent and full
trees in critical moments. He was also cowardly unl
- spicious, haughty, immoral and cruel. A character ful-
strange lights and dark shades. Such a man can only be un-
derstood in his proper setting, in his natural environment. A
career, like that of Lopez, was only possible in Paraguay. By
nature and bj training these quiet, humble docile people be-
lieved in a sort of divine right attaching to their governor.
His acts of violence and cruelty, which, anywhere else, would
have produced resentment and revolution, were submitted to
with dull resignation. In their eyes he was an almost super-
natural being, and at his behest, as long as he defended the
independence of his nation and country, thej were willing to
sacrifice all their worldlj possessions and shed their last drops
of blood. Whatever else might be said against Lopez, he re-
mained tine and loyal to his people and country to the verj
last- This virtue, the natural gift to command and the awe
with which the Guaranis had been taught to regard their ru-
lers must explain the fact that this peaceful, harmless people
followed the dictator into a war againsl more than fifteen
limes their number, and through defeat after defeat, through
untold suffering stood loyally and faithfully bj hint- until there
rceh a man left in Paraguay, able to bear arms.
The author "i this book gives a graphic ami highlj inter-
esting description of the events and scenes on the battlefields
and in the camp. The narrative bears the stamp of truth. The
— 6 —
leading characters are well drawn. The cruel fate of a brave,
gentle, obedient, trusting people being led to the slaughter b\
an ambitious tyrant, is well sketched in these pages. The au-
thor gives us glimpses into the domestic and public life and (he
character of the Guaranis. The dual nature, the unchangeable,
fossilized, real Indian character varnished over by a thin coat-
ing of superficial culture and civilization, crops out every-
where. The native character of the Guarani combined with the
work of priests and foreign dictators, logically led to the tra-
gic end of the nation. The work is a valuable contribution
to modern literature on kindred subjects. It is intensely in-
teresting and highly instructive at a time, when the Arian
races, and especially the Anglo-Saxons, are conquerring the
world and subjecting to their rule so many nations and races
of various types and in all stages of development, from infancy
to extreme old age. The problem, how best to govern these
savage, or semi-barbarian people in different parts of the
globe, presents itself continuously to the statesmen. Indivi-
dual and national character of the conquered must receive due
consideration or else the work will end in failure. Any work,
therefore, which like the present, throws light on the character
of the subject races, be they Indian, Negro, Mongolian, Hindoo
or Malay, so that their government can be made more firm,
stable and beneficent, must be of inestimable value to the con-
querring races. This book, for this reason, has been trans-
lated and is now made accessible to the English speaking
public.
If. F. S.
Introduction,
The remembrance of the calm, moonlight nights, which,
ten years ago, 1 spent on the forest-fringed banks of the Rio
Paraguay, one of the stateliest of the rivers of South America,
will always remain indelibly impressed upon my soul.
Even evening, toward 11 o'clock, at a place where a
mighty Arahan spread its branches, laden with delicious fruit,
over th Ige of the steep hank. 1 descended to the narrow
strip of shore, some fifty feet below, to disrobe and to refresh
and cool m\ heated bodj in the transparent flood.
I resided at that time in Humaita, the former fortress of
Paraguay, consisting then only of a few dilapidated brick
buildings and the church, partialis destroyed b\ the shells of
the Brazilian fleet. This Humaita was lor a Ion-' time the
, i,i,' tangere of the allied Brazilian. Argentine and Orien-
tal armies until starvation forced the Paraguayan garrison to
evacuate the fortress secretly on the night of the 25th and
26th of Juh 1868, but not to surrender it to the enemy.
Now the sanguinan war. which had lasted five long and
wear) years, was ended. Paraguay was desolated, lis male
population, with the exception of several thousands of cripples
and released prisoners of war, was exterminated and the pros-
perity of the countrj utterly ruined.
Three years ol warfare have brought untold woe and mi-
sen over this severely tried, once flourishing laud, ami des-
troyed, for years to conic, its budding and blossoming pros-
perity.
Poverty, want ami corruption now reign, where formerly
a happj ami contented nation lived under peculiar institutions
and under a governmenl adapted to its simple conditions ami
in which ii rendered blind, unquestioning and unconditional
obedience.
Outcasts, tramps and adventurers corrupted with vices, the
scum oi humanity, such as in other countries too. follow in the
wake ..I large armies, remained here after the termination oi
the war, to appropriate to themselves the estates of the perish-
ed Guaranis and to console the hundreds of thousands of be-
reaved widows and maidens, over their losses.
The gloomy demon of crime yet spreads its ominous
wings over this richly endowed land and the wretched rem-
nant of its indigenous inhabitants.
One evening, walking as customary to the riven, I crossed
the wide, grass-grown field, covered with scattering trees
and surrounded by crumbling walls and breastworks, which,
with some decaying, tottering residences, constituted the for-
mer fortress Humaita.
The air was cool and refreshing and the moon, like a
silver clasp on the glimmering star-spanged mantle covering
the dark-blue nocturnal heavens, illuminated shore and stream
with a soft, mellow light.
Leaning against the trunk of the wide-branching Arahan,
I contemplated the landscape, a strange combination of peace
and destruction, of a happy abandon and inconsolable despair
such as only afflict the human heart.
What an abundance of contrasts !
Peace ? Yes, peace ruled everywhere. Peace hovered over
the shimmering surface of the stream as well as over the dark
gigantic trees on the opposite or Gran Chaco bank, which
dipped their branches deep into the cooling flood for new
strength to their apparently inexhaustible vital force.
Destruction ? It too surrounded me wherever I gazed. A
hundred paces to the right frowned the- ruins of the once
proud, covered battery «Londres» and at about the same dis-
tance to the left remained the wreck of another formidable
battery. These, as well as all the other batteries, were com-
pletely destroyed and razed to the ground as soon as the
allies took possession of the fortress. The debris of strong
walls, scattered far and wide, gave evidence of the fact that
the control over his own stream had passed away from the
Paraguayan forever.
Happy abondon ? A group of young, laughing and chat-
tering Guarani maidens ascended the steep narrow path from
the river to the plateau above. Each one carried on her head
a round basked filled with clothes. Jesting they passed along,
dressed in the peculiar costume of the country,, consisting
only of a long cotton robe whose whiteness contrasted mark-
edly with the dark skin. The long, dark hair hung looselj
over the uncovered shoulders. The black eyes glittered and
the full, round lips laughed and chatted cheerfully and uncon-
cerned about the inexpressible distress and misery into which
the unfortunate war had thrown them and their country.
Inconsolable despair, which afflicts onh the human heart I
Yonder, near the ancient, low, military hospital, stand several
rows of tents, occupied h\ a battalion of Argentine infantry
which garrisons the place, for, notwithstanding the prevailing
peace, Paraguay is yet held by a portion of the allied army.
When 1 passed the place a few moments ago, I noticed a sin-
gle tent a short distance away from the others. A sentinel,
facing its entrance, stood before the tent. A dozen soldiers,
with side-arms squatted on the grass. A tallow candle, fixed
into the neck of a bottle, emitted a faint light by which 1 was
enabled to cast a glance into the interior of the tent. It re-
vealed to mo a sight of the most hopeless despair which can
afflict a human heart. A pale man, clad only in a shirt and
military trousers, knelt with folded hands before a priest, who,
as if blessing him, laid both his hands on the head of the
perishing man. Perishing ) Yes, it was a dying man, whom
the priest had just granted absolution. A perishing man, doom-
ed to suffer, in full consciousness, the death struggle during
eight long, mortal hours, before the fourtfatal bullets from his
comrades would bring him eternal peace, the next morning in
trout of his battalion. And the heart of this pale man was
wrung to pieces bj the thoughl of his loved ones at home,
who had no premonition Of the harsh, irrevocable fate which
had overtaken him. I heard the outcry of extreme anguish,
an outcry lorn from a human breast b\ the thought : «how
will the heart of m\ aged mother, who loved me so inexpres-
sible he torn into shreds, when she learns the bloody end of
her onlj son? 0, miserj incomprehensible to the human
soul.
.Moved bj gloomj reflections I descended to the river
where the SOftlj murmuring waves lapped Hie beach.
.No one was visible along the hank. Slowk I undressed.
The stream COSilj kissed m\ naked feet. I did not yet com-
prehend its language. Mj heart was filled with a strange
sensation.
— 10 —
Aii indescribable, illimitable peace, which permeated me to
the depth of my soul, spread over all nature.
Now and then only, a lonely waterfowl raised its voice.
At intervals, from the dense woods of the Gran Chaco, scarce-
ly six hundred paces away, came the roar of the jaguar, sock
ing its mate. Occasionally, faintly audible, could be heard the
swish and splash of the waves caused by the movements of the
alligator, which, zealously hunted and pursued by the soldiers
with gun and spear, is very timid in these waters. These bru-
tes are not dangerous now. They dare not venture near a
swimming person.
The monotonous murmurs of the waves, the refreshing ex-
halations of the water and the soft, warm current of balmy
air affected me strangely on that charming night as I stood
on the brink of the river, whose surface mirrored the moon
and the sparkling stars.
The soft lullaby of the waves rocked me into a state of
semi-conscious slumber, I fancied 1 heard words whispered in
my ear :
«I will tell you tales, true tales of events, which, in the
course of time happened on my banks. Give me your atten-
tion, and if you desire so, you may narrate them to your
countrymen.)*
It was the Rio who thus addressed me in a manner of se-
crecy. Seated on the sand, the back resting against the bar-
ranca and the feet extending toward the river, I listened in
wrapt attention, to the narratives of the Rio. They were
strange, marvelous, but not phantastic tales, bearing the stamp
of truth and, as a rule, treating of occurrences in the history
of Paraguay.
The stream must have babbled long, for, when it ceased
of a sudden and woke me out of my semi-conscious dream,
the moon had crossed half the celestial arch and now peered
through the tree tops on the opposite bank.
With my head full of the curious things, which I had
heard, I arose to return home and seek my hammock.
Night after night 1 descended to the river. It then told
me of events which it and its tributaries had witnessed. For
— 14 —
years I was prevented from recording them, but now I will
make good what lias been neglected so long and publish a few
of the tales as told to me b\ the Rio.
A lonely Man
The capital of Paraguay, during the month of June and
Jul\ with their cold, monotonous rams, unceasing for days,
with the grayish, gloomy, muskj atmosphere obstructing the
few views over the river and park-like surroundings makes to-
da\ even, a melancholic impression en the visitor. Such was
the case, bul in a much higher degree fortj or fifty years
The streets, in marked contrast to those oi ether South
American cities, were laid out irregularly and crossed each
other, as thej do to-day, in all directions. Thej were almost
impassable for pedestrians during the; rainj season when thej
formed a chain of mirj lagunes through which the horses of
equestrians found their wa\ with difficulty.
Tie -it were no paved side-walks in front of the low, one-
storj houses covered with tiles or palm leaves. A number of
them were ornamented with wooden verandahs.
Gardens in winch plane-trees, orange-trees, palms and
pine apples grew luxuriously adjoined the residences here and
there. The brighl or dark green color of the foliage contrast-
ed charmingly with the golden fruit peeping out of the
branches.
The desolated and delapidated Cathedral, winch had been
erected in 1533 bj Marline/ Domingo de Yrala, and which had
-Mic- had been the mosl imposing structure in the capital,
presented an aspeel trulj distressing. Ever since the declai
,'ition oi independence from Spanish rule ami f\r\- since Dr.
Francia, elected dictator for life b\ the people, governed the
— li> —
land with a hand of iron, were the Cathedral and most of the
other churches suffered to decay. Their treasures were con-
fiscated for the benefit of the public treasury, and only a small
uumber wore maintained in a condition tit for public worship.
Orange Grove near Asuncion.
The worship which was permitted by the dictator in I he
few remaining churches was reformed radically. The authori-
ty of the Pope was repudiated by the Catholic Paraguayans
after the venerable bishop of the country had ended his life in
prison. Dr. Francia, as the vice-gerente of the Almighty, rul-
ed within the boundaries of the republic, and in this capacity,
reformed the service, eliminated nearly all the feast-days from
the calendar and permitted only a few to be observed. He
established a new ritual, formulated new prayers and prescrib-
ed to the few remaining priests what and how they could
preach and what to pass by in silence. The death penalty fol-
lowed a violation of this decree, and as the priests were well
aware of the ubiquity of the dictators spies they were careful
not to provoke the ire of their Lord by the contents of their
plain sermons.
One side of the plaza and on the corner of a street open-
ing therein stood a spacious one-story building. A wooden
— 13 —
portico, with pyramids of muskets stacked on the brick-paved
floor and sentinels walking to and fro, adorned the front.
Over tin 1 main entrance was fastened the escutcheon of
the republic, consisting of a white shield surrounded with lau-
rel and palm branches, a golden star in the centre and the de-
vice : iRepublica del Paraguay — Paz y Justiciar.* (Republic
of Paraguay — Peace and Justice.J
Entering the interior of this building, looked upon by all
Paraguayans with holy dread and awe, and which was al once
the seat of government and the residence of the dictator, one
passed into a square, brick -paved court, surrounded on all sides
h\ wooden porticoes, under which, engaged in whispering con-
versation, lounged the body-guard, a hundred strong. The
officers, in I heir red uniforms, stood serious and silent at the
entrance to the guard room. No comrade chatted with another.
Each one smoked his tigarillo de chala (cigarettes wrapped
in the leaves of maize) and seemed utterly oblivious to every-
thing except lie' behavior of his subordinates.
Above a door to the right, next to the guardroom and
leading from the court into the interior, appeared the follow-
ing inscription : Departamento de Policia, Justicia, Culto e
Instruction publican (Depart, of Police, Justice, Public Worship
and Public Instructions.) The white-washed roomconlained only a
few chairs and a long table placed in the centre. Two gentle-
men, dressed as civilians, sal behind the tattle. They were
secretaries, without doubt, as indicated b\ several sheets of
paper, inkstands and pens placed before them, although ii
seemed as if neither wore made use of. Of books, docu-
ment-, files "i papers, which, naturally, mighl be expected at
such a place, not a trace could 1)0 observed.
\ side-door connected this room with the one adjoining
which, in its arrangements was the exact counterpart of the
fust. It was the Departamento militar and to this the De-
partamento del Interior and the Departamento de Hacienda,
(Treasury Department), followed in a similar manner. All
these rooms presented the same aspect, -a few chairs, a long
table with writing utensils and behind it two idle, silent se-
cretaries.
The whole building possessed an air of weirdness and ii
was hut natural thai the people 'if the capital casl upon it a
— 14 —
timid glance as the} passed and were onlj too glad if they
were not compelled to enter within.
The apartmenJ adjoining the Depart amen to de Hacienda
was u>i'd as the ante-chamber to the residence oi the dictator.
Several dozen clumsj leather-covered chairs were ranged, along
the walls and in front of them an officer in the uniform of a
major of infantry, the adjutant on duty, paced noiselessly up
and down the room. The only other occupant was an old In-
dian with silvery hair and mustache and dres,sed in bine cot-
ton trousers and an old black cloth coat, who sat upon his
chair as immovable as a statue. He was the body servant of
the Supremo and the only person trusted by him.
De Francia's residence consisted of only one large, very
plainly furnished room. Near the wall, opposite the entrance
stood a narrow book-case of cedar wood, containing a small
but select library, in which the works of Rousseau, Voltaire.
Diderot and the French Encyclopedists could be noticed. Phy-
sical instruments, such as an electrical machine, Leyden jars,
air pump, magnets, concave mirror, sextants, a telescope, a
terrestrial and a celestial globe were arranged on a table near
the book-case. A skeleton grinned from a corner and the
walls were covered with maps and written tables of statistics.
To the right of the door, over which fell the heavy folds of a
dark, woolen blanket, stood a plain wooden couch, the bed of
the tenant of this apartment. A writing desk in the centre, a
large table covered with stacks of written documents and a
few wooden chairs and a mat of rushes covering the floor,
completed the furniture af the room.
At the writing desk sat an aged person of medium size,
and with snow-white locks. He was busily engaged in writing.
A long gown of black cloth, which, apparently had seen ser-
vice for many years, hung slovenly around the lean body. A
grayish handkerchief was tied around the neck. Near the desk
stood a brasier filled with live coal to radiate some warmth in
the damp and chilly room.
The rain beating against the windows and the scratching
of the pen flying restless across the paper were the only au-
dible noises in the gloomy apartment.
The old man, alter he bad written for some time, arose
and, with bands folded behind, walked slowly up and down
the room.
— Jo —
Now we have an opportunity to observe the man closely.
His features were cold and severe, the lip's compressed, the
chin prominent and from beneath the bushy, silvery brows, a
pair of dark eyes looked hard and loveless but with an ex-
pression of iron determination upon the world.
This frail did man, on whose strong countenance was
stamped contempt of humanity and pityless severity, had al-
ready passed his eightieth year and for the last twenty-four
years had exercised an unlimited power over Ids countrj such
as perhaps no Oriental despot ever enjoyed over his enslaved
people,
This was Dr. Jose Gaspar de Francia, by resolution (if
Congress of Maj 1st 1816, elected dictator for life, with abso-
lute and unlimited' power
The only condition or duly imposed upon him was: to
maintain the independence of the republic at all hazards. This
he has done. But at. what sacrifices '. At the cost of all free-
dom, civil and personal, of institutions and of individuals.
(Peace and Justice' the device of the republic were also
maintained by him.
Interminable civil wars had raged in all the Smith Ameri-
can states lor the last thirty years. Anarchy ruled everywhere
and the soil was drenched with blood. In Paraguay alone,
under Dr. Francia's dictatorship, not even the faintest attempt
at open rebellion against the existing government had been
made. Blood, indeed, had flown here too, hut only in the
execution of justice and in vindication of law, as directed l>\
the Supremo who combined in his person the sole executive
and legislative power.
lie was aever accused of acts of injustice, even h\ his bitter-
est and mosl relentless foes, but was charged with cruel severity
in the punishment of the guilh and the suspected, especially
of those charged with political crimes, it is quite probable
that of the latter, many, who were innocent, had to suffer the
death penalty. It was one of his leading principles to have a
prompt, brief trial and a s,peedj execution follow swiftlj on
the I I of the crime committed.
Terror was the aim ol all punishment.
Punishmenl consisted of four degrees or classes, namely,
imprisonment, whipping, public penal labor in heaw iron
grillos (chains for tie- feet), mid death h\ the bullet.
— 16 —
Local judges, of which one was appointed for each one of
the forty-one districts into which the republic was divided,
had jurisdiction of all minor offences and adjudged them in
accordance with the plain, simple code written by Dr. Francia.
Political offences and all the greater crimes and misdemean-
ors were tried In the dictator himself.
The people were very industrious and orderly. M. Grandsire,
a Frenchman, who went to Paraguay to secure the release of
his countryman Bonplant, who had been imprisoned by Dr.
Francia, wrote to Alexander von Humboldt in 1824, among
other things, as follows :
«The inhabitants of Paraguay enjoy a happy peace under
a good administration. The contrast with the countries,
through which 1 have travelled is striking. One can journey
through Paraguay without weapons of any kind. The doors
are rarely locked. There are no beggars and all the people
work . »
This judgment of the French traveller is no exaggeration,
("rimes against person or property were extremely rare. Idlers
and vagabonds were compelled to work and tradesmen, and
dealers, for furnishing articles of inferior quality, were severely
punished,
Jose" Gaspar de Francia was born A.D. 1757 in the dis-
trict of Yaguaron, ten leguas to the south-east of Asuncion,
where his father, Gaspar Rodriguez de Francia filled the office
of intendant of an extensive tobacco plantation, established by
the Spanish Government.
It was intended at first to make a theologian of young
Jos6 Gaspar. The church at time offered the most promising
career to obtain influence and honor and he was sent to the
then famous university of Cordoba which was controlled by
the Franciscans. The theology of these monks did not suit
the cold, critical nature of his mind and he turned to the stu-
dy of law and the exact sciences, particularly to mathematics
and physics. He returned to Asuncion after having passed his
examination, commenced the practice of law and led a quiet
modest and unostentatious life.
Occupying his leisure hours with the study of his favorite
sciences and with experiments in physics and having his rooms
well filled with books, instruments and apparatus, he soon, and
— 17 —
justly so, aquired the reputation of possessing great erudition.
True, in general learning he had not his equal in Paraguay.
His studies and his experiences of life led him to a con-
tempt of his fellowmen, to a cold, publicly acknowledged deism
and to a gloomy, loveless view of the world in general. He
recognized in the unchangeable laws of nature the only forces
by which the universe is governed.
In this manner lived Dr. Francia until his fifty-fourth year,
retired from the world and respected In everyone for his learn-
ing and for the wise, faithful administration of the affairs en-
trusted to him.
Then came the year A.l). 1811. All the other Spanish co-
lonies of South America had already declared their indepen-
dence of the mother country. The Creoles, everywhere, had
resorted to arms to secure their liberty.
It was different in Paraguay
Here everything was peaceful and calm until the Com-
mander Pedro Juan Caballero, on the 14th and loth of March
of the same year, inaugurated a peaceable revolution without
the discharge of a gun and without the loss of a drop of blood
but which, nevertheless, terminated forever Spanish dominiofn
m this country.
The Har'ocur ef Asuncion.
— 18 —
A general convention of the people met on the 20th of
June following and instituted a provisional government con-
sisting of four members, one of whom was the lawyer Dr. Jose
Caspar Francia.
A general Congress, composed of one thousand members,
and called together at the instigation of Dr. Francia, convened
two years thereafter in order to deliberate upon the formation
of a new government, which should offer greater guaranties
for the maintenance of national independence than the present.
A constitution, drafted and submitted by Dr. Francia, was un-
animously adopted and on the 1st day of October A.D. 1813, in
compliance with its provisions, the two citizens, Fulgencio
Jegros and Dr. Jose Caspar Francia were elected consuls.
The latter soon managed to concentrate all the functions
of the new government into his hands. He retired to his mo-
dest dwelling whenever his colleague opposed him, being cer-
tain that he would be recalled promptly and that he would
have his way. This state of affairs did not satisfy him, and
when Congress, whose members had been elected through his
influence, met in the month of October of the following year,
he managed to convince them that an executive endowed with
greater authority and power was a necessity. The consular
government, accordingly was abolished and Dr. Francia was ap-
pointed Dictator for the term of five years. The next Con-
gress, convened on May 1st 181G elected him Dictator for
life.
He had now reached the goal for which he had striven.
He enjoyed an authority such as was not possessed by any
emperor or king in Europe.
In the whole land there existed only one word and one
will which must be obeyed implicitely, and that word and that
will were his.
Woe to him who, even within the narrow circle of his
family, had the audacity to criticise an act or a decree of the
regent ! His life was forfeited and he breathed his last on the
sandy plain before the muzzles of muskets.
Francia was a despot in the strongest sense of the word,
but he was as severe and rigorous to himself as to his sub-
jects. Withdrawn from all social intercourse with the world
he led a simple and modest life.
— 19 —
His meals were frugal, consisting of soup and boiled meat
with which he drank a glass of chicha (a refreshing ferment-
ed liquor prepared from pineapple syrup and wafer.) He never
indulged to excess in eating and drinking, nor would he per-
mit the least luxun in Ins dress and in liis residence. He
was an uncompromising foe to any kind of dissipation. *
With an iron determination and filled with an unquenchable
appetite for work, which seemed to increase with the advanc-
ing years, he governed the land without any assistance. He
bad no ministers or secretaries to formulate bis decrees, but
he bad only eight clerks, two for each department, who were
only required to copj his work, bis orders, and to forward
the same to the chiefs of the districts or to the commanders
of the different detachments of the troops.
The land was divided into forty-one districts. A chief or
mayordomo as he was called, was placed over each and it
was his duly in collect the taxes, which consisted in the tithe
of the crops and the new increase of the herds, to keep the
accounts of the expenses (if the government, to manage the
recruiting and to provide and forward the necessary number
of laborers for the public works, such as the construction of
canals and highways.
Neither the soldiers nor the laborers employed at public
weeks were paid wages Mil were supplied with rations. The
soldiers were supplied with uniforms consisting of a red flan-
nel shirt and a leather cap. Coots or shoes • were only worn
b\ the officers.
\ jndge, a priest and a teacher, beside I lie mnayordomo
excisted iu each district.
Francia was an outspoken, determined foe of anj and all
religion. He considered Christianity as useless and even in-
jurious to the people For this reason he rendered difficult
tl location of new priests, favored the abolition of ecclesias-
tical marriages, confiscated the property of the church for the
benefit of the state and ;it the beginning of his rule, closed
all the convents under the pretence thai the country would not
tolerate idleni
Attendance at school was compulsorj for children from (I
to Id years "i age. Thej were onlj taughl reading, arithme
tic and writing, as thai was deemed sufficient by the Supremo.
- 20 —
All the oilier domains of knowledge were closed to the young
Paraguayans. No higher institution of learning existed in the
land. No one, neither native nor foreigner, was permitted to
leave the country during the dictatorship of Francia.
He increased the regular army to a strength of 14,000
men. Jt was distributed in little forts along the frontiers and
its main object was to guard the boundaries so effectively that
the isolation of Paraguay from the rest of the world was
complete.
A few persons of unquestioned loyalty were permitted to
carry on commerce with foreign countries through the port of
Itapua on the upper Parana, but they had to pay a high price
for this privilege.
All the other ports and harbors of the republic were abso-
lutely closed to foreign trade.
Foreign embassadors and consuls Vere not permitted to
enter the country and no note or communication from any for-
eign power to the dictator, was ever answered.
The absence of steam vessels from the European and
American navies of that day, and the geographical position of
the republic permitted such conduct by Francia. To-day it
would be impossible.
The dictator never amassed a fortune either for himself
or for a favorite. Of the latter he had none as he was unap-
proachable to all except his adjutants and his faithful old ser-
vant, who were the only person who had access to him. He
detested flattery and obsequiousness intensely and punished
with great rigor every act of injustice done by «mayordomos»
and judges.
The guilty trembled. They knew that punishment was
unavoidable, and that the hoary regent never exercised
mercy .
Agriculture and stock raising were promoted by suitable
regulations and industry and handicraft were improved. Inter-
nal trade was free and open to every citizen but the foreign
trade was reduced to almost nothing.
It was bis object to found a state in Paraguay which
should be independent of foreign countries, depend entirely
upon itself, remain cut off from all intercourse with other na-
tions and yet become prosperous and full of vitality and whose
- 21 —
citizens should see in it Ihe realization of their highest ideal
in whose defence thej would be ready at anv moment to shed
their last drop of blood.
The dictator was finally looked upon by the Paraguayans
. being of a superior nature. He absorbed all the functions
and organs of the government : — police, justice, finance, war
etc. Francia conducted everything himself as it best suited
him and no one in all Paraguay had the least conception of the
organization and mechanism and details of the government as
it was managed.
This trulj remarkable man ruled Paraguay like an auto-
crat for twenty-seven years. It is almost impossible to render
a fair and intelligent verdict on his conduct of affairs and the
principles which guided him as he left no writings, documents,
memoranda etc. behind upon which to base a judgment.
The plain, reserved man. died as he had lived, a lonel\
recluse, his death (of dropsy) taking place <mi September HHh
1840. His nation, suddenly deprived of a governor and a gov-
ernment, became the sole heir to his insignificant estate.
Yet, for man\ years after his death, the peasant in his
hul. with mortal dread and bowing reverentially, ventured to
pronounce, in whisper only, the name of the departed Su-
premo, fearing that the spirit of that potent man might rise
from the grave to rebuke and call to account the irreverent.
Never will the dictator Dr. .lose Caspar Francia and his rule
he forgotten in Paraguay. He will live in the memory of ge-
neration after generation as a being of supernatural endow-
ment to lie contemplated with awe and whose acts ma\ he ad-
mired hut cannot de criticized.
After the Death of the Dictator.
When .,u ihe Inn, daj of September 1840, Dr. Francia, then
eightj three years <>i age, passed away, he lefl the Republic
oi Paraguay without a government ol am kind whatever.
No citizen had the least idea ol the state ol public affairs
and how to conduct the government, since the autocrat had con-
centrated in his hands all the functions of the executive, legis-
lative and executive branches. No one knew what to do.
Five citizens, it is true, combined at once to form a junta
in an arbitrary manner and without consent of the people, to
assume the highest authority and to grasp the heritage of
Francia.
This attempt was frustrated by the army which had always
enjoyed particular favors at the hand of the Dictator. Coronel
Mariano Roque Alonso dissolved the junta without striking a
blow, appointed Carlos Antonio Lopez, a prominent landowner-
as his secretary and jointly with him formed a provisional go-
vernment which made arrangements at once for a real govern-
ment to he elected by the people.
A Congress of five hundred members, eleted by the people
and called by the regents, met on March 12th 1841 and upon
the motion of Carlos A. Lopez, appointed two consuls entrust-
ed with the administration, for a term of three years. Before
entering upon the duties of their office, they were required to
swear : To maintain the independence of the republic under
all conditions.
Tin' two consuls elected were Mariano Roque Alonso and
Carlos Antonio Lopez.
It is enigmatical that a nation, which for twenty-six years
had endured the hcavi pressure of a despot's iron hand,
should voluntarily and trustfully submit to a new dictatorship,
at a moment, when the) had the opportunity to create for them-
selves, without war or bloodshed, another form of government.
The only explanation to be found is that, the reign of Francia
upon the whole, had been beneficial to the people. Certainly,
peace and order prevailed everywhere, property and person
were secure, agriculture and stock raising made progress, in-
dustry and the trades advanced and the boundaries were well
protected from raids of hostile Indians.
The people simply confided in the honor of the newly
elected consuls and this confidence was not misplaced.
The consuls had a severe task before them. They had to
create anew and organize all the branches of the adminis-
tration.
— 23 —
Not one citizen of Paraguay had any practice or experience
in affairs of state The new government, notwithstanding,
moved h\ noble purposes, went into operation energetically.
Colonel Alonso was a good soldier, very honorable and
endowed with strong common sense, hut he totally larked ex-
perience and skill in the administration of public affairs and
uniformh submitted to the acknowledged superior experience
and talent of his colleague although both were equals in power
and authority .
Asuncion.
Carlos Antonio Lopez, a wealth) estanciero, had studied
law and, for a short time, had devoted himself id the practice
of his n«'\\ profession in the city of Asuncion, lie relinquish-
ed bis legal practice when if became dangerous during the
dictatorship ol Francia and retired i«» his estate in the country;
where he remained until the death of Francia, without taking
;m\ pari in political affairs.
The two consuls apparently pursuing the course pointed
nut h\ the reign of Francia, nevertheless, soon began to inau-
gurate some reforms ami to establish the necessary institutions
q] the government.
An aci "i general amnesty for polital offences opened the
new administration.
Six hundred persons, incarcerated by the former dictator
for political crimes were liberated.
Those families, whom the Supremo had ruined by the con-
fiscation (il their estates, had the same restored to them, but
the new government would not permit even the slightest abuse
til' the memory of the deceased dictator.
One of the most important acts of the consuls and the
most prominent of the reforms instituted by them was the re-
opening of several Paraguayan ports to foreign commerce. The
nation, with this act abandoned the old policy of isolation,
maintained for thirty years and again entered into intercourse
with the outside world. The advantages, due to this change,
were soon manifest nothwithtsanding the high duties still levi-
ed upon exports and imports.
When the Congress again assembled in 1844 at the expira-
tion of the first term of the consular government, Lopez sent
a message recommending the passage of a law by which the
executive power should be lodged in the hands of a President.
Such a law was adopted and the consul Carlos Antonio Lo-
pez was elected President for the term of ten years.
The new President commenced to reorganize and restore
the disrupted and decayed institutions of the church and to
this end put himself in communication with Rome. The country
by the aid of the Holy See, received an able Bishop who, im-
mediately, proceeded to have a number of young, intelligent
Paraguayans educated for the priesthood and ordained as pas-
tors. Churches were rebuilt and adorned, and among these the
ruined Cathedral of Asuncion.
These measures intensely pleased the Paraguayans, who,
since the time of the Jesuits, were imbued with fervent reli-
gious sentiments.
An academy, under the name of «Academia literaria» in
which were taught latin, philosophy, mathematics, law and
theology, was also founded in the capital.
The President also devoted much of his time and attention
to the promotion of elementary education.
Lopez, as zealously as Francia, looked after the defence of
the country. He made military duty general, increased the
army, purchased extensive stores of material of war from for-
eign countries, especially from England and them stored in de-
pots. He had truced the fortress Humaita on the lower Para-
guay by Brazilian engineers,— the same fortress which subse-
quently was constructed with but slight modifications of the
original plans, which was armed with about four hundred can-
nons of heavy calibre and which for decades was dreaded bj
all South American states as the invincible bulwark of the
countn .
In 1854, at the expiration of his first term of office. Lopez.
amid nnjversal enthusiasm, was reelected President for another
term of ten years. A deputy even offered a resolution to -pro-
claim Carlos Antonio Lopez emperor and to make the crown
hereditary in his family.
The President not only opposed the resolution strenously
but he also accepted the presidency lor a term of three years
only.
A measure which was carried out l.\ the President at this
tin).- was. in many respects, the actual cause of the many mis-
fortunes which were to inflict themselves upon the country sub-
sequently. It was the revocation of that article of the consti-
tution which said: «no military persons whatever and no civil
person below the age of forty-five years shall he eligible for
the office of President.
An extraordinary Congress, elected in 1857 for the special
purpose of choosing a new President, elected the oldest son of
Lopez win., up to that time, had been a general of the army
and filled the position of secretary of war. Francisco Solano
Lopez, as he was called, declined the honor under the pretext
hi total lack of experience in affairs of state, and his father,
upon the argent request of the deputies, once more accepted
the frying post of President of the Republic, this lime for the
term ol seven \ears and upon the explicit condition that he
should have the exclusive right to nominate and appoint his
successor in office.
This condition was conceded to the tried ruler.
Ii seems sell evident, that the refusal b> the son and. after
urgent and repeated requests from deputies, the acceptance of
the presidency bj the father, was nothing more nor less than
a well concerted scheme of the two. Such, at least, is the
firm conviction of the author, after an extensive and careful
investigation "i the matter, made during a sojourn of three
— 2G —
years in Paraguay. The consideration of the fact that Carlos
Antonio Lopez was a thorough going autocrat, although he him-
self have selected the title of President that the deputies or
members of Congress, being elected through his influence, were
mereh his tools and that any opposition was yet followed by
loss of life and liberty, removes every doubt as to the com-
plete understanding between father and son in their little play
before the assembly.
The Supremo Gobiemo, as in the time of Francia's dicta-
torship, enioyed in the public eye that mysterious, inaccessible
< majesty thai doth hedge a king.»
The physical vigor of the President began to ebb away ra-
pid!) and, conscious of approaching death, be made his last
will and testament on the 15th day of August 1862. By it and
in accordance with the right granted him by i a resolution of
Congress in 1857, be appointed his oldest son General Francisco
Solano Lopez, born July 2ith 1827, as bis successor in office.
Four weeks later, on September 10th 1832, and mourned
h\ all, expired Carlos Antonio Lopez at the age of sixty-five.
His son Francisco Solano Lopez, thirty-five years of age
stepped into tbe heritage left him.
-3>*<j>-
The Marshal-President
One of the last evenings of the month of October A.D. 1865
was dark and rainy. Not a star was visible. A warm rain
had, for two hours, been pouring down on tbe Fortress Hu-
mait'a and its environs and bad begun to cool the sultry al-
most insupportable heated atmosphere.
The batteries, constructed of solid masonry on the high-
river bank or barranca could scarcely be distinguished through
the pitchy darkness at a distance of twenty-five paces. The
trims of heavy calibre, mounted en barbette and cast some 50
years before, did not betray their presence by any perceptible
gleam.
An exception to this was the most northerly located bat-
tery. It was called the bateria de los carbones (charcoal bat-
tery; on account of the depot of charcoal in its vicinity. Pit
coal, for heating purpose, was unkown in Paraguay at that
time. The brightlv burnished eight bronze cannons, mostly
68-pounders and cast at the arsenal at Asuncion, sent a faint
gleam through the mist, rain and darkness.
? ** « m.f
The Battery "Lmires" of tin Fortress Humayta
To tie- left of this was located the batten Called hiih'iia
de las cadenas (chain battery) equipped with eighteen heavy
British naval guns, which, in connection with the casemated
battery Londrea ol sixteen cannons of heavy calibre, were de-
signed in prevent the passage up-stream of the hostile fleet
through the narrows, which here are onl\ six hundred paces in
width.
To facilitate this object, three heavy, strong chains, rest-
ing on canoes, were stretched across the river. These chains
could b«' lowered from the eastern bank so as to permit the
i the Paraguayan vessels.
— 28 —
The other shore-balteries numero ocho, La Ccmmandan-
cia, Coimbra, Tacuari, Maestratiza, Humaita } and Concha,,
whose main object was to resist and prevent the approach of
hostile vessels to the narrows, were placed within Hie circum-
vallation and along the river at the points strategical!} most
commanding and important.
Ninety-three cannons of heavy calibre were mounted here
to command the river.
About five hundred paces to the rear of ihebateria de Ins
carbones loomed up the spacious hut plain church with its
heavy and clumsy doors. In close proximity thereto stood in
a row four neat cottages with verandahs in front. The first
to the right hand, was the headquarters of Francisco Solano
Loj ez, the Marshal-President, the next served as the head-
quarters of the general stall, the third was occupied by the
Adjudanture and Auditor and the fourth was used as an office
by the intendanture. These cottages, the residence of the com-
mander of the fortress, the parsonage, divers hospitals, the
prison, ten small barracks for artillery and the large barrack
for infantry, located to the north of the church, constituted
nearly all the buildings within the fortress, whose walls, brist
ling with cannons and honeycomred with bomb-proof powder
magazines, enclosed an area four thousand paces long, from
north to south, by two thousand paces in width.
Almost the only houses within this wide space.— But no!
In the centre of Humaita, equidistant from the church and
the cemetery, were erected lour smaller cottages which served
as the temporal y homes of the ladies of the higher officers.
The social etiquette of the upper and distinguished Paraguayan
circles demanded that husband and wife, or rather man and
woman, should not live under the same roof. This may seem
strange. But if it le considered that real marriages were ex-
tremely rare in that countiy than this peculiar kind of marital
relation will seem, to some extent at least justifiable. It must
not le su| posed, however, that this led to moral turpitude.
On the contrary, nowhere, in all South America could be found
such a hearty, happy domestic life as in Paraguay. Children
conducted themselves with the greatest respect towards their
parents, and the young ladies, although devoid of higher educa-
tion, displayed an innate charm, and a grace and propriety of
behavior truly remarkable.
2«)
At a distance of two hundred paces from the last mention-
ed house and distinguished by its greater elegance stood the
cottage occupied l>y the haughty Madame Elisa Lynch.
The troops within the fortress, about five thousand at that
time, were quartered in sheds built of wood, reed and rushes,
where they made life as comfortable as they could.
A bright ray of light, issuing from the open door of the
Marshal-President's residence fell upon thebaldozas-covered floor
of the portico in front, where a rather corpulent man, of me-
dium size and with a thick neck supporting a round head cov-
ered with thick, black hair, walked rapidly up and down the
colonnade.
The pale face, framed by closely clipped, dark whiskers
showed signs of a high intelligence. The black eyes, half veil-
ed by the lowered lids, were rivetted to the ground.
The movemenl of the person indicated an intense, feverish
excited state of his feelings.
The si\ sentinels of the batallion of riffle-guards, placed at
a short distance from the portico, could readily observe the
action of this individual, how he spasmodically jerked down
the gold-laced collar of his scarlet uniform with both hands,
as though trying to remove something disagreable which was
choking him.
He had received \er\ unpleasant news from the theatre of
war and this had momentarily deprived him of his com-
posure.
Were his proud and ambitious schemes to explode and
vanish like soap-bubbles.
Never I
Independencia 6 muerte ! (Independence or Death.) This
motto ol the republic, which had guided the administrations of
Francia and Carlos Antonio Lopez, must be the onl\ compass
of his course in the coming battles with the macacos (wood-
apes, derisive terra used for the Brazilians) for the indepen-
dence of the country which had b3en bsqueathed to him as
trust and a heritage.
Independencia 6 muerte ! — Perish who nia\ ! Everything
for the independence of Paraguay. I will nol disgrace the con-
fidence which iu\ father reposed in m •. Paraguaj musl re
— 30 —
main independent or perish, but tin's only after the last male
inhabitant lias been sacrificed.
Tims murmuring to himself this person strode rapidly up
and down the illuminated colonnade.
Thf\ were disagreeable reports, indeed, which so excited
the Supremo, as his faithful Paraguayans were want to call
him. t
Two weeks ago he had received the information from lta-
pua Of the surrender at the little town of Uruguayana in the
Brazilian province of Rio Grande do Sul of a Paraguayan army
of 12,000 soldiers under the command of Estegarribia. To-day
a telegram from Itapiru brought the news of the advance of
the allied army from the city of Corrientes to the Laguna Brava
and to the north bank of the Rio Parana. — Certainly, reasons
enough to disquiet him, who only two weeks ago, had revelled
in the dream of conquest in South America a la Napoleon I
in Europe.
These dreams, so suspiciously begun, were interrupted so
suddenly and unexpectedly, that the Supremo, then only thirty-
eight years of age, found it difficult to adapt himself to the
new and changed order of things.
«I have to inform Your Excellency that General Resquin
reports that with only 25,000 soldiers under his orders he
cannot check the advance of the hostile army of 00,000 men
furnished with abundant artillery and, therefore, asks Your
Excellency's permission to retreat to the right bank of the Rio
Parana at Itapiru »
The officers, who had just entered the verandah and made
the report, wore the uniform of a general, a rare distinction,
lor in the whole Paraguayan army, at that time 50,000 strong,
there were, besides the Marshal-President, only three generals
and these of the rank of major-generals.
A short pause ensued, interrupted of a sudden by an angry
vicious «Car . . . ! » ejected from the profoundest depth of his
breast.
"General Robles. the former commander of Corrientes,
with his two adjutants, will be shot at seven o'clock to-mor-
row morning ! — understood ?» added the 3Iarshal-President in a
threatening voice and turning with piercing eye to the general
who stood before him in military fashion.
— '61 —
This officer. General Barrios, a brother-in-law of the Su-
premo, acting chief of the staff or rather quartermaster-gene^
ral, in the place of General Resquin, (Lopez conducting every-
thing personal, had no general staff) entered a brief note in
his memorandum book, and bowed with military brevity.
It was the death warrant of the three officers pointed out
by Lopez and in accordance with it they were shot at the ap-
pointed time in the fatal square.
"Send word to General Resquin to retreat across the river
at once and to take up his position at the Paso de la Patria!
I shall go there myself and assume the supreme command in
person. It becomes our duly to defend the country to the last
drop of blood and I expect that every Paraguayan is ready to
make the sacrifice !— See to it that my orders are executed.;)
A gesture with the hand from the Supremo and General
Barrios, after a short salute, departed with a quick military
Step.
An eleganl carriage stopped before the verandah a few
minutes later. A servant, clad in red livery, sprang to the
ground and opened the door. A lady, lithe and slender, and
attired in rustling silk descended from the conveyance, enter-
ed the portico with a springy, elastic step flung her arms ten-
deil\ around the neck of the pale man and whispered a few
soft fond words into his ear.
The effect was marvellous.
The feverish excitemenl of the Marshal-President vanished
instantly and gave waj to a quiet cheerfulness.
The brigbl lighl from the lamp in the room fell full upon
the woman, who, through her sudden appearance had wrought
such a remarkable change.
She was aboul twenty-eight years of age- The dark-blue
sill«en robe close^ clinging to the voluptuous forms, brought
out the proud, flexible figure in strong relief, A cape of led
silk, trimmed with snow-white swansdown and covered with
golden studs and black cords and held bj a heavj cord of gold
hung gracefulh from her uncovered shoulders. The luxuriant
gold-blond hair was arranged ■■ a la page and held in a black
silk net. \ Hungarian barett, adorned with heron plumes fast-
ed ii\ ,-i golden clasp, audaciously crowned tier head. Out ol
the delicate, white countenance, a pair of dark-blue eyes, shad-
ed hj heavj lashes, looked tenderlj 'up to the Supremo. These
eyes were conscious of their power.
The woman was beautiful, seductively beautiful like the
serpen! of paradise.
Win) was the woman ?
The Paraguayans, generally knew her as «Madama Dona
Elisa Lynch», the soldiers called her simply «Madame» for she
had ronl rivod to make herself very popular with the army.
Madame had been for ten years the companion, the part-
ner. Iml nol I he legal wife of the Marshal-President and was
the mother of his children. But it was not this alone by which
Ibis woman with such a keen intellect, was enabled to exert
such an extraordinary influence; it was principally her superior
education and knowledge joined with great courage and defi-
ance of death, which she had shown repeatedly, — these were the
indissoluble ties by which she bound the Supremo to herself.
The last mentioned qualities, especially, were those which
excited the admiration of the Marshal-President, who, although
energetic and circumspect, was totally wanting in personal
courage.
Francisco Solano Lopez, then secretary of war, accompani-
ed by a number of young intelligent Paraguayans, who acted
as adjutants and attache's, was, in 1853, sent on an extraordi-
nary mission to Paris by bis father Carlos Antonio Lopez, the
President of the republic. The elegant, gay and frivolous life
in the salons, the theatres, the ball rooms and at the impe-
rial court, did not fail to make a deep impression on the young
ambassador.
He threw himself with reckless zest into the whirling vor-
tex of pleasure and dissipation which the gay capital of France
merrily presents to the visitor.
The balls of the grand opera and the fascinating nights of
the Jardin Mabille could narrate many piquant tales of the
young Paragnyan who was one of the most constant, zealous
and wanton visitors.
Lorettes and cocottes grew enthusiastic over this son of
the American wilderness. They pelted and lionized him on ac-
count of bis well-filled, always openpurse.
The future ruler of Paraguay met Elisa Lynch at one of
the balls of the grand opera and instantly became enamoured
of her with all the vehemence of his ardent soul.
— 33 —
He became a frequent visitor at the residence of the young
woman which she shared with her mother and a sister. His
proposals were accepted by Madame and she unhesitatingly
agreed to accompany him to Paraguay.
Elisa Lynch, a native of England, at the age of sixteen
married a well-to-do countryman of hers and became a widow
a few months after her marriage.
The charming young widow, accompanied by her mother,
went to Fiance, and there, two years subsequently, married a
French physician, who, a man of high reputation and enjoy-
ing general esteem, to-day fills the position of a director of
one of the leading botanical gardens of France. It proved to
be a v<T\ unhappy union and husband and wife soon conclud-
ed to separate. The young wife resumed her maiden name and
urged by an unconquerable desire for frivolous adventurers
speediK became a noted dashing danseuse of the public balls.
Ai on<- of these Lopez formed her acquaintance— an acquain-
tance, which was to be so fatal to themselves and to the whole
people of Paraguay.
Eliza Lynch accompanied her new lover to South America,
and until his death, which occurred on March 1st 1870 remain-
ed laillilml) at his side.
Shortly before his departure from Paris, young Lopez was
a spectator of events and scenes which made an enduring im-
pression on his mind and which influenced him later to reck-
lessly provoke a war which was in almost exterminate his
people.
This event was the triumphant entrj into Paris in the year
1856 oi the victorious French array, returning from the battle-
fields "i the Crimea. The imposing, militarj pomp unfolded,
impressed the young Paraguayan general deeplj and the in-
cessant, enthusiastic rejoicing of the armj and the nation which
greeted the emperor, filled him with enw and engendered a
strong desire within his heart to plaj the same pari in South
America which Napoleon was acting in Europe at thai lime.
When Francisco Solano Lopez, upon the death of his father
mi the Huh ol September 1862, grasped the reins of govern-
ment he at once completed ih" erection ol the arsenal at
Asuncion where small arms were manufactured, cannons cast
and the heaw machinen For steam vessels was constructed.
— 34 —
Besides a navj yard and two powder-mills he built an iron
foundry at the little town of Ibicuy, to utilize Hie rich and ex-
tensive inm mines near that place.
He also began the construction of a railway to connect
Asuncion with Villa Rica, of which, al I he commencement of
the war, there were completed and in operation fourteen leagues
to the town of Paraguary.
ni
■*« k .
90
* 1
3 i !
'■^r*f"
Railway Station at Asuncion
The boundaries of the country were, furthermore, connect-
ed with the capital by lines of telegraph constructed by a
German, Fischer von Treuenfeld.
But neither the erection of these works, which seemed to
absorb his whole attention, nor the brilliant entertainments
and courtlj splendour, with which he and Madame Lynch, his
honored and recognized consort, surrounded themselves after
the manner of European potentates, could quench his inordin-
ate ambitious desire to become a South American Caesar.
This purpose, growing into a fixed idea, gave him no peace
by da\ and night and he became firmly resolved to improve
the first opportunity presented, to declare war against, the
neighboring states.
That opportunity was soon to come.
In the Republic Banda Oriental del Uruguay, Mien as now r
two parties, the colorados and the blancos, struggled for su-
premacy.
The blancos then were in possession of the government,.
l»nt General Flores, the chief of the colorados, with the secret
support of I h»' Argentine Republic, stirred up an insurrection
in the interior and was successful in a series of engagements.
The blancos had committed the blunder to take away cat-
tle, from and to inflict serious damage upon the estancieros of
the northern districts of the republic who were generally citi-
zens of the Brazilian province of Rio Grande de Sul.
Brazil, upon complaint being made, sent an ultimatum to
Uruguay, peremptorily requesting the cessation of such conduct
and demanding payment for the damages sustained by her ci-
tizens.
President Aguirre, on the 9th day of August 1864 return-
ed the ultimatum with the observation: A reply to the ulti-
matum is beneath the dignity of the republic.
He turned at once to the Marshal-President, of Paraguay
with a request of assistance.
The latler sent a note to the Cabinet at Bio de Janeiro
stating : that he should not viewwith indifference the invasion
of Uruguay by Brazilan forces.
Another note, addressed to President Mitre at Buenos Aires
contained the menace that a further and continued support of
llir rebellion iu the Banda Oriental by the Argentine Republic in
supplying the insurgents with money, anus, ammunition, uni-
forms etc. would be considered l>\ him as sufficient reason for
,111 armed intervention.
Brazil ignored the throat and Brazilian troops crossed the
border of Uruguaj •
The Argentine Government, on the contrary, recognizing
the impropriety of its former conduct, ceased to render further
support to the rebellion in a friendlj ami neighboring state.
The insurgent colorados, with the aid of Brazil, were fin-
ally victorious.
Montevideo surrendered on the 22nd ol Februarj 1865 and
General Flores was proclaimed Dictator of the Banda Oriental.
On November loth 1864 Lopez ordered the seizure of the
Brazilian steamer Marquez de Olinda which, with therecentlj
— 36 —
appointed governor ol the province of Matto Grosso on hoard,
was ascending the Rio Paraguay. The crew and the passengers
were thrown into prison.
The declaration of war b\ Paraguay against Brazil follow-
ed on i he 13th day of December 1864 and Paraguayan troops
simultaneous^ invaded the Brazilian province Mallo Grosso,
plundering and devastating the land in a barbarous manner.
The Brazilian naval squadron, anchored at Montevideo pur-
suant to orders from Rio de Janeiro, made preparations to as-
cend the river and to retaliate upon the riparian towns of Pa-
raguay. Lopez, to counteract this naval manoeuvre by an at-
tack on land, requested the permission of Bartolome Mitre,
President of the Argentine Republic, to march his army through
the Misiones Occidentales into Brazil.
Mitre declined to grant the request, adding, that such a
permission given by a neutral state to one of the belligerents
would be a violation of the laws of nations.
Upon receipt of this answer, on the 13th day of April, Lo-
pez had two Argentine passenger steamers seized in the port
of Corrientes and (heir crews cut down by two of his armed
ships.
The next day he ordered 40,000 soldiers under the com-
mand of General Robles to invade the Argentine province of
Corrientes and to occupy the city of the same name.
The Argentine Republic, Brazil and Banda Oriental, in con-
sequence of this rude and brutal conduct, entered into an al-
liance for the purpose of joining their forces in a war against
Paraguay and one of the main stipulations of the treaty con-
sisted of the mutual agreement not to lay down their arms
until the government of Lopez was destroyed for ever.
General Mitre, President of the Argentine Republic, was en-
trusted with the chief command of the allied army and the
navy was placed under the separate and independent command
of the Brazilian Admiral Jainandare.
:The war, which was to last five years, had begun.
A Paraguayan army corps of 8,000 men, under the com-
mand of Lieutenant-Colonel Estegarribia, surrendered on the
18th of September 186S in the Brazilian town of Uruguayana.
This division originally consisted of 10,000 men, but a brigade
<>!' i,000 soldiers under Major Dnarte lad four weeks previous-
I\ been annihilated by General Flores on the luniks of the Cor-
rientenian river Yatai.
General Robles, the commander of the troops at Corrien-
tes, and his two adjutants were arrested on the 23rd of July
by the order of Lopez and taken to the Fortress Hum ait a.
General Resquin superseded him. He advanced as far as
Bella Vista hut retreated to the north upon the approach of
Mitre with an army of 00,(100 men, which moved from Concor-
dia toward Bella Vista. The allied armies followed General Res-
quin and camped on the hanks of the Laguna Brava hetween
i he ii(y of Corrientes and the Rio Parana.
General Resquin, rightly considering his position on the
left hank of the river untenable requested permission of Lopez
to retreat to the right bank.
This news it was which pat the .Marshal-President in such
a furious rage and which resulted in the order for the execu-
tion nf General Robles and his adjutants.
Only the caresses of the woman, who, until his death,
exerted such a disastrous and demoniacal influence upon him,
were able to calm his rage.
The bright lights, radiating from the apartment of the head-
quarters, were extinguished.
Dense darkness enveloped the building.
T 11 V U t V .
Thirty-thousand Paraguayans, readj to fighl and to die,
stood assembled behind the intrenchments, two hours before
sunrise on Maj 23rd 1866. Thej were awaiting an attack from
the allied armies across a narrow, crescent-shaped isthmus be"
tween extensive swamps and boggj water courses.
— 38 —
The Estero Rojas (a swamp covered with reeds and rushes)
upon whose northern borders the intrenchraents were erected,
is situated aboul three leagues south of Humaita and about
the same distance from the north bank of the Rio Parana.
The allied arraj crossed the Parana on the 16th of April,
and on the 18th a Paraguayan division was defeated between
llapiru and the Paso de la Patria by the Brazilian General Oso-
rio. Lopez, therefore, four days later, evacuated the strong
position at Paso de la Patria on account of the heavy bombard-
ment by the Brazilian fleet, crossed the Esteros Bellaco and
Rojas and look up Ins position on the northern edge of the
Estero Rojas. Here, in a swampy region, called Tuyuty, ad-
mirably adapted for a stubborn defence, he erected detached
intrenchments and connected breastworks with a rapidity which
contrasted strikingly with the slow, heavy movements of the
allies.
•Lopez, on the 2nd day of May, sent Lieutenant-Colone
Diaz with only 6,000 men to surprise the allied army which
camped between the Paso de la Patria and the Estero Bellaco.
It was a grand success, and if, instead of 6,000, the Marshal-
President had ordered 20,000 soldiers to strike the blow, 'the
invading army would have been annihilated. The odds were
too great in favor of Hie allies although the advance guard com-
manded by General Flores was wiped out of existence. Each
side suffered a loss of about 2,000 dead and wounded. The
Paraguayans also captured four cannons with ammunition wag-
gons belonging to them and three flags which were at once
taken to the headquarters of Lopez at Paso* Pocu one league
to the north of the Estero Rojas.
Lopez had chosen Paso Pocii for his headquarters because
it was so far in the rear of the intrenchments that it was be-
yond the reach of hostile bullets. When, on the 18th of April
previous, he was in close proximity of a real battle and heard
the oinnious whistling of bullets and the shriek of shells he be-
came as nervous and violently agitated that he turned over the
command of the army to General Resquin so that he could re-
treat to a place of greater safety.
\ Pi ss. "\ be Pasos mentioned frequently are no mountain passes
but fords through swamps and Lagui as.
— 39 —
Although the commander-in-chief of the Paraguayan army
losl every spark of courage the momenl he heard the dreaded
noise of flying shells and balls, he was, notwithstanding, a
man, endowed, in an extraordinary manner, with energy, cir-
cumspection and tenacity of purpose.
Within the four preceeding weeks he constructed the ne-
cessary fortifications to protect the position of his army, mount-
ed the intrenchments with guns of heavy calibre broughl from
Fortress Humaita and connected the different and detached
works b\ telegraph with his headquarters. The most insigni-
ficant events and details of everything happening in the front
had to be reported to him and from his desk, and without
leaving headquarters, he could direct the movements of the
whole army.
The sun advanced toward the zenith and by ten o'clock
i In- morning fogs wore dispersed and a clear view could be
obtained of the -round in front and of the wide-spreading en-
campment (if thf enemies. No indications of preparations for
an attack could be observed and yet, spies bad reported to
Lopez that the allies intended to make an assault on that
day.
The hostile camp appeared absolutlj harmless. Nothing
transpired but the ordinarj incidents of every-day camp life.
Some soldiers were engaged in slaughtering cattle, others were
senl to Hie foresl lor fuel and still others occupied themselves
in procuring the necessarj supplj of water.
b was impossible to imagine thai these troops contemplat-
ed a surprise. The Marshal-Presidenl musl have been deceiv-
ed or the reports must have been unintentionally false.
\ signal was given, the batallion disbanded and the Para-
guayan soldiers behind the intrenchments began the same daily
routine of camp life which had been observed with the enemj
in front.
l! was abOUt one o'clock ill the afternoon when a IIOLiTo with
his hands tied behind, was broughl to headquarters b\ the
guard.
The answers of the man to the interrogatories propounded
l>\ General Resquin wen- unsatisfactory ami as the negro be-
came tangled up in his own contradictions he was tied hand and
foot, thrown (in i do ground ami his bare back belabored with a
— 40 —
lasso, made of leather thongs, until it was a mass of raw quiv-
ering flesh.
The procedure was effective. The negro, when he saw the
peril of his situation, was ready to make clear and truthful
statements.
He declared that he had been a trumpeter with a Brazi-
lian batallion of infantry, hut that on account of bad treatment
by his superior officers he had deserted to the Paraguayans.
In regard to the surprise he only knew that General Mitre had
postponed the same for two days to the 2oth of May, the natal
day of the Argentine Republic, but that it would occur on that
day without doubt.
When this was reported to the Marshal-President he re-
solved to anticipate the allies and to give them the very sur-
prise which they intended for him.
That afternoon he made a lour of inspection throughout
the whole camp and fortifications, visiting every division of his
troops.
He was greeted with enthusiastic cheers wherever he ap-
peared. His glowing words inflamed their souls to a degree
that they were willing to die for him.
He pointed out to them how the macacos (Brazilians) had
invaded the land for the purpose of enslaving the Paraguayans;
that they would sell them in the public slavemarkets of Rio
de Janeiro, that their wives and daughters, after being outrag-
ed by these disgusting monkeys would suffer the same fate,
and that the whole land and the property of his brave soldiers
would be divided as booty between them. — «But I know» he
continued, « that my brave and dear Paraguayans will suffer a
thousand deaths before they will endure such infamy at the
hands of these brutes, which are even beneath the swine. I
swear to you, and you are witnesses of my oath, that, as long
as I shall live, these [beasts shall never accomplish their brutal
purposes. The sacred soil of our country has for the last six
weeks, been polluted by the feet of these negroes, but we will
wash out this disgrace with their own blood. To-morrow, at
one and the same moment, this whole army will throw itself
from all sides on these cowardly scoundrels, resting in fancied
security, and will exterminate them ! No mercy, no pity on
them ! I have enticed these filthy robbers to this place so that
— 41 —
not one ol them shall escape your avenging sword! Here, in
these swamps shall their bodies decay and their bones bleach
in the sun ! 1 have selected the swamps of Tuyuty as the
place where you will execute a terrible judgment on those who
have insulted the honor of our country ! Tuyuty shall be cal-
led the i carrion ground » in the future? Soldiers ! Depend on
your own strength and the justice of our cause ! Victory is
yours : Onlj 6,000 Paraguayans defeated the whole army of
the enem\ on the 2nd of Ma\ and captured four cannons, four
ammunition wagons and three flags ! To-morrow the whole
army will strike a heavy blow. You will win a signal and
brilliant victory and will annihilate the enemy! 1 know every-
one of you will do his duty ! Let us defeat them to-morrow
and. if it must be, let us die, shouting: « 17/ -u la Republica
del Paraguay!* Indepencia 6 muerto /»
The speech was powerful and grand in its effect. The en-
thusiastic shouts from thousands of throats filled the air. The
Paraguayans threw themselves on the ground, tore their hair
and acted like veritable lunatics.*
Lopez was a skilful orator. He knew how to manage the
Guaranis. He knew how to stir up their passions and to in-
flame them to madness: and a moment after, if he deemed
it best, to subject them to the yoke of an iron discipline so
that they dared not to move a muscle.
General Barrios was called to Lopez an hour before mid-
oighl to receive the following instructions :
Barrios with 8,000 infantry, 1,000 cavalry and 10 guns
will start an hour before sunrise and march through the
swampy, timbered Potrero Piris to the Eslero Bellaco. Arrived
Mine, and having ranged his troops for the assault under the
cover of the woods, ho will discharge a gun which will be the
signal for the general attack. This was for the reason that
the route assigned to his division was more difficult and cir-
cuitous than those of the others.
Tie' general bowed and silently departed from the room.
Colonel l>iaz, a superb officer, whose dark eyes, notwith-
standing the energetic, severe and even threatening expression
of the countenance, reflected admiration and devotion for the
Supremo, entered the room as soon as General Barrios had
[eft. Lopez understood this officer thoroughly and knew how
— VI —
to appreciate his good qualities which consisted in reckless im-
petuosity and in grim, undying hatred of the enemies of his
countrj .
The colonel was selected to lead the centre. He was to
lake 6,000 infantrj and four Howitzers and at sunrise to march
through the Paso Gomez, then to take up his position under
cover 11! the woods and upon hearing the signal gun of Gene-
ral Barrios to charge with his men through the bafiado in
front into the camp of the enemy and to cut down everything
before him.
General Resquin immediately followed Colonel Diaz.
He was ordered to take 7,000 cavalry, 3,000 infantry and
10 cannons through the Paso Yataiti-Cora, attack in full force
aud energetically the Argentinians on the enemy's right flank
and to send his cavalry around to us to meet that of General
Barrios sweeping around the enemy's left wing, to unite these
aud charge the allies in the rear, putting them between two
fires and destroying them.
Such were the dispositions made.
It is surprising that Lop'fez gave to each general his par-
ticular instructions and orders. It was a principle with him to
communicate to each chief only that which particularly concern-
ed him, so that none of them should presume to be able to
take the chief command himself. It is also a matter of aston-
ishment that he sent only 24 field-pieces with an army of
21,000 soldiers which was designed to make the attack, al-
though he had at hand an abundance of field artillery.
The swampy, miry ground, covered with thickets and timber
which impeded the movements and evolutions of artillery, may
explain the fact. A number of rocket batteries, as a substitute
for the heavier cannons, were ordered forward during the bat-
tle and gave evidence of their destrutive force.
General Barrios, with his troops, put himself in motion
shortly before four o'clock in the morning. The line of march
was extremely difficult and toilsome. The infantry, frequently,
could only advance in single file, the cavalry had to dismount
and lead the horses by the bridle and the guns could only be
brought forward by the supreme efforts of the cannoneers who
had to draw them. The soft, swampy, wooded Potrero Piris,
well enough adapted for the movements of small detachments,
— 43 —
presented almosl insurmountable obstacles lo Hie manoeuvres
and advance of a large army.
It was 11 o'clock when the column finally reached the
northern edge of I he Laguna Piris and the eastern border of
the potrero of the same name. The troops were arranged in
order of battle behind a narrow strip of timber which the allies
bad neglected to occupy. The cavalry, with the right leaning
on the Estero Bellaco, formed the righl wing. The infantry
tunned the centre ami I lie left, and the artillry, composed of
cannons and rockel batteries, was placed in the gaps between
the batallions.
.
&aS?&i&
On the March.
Diaz and Resquin had reached their appointed places hours
ago ;nid impatiently awaited tin' signal lor the attack.
Tin- allied camp, situated on a horseshoe-shaped eleva-
tion, some four or live kilometers in length and surrounded by
swamps presented, al this time, the ordinary, customary, care-
less lii'' of the soldier.
The Argentines, under the command of General Paunero
occupied the right flank. Orientals, Argentines and Brazilians,
commanded h\ General Flores, formed the centre and the Bra-
zilians, under the command of General Osorio, were placed on
the Itli wing. One hundred and fifty field-pieces, more than
half of them rifled muzzle-loaders, v ere placed along (he whole
extensive front.
The allied armies remained under arms until nine o'clock.
The fog disappeared and the ground in front could be clearly
seen. Nothing of a suspicious nature could be observed. The
guards were relieved, the batallions separated and the usual
dail\ occupations began. Some butchered cattle, some chop-
lied wood, some carried water and some were commanded to
draw rations at the proveduria. Scarcely one third of the alli-
ed army, then estimated at 48,000 men, remained in camp,
engaged in cooking or loafing about.
ft was now half past eleven o'clock. The detailed detach-
ments had not yel returned and many empty stomachs longed
for the advent of fresh meat from the slaughter pens.
Then, the boom of a cannon from the woods in front of
the Laguna Piris suddenly startled the soldiers who had re-
mained in camp. A second discharge followed immediately and
then the roar of cannons, the rattle and clatter of musketry
and the hailstorm of missiles sweeping into the camp.
The baiiados (a small laguna) were instantly alive with
men and 25, 000 Paraguayan warriors, shouting vociferously
tViva la Republica del Paraguay /» Independencia 6 muerte!
dashed through the swamps in front of the allied camp.
The attacking forces were intoxicated with enthusiasm.
Intoxicated and ready to die, not only with the innate and
fostered love of their country, but also from the inspiring ha-
rangue of the Supremo, in whose person they recognized the
embodiment of their fatherland.
«Let us die for Paragnay !»— Let us perish for our fami-
lies ! — Death to the macacos ! — No Pardon !»
The Paraguayans, like 25,000 incarnate demons scared their
enemies out of the dolce far niente they were enjoying.
The awakening was terrible.
The shrill blare of trumpets called the few remaining, half
dressed soldiers to their colors.
Scarcely fifteen or twenty men could be collected to form
a company here and there. Each gun had only two or three
men ready for service.
Independencia 6 muerte ! Mueran los salvajes maca-
cos! (Death to these savage monkeys.)
The wild battle-yell of the fanatic Paraguayans rang in the
ears of the terrified hostile soldiers.
Even man of the allied army felt that to-day he had to
vanquish or perish.
Terrific and unexpected as was the onslaught which ex-
terminated the firs! Brazilian and Argentine batallions before
the\ Dould grasp their guns, the allied officers, with heroic ef-
forts, succeeded in restoring some order, especially when the
detailed detachments hurriedlj returned. The battle then be-
came regular and general along the whole line and the Para-
guayans gradually lust the advantage which they had gained
at first l>\ thf surprise.
General Osorio with his Brazilian troops on the left wing
was thrice forced bark to the edge of the Estero Bellaco and
thrice, at the point of the bayonet, he drove the Paraguayans
under General barrios hark to the sheltering woods. The lat-
ter, recognizing the futility of struggling further against an
enemj well supplied with artillery, broke off the tight towards
four o'clock in the afternoon.
The contest in the centre, of Colonel Diaz against General
Flores, was the severest along the line. The front of the allies
was here protected h\ a broad and deep ba/iado which could
be swept in all directions b\ their 35 field guns placed upon
the rim of the swamp.
The advance of the Paraguayans, when, upon the given
signal, with enthusiastic cheers thej plunged into the morass,
was extremeh slow and laborious. The murderous fire of can-
nister from the enemy's guns mowed them down in rows, stop-
lied the advance and forced them to retreat to the woods un-
der the greatesl difficulties. Ii was a bare chance that of the
<;.ooii warriors anj escaped with their lives. The ammunition
chests oi the allies were filled with cartouches and shells but
contained oulj two charges of grape-shot for each gun, so that
after these had been fired onlj shell- remained. If there had
been a sufficient supplj of grape-shot, the column ol Colonel
Diaz would have leen totally exterminated.
The i.'iih batallion ol Paraguayans halted in the swamp
when ii could proceed uo further. General Flores demanded
— '.<; —
its surrender; The men simpJj replied thai Lhej had no order
to surrender.
The brave batallion was shol down to the last man.
The baiiado was so covered with corpses in the evening
that, I*} stepping from one to another, a person could walk dry
shod from one side of the swamp to the other.
Genera] Resquin was at first quite successful in Ids attack
on the Argentines. He had crossed the Estero Rojas by the
Paso Yataiti-Cora and deplayed his troops, mostly cavalry, in a
battle line behind a narrow palm grove.
When the signal gun was fired and the Paraguayans made
a simultaneous assault on the allied lines, he too, dashed for-
ward with his troopers, rode down two hostile brigades com-
manded by Generals Homos and Caceres, flung himself on the
20 Argentine guns which were here stationed and cut down
the men before they could fire a single shot. On the point of
drawing off the guns by means of lassos, the Paraguayans were
in return attacked by troops of the 1st Argentine batallion of
the line, and of the legion militar (now^batallion No. 8 of the
line) quickly collected by the officers. They made a bayonet
charge, retook the gnus, drove off the Paraguayans and turned
the guns upon them.
In vain were all the efforts of the Paraguayan infantry. Ge-
neral Paunero had bis Argentine troops now in order and well
in band and every attack was beaten back.
General Resquin saw plainly that further struggling was
useless and disastrous, but he had orders from Lopez to unite
bis cavalry with that of General Barrios in the rear of the enemy.
Although bis regiments bad suffered terribly already he sent
them around the right flank of the Argentines to execute the
given command. Four batallions of the national guard of the
division «Buenos Aires» wheeled around and with their steady,
deadly volleys swept the daring squadrons off the field.
Of all the bold troopers only Major Alabarieta with about
twenty men, all more or less severely wounded, succeeded in
reaching General Barrios who was then in full retreat.
The roar of the battle ceased towards four o'clock in the
afternoon. The allies could see, when the clouds of the pow-
der smoke lifted, what damage they bad inflicted on their ene-
my. Six thousand dead Paraguayans covered the battlefield
and 8,000 severely wounded groaned in the thickets or in the
swamps or were carried off by their countrymen.
The losses on the side of the allies were also heavy. The
total of dead and wounded amounted to about 5,000. The tro-
phies captured l>\ them on that day consisted in 5 flags, i can-
nons, 10 ammunition wagons, 5,000 muskets and large quanti-
ties of other arms, saddles and accoutrements of war. 350
severely wounded prisoners woe taken.
If Genera] Mitre, the commander in chief, had known how
to follow up the advantage gained and had ordered a general
advance at once, he would have taken the fortress Humaita
without serious loss and very probably ended the war. The
11,000 Paraguayans, who escaped the fearful slaughter, were so
disorganized and demoralized that it took a full week before
the scattered fragments could be reorganized and formed into
new companies, batallions and regiments.
Bui Mitre, although urgently requested In do so b\ Gene-
rals Flores and Osorio, could not rouse himself to such ener-
getic action.
(in the contrary, caution being the mother of wisdom, it
was held to be the best policj to be mi guard against these
Paraguayan picaros (rogues) and to fortify the camp in all di-
rections.
The woods were full of severely wounded Paraguayans, main
ol them dragging themselves into the camp at Paso Pocu for
some two or three days after the battle.
Major Coronel, shot through the breast, laj four days in
llif woods. 1 1 i s brave servant did not leave him bill remained
faithfully ai his side. When he gave up all hope of recovery,
he requested his servanl to kill him, which was refused. Then
he handed his sword and cap* to ihe servant, charging him to
take them to the Supremo, to convince him, thai he, Major
Coronel. had performed his dutj to the last moment. The ma-
jor was discovered bj a Paraguayan patrol en the fourth daj
of his Suffering and taken to PaSO POCU, Me recovered hut fell
si\ weeks later in the battle of the 18th of July.
'I In- ii l':i ragun ■ fastened to
i he ■ it]
— 48 —
While the brave Paraguayans Eouglit the murderous battles
of their Supremo with a tun and utter contempt of death,
which forced the highest encomiums from their enemies, Lopez
himself endeavored to observe the cause of the battle through
a field glass from his residence al Paso Pocii, at the safe dis-
tance of seven kilometres from I he scenes of danger and carn-
age. A nervous restlessness took possession of him, which
finally became so unbearable when he could recognize nothing
distinctly on account of the intervening trees and when he had
no news of the fight, thai he concluded to ride up to the
trenches.
What a supreme struggle if must have been for him to
pluck up sufficient courage for that resolution.
The Bishop Palacios and his adjutant Marcus were request-
ed to accompany him.
They had scarcely proceeded two kilometers when Lopez
was again attacked by cannon-fright, his former malady. He
declared, that possibly, he might be recognized by the allies,
wherefore he turned into a palm grove where he was unob-
served from friend or foe and from whence he could see noth-
ing of the raging battle except the clouds of smoke rising
above the trees.
Receiving no report from the front and noticing an in-
creasing appetite, the Marshal-President rode back a short dis-
tance, dismounted and stretched himself on the soft grass in
the shade of wide-branching trees. The well-filled saddle bags
of the orderlies were emptied of a goodly supply of bread, sar-
dines, pickles, and cognac for the strengthening of the inner
man.
This very important business concluded, Lopez again re-
turned to the palmgrove to wait for news from the battle.
The first of the wounded returning, passed this place low-
aids three o'clock. They were stopped to give information of
the fight in front. These people knew nothing of the move-
ments of the whole army. They could only speak of the frag-
ments of the action in which they had participated and they
were trained to report nothing to the Supremo but what highly
glorified the Paraguayau army. Lopez personally interrogated
the men and it can readily be surmised how highly colored the
reports were.
— 49 —
Alter four o'clock, when the thunder of the hat tie had
ceased, Lopez, with companions rode to Paso Gomez to the
house of Colonel Bruguez, chief of the artillery. Here, for the
first time, from the reports of General Barrios and Colonel Diaz,
he learned the disastrous outcome of the contest.
He was utterly dejected at first. But at ten o'clock at
night, when he returned to Paso Pocu and when he had become
convinced that the allies were not going to follow up their ad-
vantage at once, his former self-confidence was completely res-
tored. To-day he had fathomed the character of his enemies.
They were absolutely devoid of energy for a daring ad-
vance.
The Marshal-President reached headquarters in a cheerful
name of mind. The military bands were ordered to furnish
lively, patriotic music during the night and provisions and
cana-liquor were freely distributed among the soldiers and the
people. Those of the soldiers who could yet dance, danced as
it possessed and the wounded shouted « Victoria.)'
Five adjutants at headquarters wrote glowing reports of a
glorious virion for the «Semanario» (Weekly) the only news-
paper published in Paraguay. These reports were submitted to
the Marshal-President for inspection, and after his approva
were that same night transmitted by telegraph to Asuncion. .
Colonels Diaz and Bruguez were promoted the following
da> in the rank of generals.
Such was the aspect of things among the swampsof Tuvu-
i\ mi the 24. d;i\ of May.
c
11 r u z u.
On a steep barranca, about Ihirtj feel high, which forms
the left hank of the Rio Paraguaj some six leagues above the
place where il empties into Rio Parana, Lopez had erected de-
fences, armed with cannons of heavj calibre. The objecl of
— 50 —
these fortifications was to protect the righl flank of his position
on the northern edge of the Estero Rojas and more especially
to slop the approach of the hostile fleet to Humaita, the base
of operations of his army.
Twenty-two of these heavy guns were, for this purpose,
mounted to command the river and three of them were placed
so as to sweep the swampy ground in front and to the south.
These fortifications, which they named Curupaiti, were si-
tuated about one league on a straight line to the southwest of
Humaita. By the river, due to the numerous bends of the
stream, the distance was increased to three leagues.
The Marschal-President soon became aware of (he fact that
Curupaiti was the weakest point in his position. If the enemy
were to concentrate his whole force upon this spot and capture
the intrenchinents, then the Paraguayan position on the Estero
Rojas would be taken in the flank and the army would be for-
ced on a hastyretreat to Humaita.
Lopez, to avoid such a calamity, erected a fort in the shape
of a cross, on the low, woody river bank at the only place
where a landing of troops was possible. This fort, called Cu-
ruzii, which was located about 3000 paces south of Curupaiti, re-
ceived a garrison of 2,800 men and 18 cannons were mounted
on its walls.
Colonel Diaz was placed in command of both forts and
Major Sayas, subject to the orders of Diaz, commanded at
Curuzii.
The sites of the two forts were so well selected that, if
any ships, going up stream, should pass Curuzii, they would
encounter a crossfire, north from the cannons of Curupaiti and
south-east from the guns of Curuzii.
Several dozen contact-torpedoes had. furthermore, been
anchored in this part of the river — a fact well known to the
Brazilian naval officers.
A long island covered with palms and other trees, the
«isla de las palmas» (island of palms) filled the middle of the
stream opposite to Curuzii.
The territory surrounding Curuzii is very unfavorable for
an assault. Swamps, dense woods and the thorny thickets, so
characteristic in these latitudes of the southern hemisphere
— 51 —
furnished natural barriers such as the skill of the best mili-
tary engineers could not have improved upon.
Deep lagunes with niin bottoms alternated with swampy
banados overgrown with tall, cutting, reed-like grasses which
made them almost impenetrable.
The positions of the Paraguayans seemed strong enough al
this place In defy an\ assault hv the enemy.
<>n the morning of September 1. 186,6, five Brazilian iron-
clads steamed up the river to the west of Palm Island, anchor-
ed below Fort Curupaiti and began to bombard the batteries
at this place. These armored vessels were:
«Bahia» of 140 horsepower and armed with two 150 pound
cannons.
"Brasil of 250 horsepower with 11 guns.
«Barroso» of 130 horsepower with (i guns.
[Rio de Janeiro* of I'M) horsepower and 6 guns.
• Lima Barros* of 300 horsepower with 4 150 pound guns.
The brisk cannonade from I lie iron clads, prompt l\ res-
ponded to l»\ the shore batteries, accomplished \en Utile. The
breastworks were onbj slightly damaged. The guns and the
cannoneers of the Paraguayan batteries were sufficiently pro-
tected b\ traverses thicklj covered with lianas and this elastic
covering resisted admirably the impact of the hostile projectiles.
>
:b
^JrTninr" i
itttM
E
— m —
The damage sustained by the Paraguayans through this
bombardment, which continued for three days, consisted only
in the destruction of one gun,— a damage out of all proportion
in the enormous amount of ammunition wasted by the allies.
Onlj now, after the Brazilian vessels had advanced so far
for the first time and were exposed to the fire from Guruzu in
their roar, did the allies, to their surprise, become aware of
I lie existence of this fort.
Nor were the soldiers of Curuzii less amazed, when on the
!sl of September, shortly after the passage of the ironclads,
I hey witnessed the approach of a numerous fleet of steamers
which anchored on the west side of Palm Island and made pre-
parations for the disemharcation of troops.
Major Sayas at once ordered 700 sharp-shooters into the
timbered foreground along the river to prevent and oppose any
al tempted landing of troops.
A number of small boats, manned with Brazilian infantry
soon came around the lower point of the island and endeavor-
ed to approach the eastern bank of the river. They were re-
ceived by a hot fire from the thickets which forced them to
retreat in great haste.
Three gunboats forthwith left the protecting shelter of the
island and hurled a* shower of grape, and cannisterand shrap-
nel into the woods which soon silenced the musketry fire of
the Paraguayans.
Covered by Hit' guns of the vessels, 12,000 allied troops,
mostly Brazilians, gradually succeeded in effecting a landing.
This arm) corps, lead by General Porto Alegre, was ord-
ered by the commander in chief to assault and capture Fort
Curupaiti and now found themselves suddenly face to face with
Port Curuzii of the existence of which, they bad bad not the
least, suspicion.
The landing of the troops was difficult ami hazardous. The
troops firs! coming ashore had to construct breastworks and
abatis from bushes, branches and trees to procure some shel-
' ler from the deadly fire of the Paraguayans hidden in the
woods and thickets. The breastworks and abatis were extend-
ed by degrees to afford room for the whole corps with its nu-
merous field suns.
— Oo —
The space on shore into which the Brazilians were huddle
together.was extremely limited in extent.
The gunboats could onlj fire at an elevated range over the
heads of the Brazilians and, in eonsequence, the woods again
became alive with Paraguayan sharpshooters, who, from sale
covers behind trees and stumps, sustained a withering fire into
the dense masses of their enemies, driving them to the very
verge of despair.
The Brazilians were compelled to encamp over night at the
place where they had landed, as it was too late in the day to
reconnoitre the vicinity.
The musketry fire continued unabated the whole night.
The woods were ransacket the next morning to discover
large bodies of Paraguayan troops. None were found, only
scattered sharpshooters who easily eluded pursuit.
The forest was set afire towards eleven o'clock in the
morning.
The crackling and roaring of the flames as they leaped
from tree to tree, the crashing of falling trunks, the scorching
heal and the dense, suffocating smoke heightened the terrors
of the fiercely raging battle. The Brazilians sought to protect
themselves from the fire by felling trees and by digging tren-
ch's and the Paraguayan sharpshooters returned to the fort.
Thru, when the fury of the flames had spent itself, when
the Brazilians rushed from the chaos to breathe the fresh
pure air,— a deafening crash as if the firmanent was renl
asunder.
The firing ceased on both sides as if stopped h\ a com-
mon signal and a stillness of death momentarily hovered over
the scene.
The proud ironclad Kio de Janeiro- opposite Curuzii, rose
above the surface of the ri\er amidsl a cloud of smoke and
steam and surging, boiling waves, broke amidship and sank
slowlj to the bottom. An exploding torpedo bad destroyed the
ship. Fifty-three men oul of .1 new of 115 perished in the ca-
tastrophe and among them the Captain Mariz Barros the com-
mander of the vessel.
About <i<) of the crew attempted to save themselves by
swimming. The gunboat «Ivahy« rushed along to pick up the
men. The Paraguayans opened a galling lire on the «Ivahy»
— oi —
and on the helpless men struggling with death in the river. A
shell penetrated the boilers of the gunboat, killing four firemen
by the scalding steam.
An outcry of rage and revenge rose from the thousands
of Brazilian throats when the troops witnessed this inhuman
conduct of the Paraguayans.
The soldiers were exhausted from fighting the fire and from
struggling with the Paraguayans ; the territory to the east of
Curuzu had to be reconnoitred before an attaek could be order-
ed on the fort. General Porto Alegre therefore, ordered his
army to bivouac beyond the range of the cannons of Curuzu.
It was a very troublesome task to bring up the guns. The
draught animals refused to wade through the hot ashes and to
pass the burning stumps. The cannoneers were forced to har-
ness themselves to the gun carriages and to drag them to their
designated places,
Protecting covers for the batteries had beeu constructed
during the night and at dawn of day on the 3rd day of Sep-
tember the Brazilians were ready to open fire on the south
side of Fort Curuzu,
General Porto Alegre had made the following dispositions
fur the contemplated attack :
« General Fontes with a column of 0000 men infantry will
pass around the south end of the lagune, which extends to the
east of the fort, then march along the eastern run of the la-
gune, wade through its northern end and then make a bayonet
charge on the fort from the north. The artillery ceases firing
the moment Fontes commences the assault and General Carvalho,
with the rest of the infantry, simultaneously and vigorously at-
tacks the whole south front of the Paraguayan positiou.
The batteries began to hurl their projectiles against the
fort at day-break and General Fontes, as ordered, marched
around the south end of the lagune with his batallions. Then
well hidden by the forest, he passed along the east edge and
finally reached a ford, covered with four feet of water
but with a solid bottom. The soldiers threw off their clothes,
waded through the lagune and at the opposite bank encounter-
ed a wall and a ditch, which like an enceinte, encireled the
fori.
The Paraguayans did not expect an attack from the north ;
they anticipated the danger from the opposite side and their
forces were mainly crouching behind the southern breastworks.
They were dumbfounded when they perceived the Brazilians
sweeping across the northern wall. They were dismayed and
broke into wild flight, some running towards Fort Curu-
paiti and others to Curuzu, where they made a stand and open-
ed a destructive fire on the attacking column.
Fortunately for the albes, only one gun was placed on
that side. Nearly all the cannons of the fort were pointed
toward the river.
Within a few minutes after the time when General Fontes
had captured the northern wall, General Carvalho dashed across
the intrenchments in the southern front.
The two generals at once united their forces and formed
them into I lure assaulting columns, which attacked the fort
simultaneously from the north, the east and the south. The
Brazilians charged, scaled the ramparts in the face of a mur-
derous fire and engaged in a hand to hand struggle with the
desperate Paraguayans within the fort. The latter defended
themselves with such stubborn heroism that the victorj hung
in the balance for some time, hut the marked numerical su-
periority of the Brazilians prevailed at last. They crowded into
the fort, drove the brave Paraguayans into the eastern bastion
and disarmed them. '
S.-aircly had this been done, when the rejoicing and danc-
ing <>f the Brazilians, intoxicated with victory, was suddenly in-
terrupted^ a terrific detonation. The powder magazine of the
bastion, where the Paraguayans were huddled together, had
exploded. The ground was immediately strewn wtth mutilated
corpses and torn and blood) human limbs.
General Pontes quicklj collected 1200 of his troops and
pursued the fleeing enemy to theverj walls of Curupaiti, where
General Porto Alegre's order to return at once to Curuziiover-
took him. li the energetic and impetuous brigadier had receiv-
ed this oidor halt an hour later be would have captured Cu-
rupaiti, which was almost open and defenceless lo the south-
easl ami occupied i,\ a small garrison. The Paraguayan posi-
tion mi the Estero Rojas would base been outflanked and the
river opened for the fleel up to Humaita.
— 56 —
General Porto Alegre, with his troops, moved into camp
on the plateau south of Guruzu and threw up intrenchments
around ihe same.
The losses of the Paraguayans on this day amounted to
750 dead, 1800 wounded, 31 prisoners and 13 guns; that of
the Brazilians to 1200 dead and wounded, among them 59
officers.
Curuzu had fallen, but it was necessary to capture the far
more important Curupaiti before the allies could proceed to in-
vest the Fortress Humaita.
-••:•♦-
The Tithe of the Tenth.
The excitement of the Marshal-President, produced by the
hea vy cannonade which, during the first three days of Septem
ber raged on his right flank, and the rasping, jarring noise of
which did not act on his weak nerves like the dulcet notes of
a symphony, changed to utter dejection when, on the morning
of Sept. 4th., General Diaz reported to him the loss of Curuzu.
He saw himself outflanked already on his right. He knew
very well that Curupaiti, the chief support of the right wing,
although surrounded by formidable natural obstacles and bar-
riers, was not fortified strong enough on the land side to re-
resist a determined attack. Was it good generalship to wea-
ken other points on the line by sending reinforcements to this
port? No ! It was highly probable that the enemies, with an
attack on Curupatt.i, would simultaneously develop their main
strength, if not against the well fortifed centre, at least against
the more exposed left wing. The distance between the threat-
ened points on the left and right flanks, on a direct line and
not regarding the deviations produced by intervening swamps*
amounted to ten kilometers. And yet it was an absolute ne-
cessity to hold the fort on the river bank.
With his hands folded behind, with head bowed down and
with restless, nervous steps Lopez walked to and fro in his
room at his residence in Paso Pocii.
Various schemes flashed across his brain but he rejected
them one after the other as impracticable and incapable oi exe-
cution.
The door was flung open suddenly. Elisa Lynch, charm-
ing and captivating, entered the apartment and rushed to her
lover-
iMy lord, 1 have learned of the misfortune which befell us
yesterday but the loss of an unimportant place cannot be con-
sidered irreparable. What have the enemies gained by the
rapture of Curuzii, which. In the way, they took at a tremend-
ous sacrifice, as long as Curupaiti is still ours? I should judge
that your main care should be to strengthen this place thor-
oughly in the shortest time possible. »
Verj true, Madame* ! Lopez replied, resting his black
eves impiiringh on his beautiful mate. 1 recogoize ver> well
the necessity >of the construction of new fortifications, but the
question, how and where to erect and arm them is what per-
plexes me.— Or does my sagacious little councellor he added
willi an ironical smile,* know of a plan which would answer
all demands and be adapted to the topography of theground?»
Yes ! exclaimed Elisa Lynch. «I know of such a plan,
hut its invention is not mine, it belongs to George Thompson,
your Colonel of engineers.* It is the identical plan which the
Colonel submitted to you on a former occasion, but which you
then rejected from reasons incomprehensible to me as the plan
covers everj requisite for an effective defence of the position.
If I ma> advise yon, I would suggesl thatthe besl thing to do
would be to commission Colonel Thompson with the execution
of these plans
• Mote — Th ildiex who served with the Paraguayan
■ amp was an Englishman, Tho
i /. « •■!- indebted for I he rapid con-
hments and fortifications in the field, which • xcited
miration and chagrin "i the allies. Lopez often persisted, with
justified i with his Guarani's, carried on a war
amps swarmed with hired Fnropean
cated Eu-
to the arn a lis! of them.
■ am e n L o-
tor "i
the rail-ro P i juari and employed during the war in
58 —
The Marshal-President, in the mean time, stepped up to
the table, covered with files of documents, and alter a little
search picked up a paper which he examined attentively for
some minutes.
(You are quite right, Madame !» he exclaimed with glit-
tering eyes. «The plan is excellent! We must now exert all
our powers in the execution of these works as projected.*
«Captain Rivarola» he addressed the adjutant, who, in answer
to the call of the hell, had entered the room,» tell Colonel
Thomson to report to me in half an hour.»
After the adjutant had departed and Lopez had walked up
and down the room several times, he stopped suddenly before
Eliza Lynch, who reclined negligently in a cane chair and ob-
served him closely with her keen eyes.
A dark cloud hovered over his features when he finally
asked in a suppressed, harsh voice : «And what will be the
impression which the news of the capture of Curuzii will make
on the people and on the army ? This loss cannot be diplo-
matically demonstrated away like a defeat in the field. It is
too obvious ! Until now, the troops, with the exception of the
garrison at Curupaiti, know nothing of the matter, as all ver-
bal or written intercourse between the batallions, except in
things strictly pertaining to the service, is prohibited and treat-
ed and punished as high treason. No report of the affair has
yet been sent to Asuncion as it perplexes me how to put it in
the mildest light possible. What is to be done ? »
The fascinating woman smilingly shrugged her round, mar-
ble shoulders.
«1 think the matter may easily be arranged" she respond-
ed in a mellow, harmonious voice. «The blame for tbe defeat
must not be thrown on the whole garrison. One batallion must
be charged with cowardice and held responsible for the
disaster and must be punished with the utmost severity. The
article for the «Semanario» I shall write myself and submit it to
you for your approbation. I hope it will satisfy you. It will
be necessary, furthermore, to aquaint the army with the loss
building roads and bridges.— Fischer von Treuenfeld (G-erman) director of
the telegraphic service.— Mr. Mastermann (Englishman) druggist and manufac-
turer edos. — Colone] Wisner von Morgenstern (Austrian) director of
public buildings.but who was not with the armyduring the war. — The engineers
and machinists "n the few armed Paraguayan vessels and about BO employes
in the Arsenal a1 Asuncion were also Englishmen.
— 59 —
of Curuzu through a general order intimating, at the same
time, that the miserable cowards will he justly punished at once.
«And now, dearest, far well: added the bewitching woman,
when the adjutant announced Colonel Thompson. « In two hours
I shall return with my composition. Hasta la vista.' (Until I
shall see you again.
Hardly had Madame departed when Colonel Thompson en-
tered to have a long consultation with the potent ruler of Pa-
raguay.
The colonel's countenance bore the impress of pride and
contentment when he left the Marshal-President's house an hour
afterwards.
Elisa Lyneh, meanwhile, received the visit of General Diaz
in her residence near the headquarters, He gave her full de-
tails of the capture of Curuzu, throwing the whole blame of the
disaster on the 10. balallion, which had never been under fire
before and had hurriedly and in a cowardly manner abandoned
the intrenchments at the first onset of the enemy. The com-
mander of the balallion. in the vain endeavor to rally his flee-
ing men, had fallen before thecharging Brazilian:-.
.Madame then wrote the report for the Semenario" submit-
ted the article for her lord's inspection who approved it and
transmitted it half an hour later h\ telegraph to Asuncion.
The garrison of Curupaiti was increased to 5,000 men with-
in a few days. The were employed to constructthe formidable
intrenchments in accordance with the plans of Colonel Thomp-
son.
Several thousands of Paraguayans were gathered in the
woods to the south of the fort on the night of the 7. and 8. of
September. A line of outposts and sentinels was quietlj estab-
lished to guard the work about to be commenced. Colonel
Thompson, aided b> the light of lanterns began in trace the
work, a laborious ami difficult undertaking on account of
the dense, thornj thickets. A large number of trees bad lobe
felled over ;i distance of a thousand paces before the tracings
could be fairlj established.
The men, in spite ol the darkness were pul to work at
once on the trenches. Complete silence was onioned. Thej
were requested to make no noise with their spades ami sho-
vels. The work was toilsome ami offered uncommon, almost
— 60 --
insurmountable obstacles. Trees and shrubbery had to be re-
moved and the hard, clay soil could scarcely be broken with
the pickaxes. But the brave Paraguayans worked with assi-
duity and with almost superhuman efforts continued their la-
borious task.
It is almost inconceivable that the Brazilians never had the
least suspicion of these labors, although the camp of General
Porto Alegre was only 3000 paces away from the new works.
This general refused to place outposts among the swamps as it
would expose his men too much and no reconnoitering party
of the allied army, for the next three weeks, advanced to the
point where the enemy was busv incessantly, night and day, to
erect fortifications. The allies were totally ignorant of the de-
fences erected here by Lopez.
The morning of September 10. was clear and mild, the sun
shone bright and clear and not a cloud dotted the blue vault
of heaven.
Intense silence reigned on the plateau to the east of the
batteries of Curupaiti, although the place was tilled with
troops.
Six batallions and detachments from the other batallions
and regiments, all fully armed and equipped, formed three sides
of a large square. On the fourth side, in two ranks with the
officers in front, stood the 10. batallion. Officers and men were
without their arms.
The peculiar noise of rattling and clanking chains became
audible. A prisoner, in the uniform of major with the heavy
«grillos>; fastened to his feet, advanced and was escorted by
four men to the front of the 10. batallion.
It was Major Sayas, the former commander of Fort
Curuzii.
A sharp, loud command broke the silence.
The troops shouldered arms and a few moments after, Ge-
neral Diaz, followed hy a number of priests and a platoon of
soldiers with loaded guns, stepped into the square.
The general advanced silently toward the disarmed officers
in front of the 10. batallion. fie carried in his hand a number
of straws and held them out to the officers to draw lots.
Two of them had drawn the longest straws.
They were shot in front of the batallion after brief con-
fession which lasted only a few seconds.
— 61 —
The victims had scarcely fallen, when a sergeant advanc-
ed to the surviving ojficers, tore the insignia of rank from their
caps and flung thorn at their feet,
The public degradation of the officers of the 10. batallion
to the rank of common soldiers was accomplished.
Then General Diaz walked along the ranks, counting from
one to nine and ordered every tenth man to step forward until
he had Gl soldiers devoted to death.
These, alter being shriven in haste by the priests, were
ranged in a row.
A batallion got « ready !»
iApuntad!i — «Fuego U (Aim! Fire!)
The voile) crashed and smoke of powder filled the air.
Sixty-four Paraguayans, pierced and torn by bullets, some
dead and some writhing in convulsions, covered the blood-
stained soil.
Some soldiers stepped up to the wriggling mass and where
they noticed signs of life in anyone of the victims, they placed
the muzzle of their guns to his ear and ended his pain by the
tiro de gracian (roup de grace) as it is called in the military
parlance of South America.
Such was the cruel fate of the tithe of the tenth batallion.
The] suffered death because their batallions had been accused
of having been the first to run from the enemy.
The surviving soldiers were distributed among the other
batallions, The 10. batallion was erased from the army lists.
It has never been reorganized again.
The work of the construction of the intrenchments before
Curupafti progressed rapidlj due to the indefatigable efforts of
the . but Lopez, fearing an attack from the enemy at
any moment, was racked with uneasiness. The enemj would
certainlj have the advantage on his side if he made an assault
re the new fortifications were completed.
Madame Lynch, bj her shrewd advice, managed to secure
ample time to finish the intrenchments.
It was ;i laborious task for her to induce the Marshal-Pre-
sident to open negotiations with General Mitre for a personal
conference. She urged the strongesl reasons, convinced him
ol the necessitj ol such a step and finallj overcame his mortal
dread ol ambush, treason and assassination. Quicklj resolved
at last, he wrote th • follow ing lines :
— 62 —
To His Excellency Hie Commander in chief of the Allied
Army, President*General Don Bartolome" Mitre,
I have the honor to invite Your Excellency to a personal
conference between our outposts and leave it to Your Excel-
lency to appoint, the day and the hour thereof.
May the Lord keep Your Excellency many years.
Francisco Solano Lopez.
It was at the dusk of the evening of the same day when
the execution of the tithe of the tenth hatallion had taken place,
that the Marshal-President, in nervous, feverish excitement
sent the letter nnder a flag of truce from his left flank to the
Argentine cam]).
The messenger was accompanied by fifty to sixty officers.
It had grown dark in the meantime rendering the color of the
flag quite undistioguishable to the hostile outposts. The large
body of men advancing upon them looked suspicions. They
opened fire and the messenger had to return without having
executed his mission.
The Marshal-President was at first confounded at the un-
expected failure but he recognized the fact that he had sent
the flag of truce too late in the day and, obeying the counsel
of Madame Lynch, concluded to renew the attempt on the next
day.
H* $
The Conference.
The Argentine outposts were greatly agitated up on the
morning of September 11th. A Paraguayan, under a flag of
truce, had arrived, bearing a letter from President Lopez to
General Mitre, which had been despatched at once to its destin-
ation and the messenger remained awaiting an answer.
The messenger was a handsome, stately man with dark
whiskers framing a serious countenance and dressed in the be-
coming red uniform of a captain.
He was hospitably received by the Argentine Officers, but
courteously, coldlj and firmly declined the kindly extended invi-
tation to participate in a good breakfast or join them in drink-
— 63 —
ing the hot mate.' He even refused cigars and when an offi-
cer offered him one he drew out a well filled cigar case, tend-
ered the contents to Hie officers in return and remarked dryly:
that the Marshal-Presideni supplied his officers and men with
an abundance of tobacco and cigars. Then lie seated himself
in the shade of a Yatai-palm and answered every question with
a stereotyped «no se ■ (I dont know.)
The man, like all Paraguayans, manifested the greatest
reserve.
Mitre
Fmident :f the Argentine 1 - a Chief of the Allied Army
General Mitre, ;is soon as he had received the letter and
noted ii> contents, senl word to the Brazilian General Polydoro ?
and to General Flores, the commander of the Orientals, re-
i Verba n
A favoriti rinl n i
— 64 —
questing them to meet him for the purpose of a discussion of
the writing and of the answer to be sent.
The momentary pause which ensued after General Mitre,
in his soft, calm voice, had read the letter to his companions,
was interrupted by the commander in chief, pointing out, in a
lengthy speech, the possible and probable advantages arising
from granting the request of Lopez, emphasizing the fact that
it would not interfere with the prosecution of the war.
General Polydoro silently shook his head.
The old caudillo (chieftain) Flores, after bumming and haw-
ing a little, stroking his gray imperial and rolling his eyes
like two fire-balls, responded :
«I do not believe that the meeting requested by Lopez will
have any favorable result whatever. The main condition of our
treaty of alliance is that w T e will not lay down our arms until
he abdicates and leaves the country, and this, with his notorious
ambition he will never consent to do. His patriotism does not
extend far enough to cause him to sacrifice his own selfish in-
terests for the welfare of his country. Nevertheless, I am in
favor of granting his request as it cannot hurt us to learn
what the fox purposes to do. As he will come to the confe-
rence in person, in spite of his distrust of everybody, what
he has to propose must be something conciliatory and de-
cisive. »
«Gentlemen!» began General Polydoro, «I do solemnly de-.
clare that, any negotiations whatever with this Paraguayan
Francisco Solano Lopez will come to nought. When on account
of the sickness of General Osorio, his Majesty the Emperor ap-
pointed me commander of the Brazilian forces he particularly
charged me at the same time: to drive Lopez from Paraguay
and to enter into no negotiations with him. To a Brazilian Ge-
neral there exists not now a Lopez as chief of the Republic of
Paraguay and I cannot negotiate with him. If Your Excellency
«turning to the commander in chief, » is determined, however,
to grant him a private meeting, I shall raise no objection and
I promise, furthermore, that during its continuance, the Bra-
zilian army will make no hostile demonstrations.
Mitre added a lew more words and then sat down to write
the following answer which he read to the two generals:
— 05 —
Headquarters of the Allied Army,
September 11. 1800.
Having had the honor of receiving your communication of
the present date, according to which you ask for a personal
interview with me between our respective outposts, I reply that
I accept the proposed meeting and that to-morrow morning at
nine o'clock I shall be with our outposts at Paso Yataity-Cora.
1 shall leave my escort of 20 men on the knolls where my
farthest outposts are placed and proceed to the ground where
the meeting may take place if it is convenient to Your Excel-
lency.
May the Lord keep Your Excellency many years !
Bartolome Mitre.
It was aboul two o'clock in the afternoon and the time of
the siesta had not yet passed, when a number of persons, whis-
pering one with another, were gathered in the cool office of
the Marshal-President, while the latter, his hands folded behind,
walked up and down with rapid steps.
He had received General Mitre's answer ten minutes ago
and those present : General Barrios, his brother-in-law; Res-
quin, quartermaster general; Bishop Palacios and Madame
Lynch, had been advised of its contents.
The whole afternoon he had been beset with doubts and
perplexities as to how he should act in case his request was
granted. He had secretlv hoped it would be refused. It had
been conceded and his hope was dashed to the ground.
What must he do? His person was the pivot on which
tin; war revolved. What was known to the whole world through
the indiscretion of Earl Russel, the British .Minister of For-
eign Allans win, had, in a confidential manner, through the
Oriental Minister Carlos de Castro, a copy of the treaty of al-
liance signed at Buenos Aires on May 1st 1865 and had pub-
lished its contents in the Blue-book, notwithstanding the mu-
tual agreemenl <»i absolute secrecj as contained in paragraph
is thereof.
wiiai is more natural," Lopez calculated, accordiug to his
\\a\ hi thinking and judging, which excluded all trust and faith
ii the] interferred with Ins aims and purposes, «whal is more
natural than that thej should prepare an ambush, make me a
prisoner and thus al one blow end the war h
66 —
Marshal-President Francisco Lopez
Supremo of Paraguay
Those present surmised what thoughts were agitating the^
soul of the Supremo but no one ventured to suggest anything
before the ruler had stated his own views.
•(General Resquin» he called out in a harsh voice, « to-
morrow morning at 8 o'olock you will lake the batallion o
riffle-guards to the Paso Yataiti-Cora. They will go with load-
ed arms and you will hide them in the high grass on the edge
of the lagune so that they can be on hand at any moment if I
should need them. 1 shall have a conference to-morrow with
General Mitre near that place, and who knows, but the enemies
may want to improve the opportunity to seize my person, You
General Barrios, hesides the escort of 25 men of the horse-
guard, who will accompany me, will select 80 resolute and de-
termined officers, who will follow me to the Paso but remain
there. These men will know how to act in case of treachery.*
— 07 —
Then he seated himself at his desk to write a few lines to
General Mitre, which letter was handed to Captain Ramos for
deliverj .
It said:
Headquarters Paso Pocu, Sept. llih 1866.
Have just had the honor to receive Your Exellency's ans-
wer in which the conference, proposed by me this morning
is accepted. Thanking Your Excellency for the acceptance there-
of, 1 may state that, I agree to the manner in which the con-
ference is to take place and shall not fail to he on hand at the
time stated.
The Lord preserve Your Excellency many years.
Francisco Solano Lopez
The precautions, desired and ordered by Lopez, had all
been taken the next morning when the Marshal-President en-
tered his open carriage, drawn by four horses to drive as far
as the intrenchments.
He was in a state of nervous, feverish, painful excitement.
What fate maj the next lew hours have in store for him! Pos-
sibly, he was facing treachery and death.
He had dressed with extreme care. He wore his best,
scarlet, gold-embroidered uniform, with the epaulets detached
on this occasion, pants of white leather, spurred top-boots
reaching to the knees, a Marshal's cap on his head and over
the shoulders a red, gold-embroidered poncho. *
His escort, with their rich, neat, clean uniforms and the gi-
gantic stature of the men, made an imposing impression on the
allies.
\ -warm of about so officers, in fatigue dress, followed
the escort The\ rude along without any order and discipline
and remained behind when they arrived at the Paso Yataity-
Cora.
When Lopez reached the outer trenches he descended from
the carriage and mounted his horse. Then the courage, which
he had mustered up with great effort until now, seemed to
vanish, lie contemplated his situation with horror. His face
as pale as death, lie demanded a glass of port-wine he-
fore he mounted his horse and drank it at a gulp before he
swung himself into the saddle.
- \ woolen blanket with a -lit in the centre, large enough (or
the i through. II i- very much worn in aU Latin-America.
— 08 —
The stimulating drink calmed and strengthened his nerves
evidently : he rode forward without hesitation.
General Mitre, with an escort of 20 men and followed by
a suite of officers, reached the low knolls on the allied side,
at the same moment.
The two escorts halted instantly.
The two Presidents approached each other, dismounted
and saluted each other in military fashion, while their order-
lies took the horses to lead them back.
Mitre, after the first exchange of the ordinary and custo-
mary courtesies, beckoned an adjutant and ordered him to
bring a table and some chairs and to invite Generals Flores
and Polydoro lo be present at the meeting.
Tables, chairs and writing utensils were brought.
The adjutant returned in about a quarter of an hour and
reported : that General Flores would be at the meeting presently
but that General Polydoro begged to be excused, saying : that
as the commander in chief conducted the negotiations in per-
son, his presence would be superfluous and must therefore po-
litely decline the invitation.
General Flores, dressed in gala-uniform came to the con-
ference a few minutes later. The neat, superb appearance of
Flores contrasted favorably with that of the plain Mitre.
Tbe latter wore only the blue-white sash with the gold em-
broidered escutcheon of the Argentine Republic over his plain
uniform and his head was covered by a black, low-crowned,
soft, felt hat.
The conversation between Flores and Lopez became ani-
mated and heated at once when the latter accused the Dictator
of the Banda Oriental of being the only cause of the war since
he had invited the aid of the Brazilians in the civil war of
Uruguay.
General Flores, tbis passionate, excitable, effervescent
Gaucho, responded in harsh terms : that he was as jealous of
the independence of his country as anyone else, that he forbade
the utterance of such charges in his presence, that Lopez alone
was responsible for this war and this bloodshed, since, to gra-
tify his inordinate ambition he bad recklessly provoked the war
by two acts of violence and injustice which found no paralle
in historv.
69 —
General Flcres
President of the Republic Uruguay.
This conversation, without a conciliatory word, continued
in an irritating and irascible manner for some time and it re-
quired all the diplomatic skill and tact of Hie adroit and sa-
gacious Mitre to prevent a serious rupture between the enrag-
ed generals.
At last thej scaled themselves. Lope/ declared that he
was filled with an anxious desire that means mijrht he found
to procure an honorable peace between the belligerent govern-
ments. Blood had been shed enough In wash awa\ the mu-
tual complaints ami ii would he in the interest of all parties
concerned to terminate this the most sanguinary of all South
American wars ami to inaugurate an era of peace, sincere
friendship ami equal honor.
Lopez had scarcely finished his remark when (ieneral Flo-
re- sprang to his feet, made a cold, slill bow In the Marshal
— 70 —
President, leaped on his horse and galloped off apparently in a
stale of greal exasperation.
Lopez looked somewhat abashed at the brusque behavior
of the Oriental General, but Mitre ignored it entirely and pro-
ceeded directly to respond to the wish expressed by the Su-
premo.
«I must remark to Your Excellency, that I am at the head
of the allied army as a general and not in the capacity of
President and Chief of the Argentine Republic. The govern-
ment is in the hands of the Vice-President, Dr. Marcos Paz dur-
ing the campaign. It is within the province of the allied Go-
vernments onh lo conclude and arrange a peace with Your
Excellency. I can only grant an armistice according to my
authority, which is circumscribed by narrow and well-defined
limits which I cannot transgress under any condition.)'
«And what may be the conditions under which Your Ex-
cellency will consent to an extended armistice ?» inquired Lo-
pez with intense interest.
Mitre fixed his eyes on the Marshal-President with a steady
gaze ; then the long lids sank until the black eyes were half
veiled and he replied in his cold, calm voice:
«It' Your Excellency were ready to declare, that, as soon
as you have placed the government in the hands of the Vice-
President of Paraguay, you would go to Europe and remain
there a few years for the purpose of resting from the fatigues
of the campaign, then the Allied Powers would see no obstac-
les in the way of negotiations for a permanent peace with the
new Government. »
Lopez blanched perceptibly at this proposition. It requir-
ed some moments before he could collect himself and recover
sufficient composure, to answer:
«I must declare to Your Exceleney,» he began in a cool
and collected manner, «that the discussion concerning a change
in the government is out of the question as it is an insult to
the honor and an injury to the interests of Paraguay. I must,
furthermore, call your attention to the constitution of the Re-
public, according to which the Vice-President is oppointed by
the President and the former cannot assume the reins of the
governmnet during the life-time of the latter. The functions
of the Vice-President consist merely in calling together the
— 71 —
electoral Congress. I can assure Your Excellency that the Re-
public will never soil its fair lame and honor by the deposition of
its President who depends upon its existence neither will ii con-
sent that he he banished from the scenes of his patriotic de-
votion. <For my parti he continued his eyes flashing with
conscious pride, ii will under no condition be separated from
my country and shall share with it the fate which Providence
may have in store for us !»
«1 honor the sentiments of Your Excellency and of the
country, i responded Mitre. «There remains nothing for us to
do but t<> put in writing the proposition of Your Excellency, to
forward the same without delay to the allied Governments and
I shall abide b\ their decision.
Lopez assented to this.
No live was near and the rays of the burning sun fell
fiercely on the open space.
Two orderlies were beckoned and they came to hold um-
brellas over the chiefs engaged in writing as a protection from
the sun.
The documents, when completed, were compared, slightly
modified and then signed by the two commanders in chief.
The business oi the conference was finished.
General Mitre ordered some cognac and water for refresh-
ment.
Lopez then introduced his two brothers Benigno and Ye-
oancio ami General Barrios, his brother-in-law, to (the chief
commander of the enemj and the latter in turn presented his
brother Emilio and the Generals Gelly y Obes and Hornos to
i lie Marshal-President.
The iwo Presidents parted with the mutual assurance of
the highest esteem and exchanged their whips as a remem-
brance "i that da\ .
Lopez was terribly disappointed. He hail fancied Mitre
more accessible to his ideas. 1 1 i -s spies* at Buenos Aires and
Montevideo had communicated to him that the people of the
Lopez had in lii- pay a number oi skilful and active agil
and video, Buenos Aires, Etosario, Entre Etios an. I Corrii
Thev aid effective service t,. I through corres] Lence, speeches and
newspaper articles .ma they reported '" him everything "t importance trans-
piring. These reports were seni to Con
ti,,. pj .•!,•. I tli. .in by hired indians. through the Q-ran
Ohaco to th< headquarters ■■! the Marshal-Presi
— 72 —
Argentine Republic were growing heartily tired of the war and
that petitions, asking for peace, were put in circulation. But
on the ver\ points upon which he could make no concessions:
— abdication and voluntary exile, he had found General Mitre
firm and obdurate.
Lopez was much cast down in spirit when he returned to
Ids intrenchment and again entered the carriage. On the way
back to headquarters he stopped at a solitary house on the
road, where Madame Lynch and Bishop Palacio awaited him.
He took breakfast with them and they exerted themselves to
encourage him and to rouse his drooping spirits.
Returned to Paso Pocu, the Marshal-President sent for Co-
lonel Thompson to receive his report in regard to the progress-
made in the erection of the fortifications at Curupaiti.
The report must have been highly satisfactory to the Su-
premo, for, from that moment he was himself again and his
old confidence returned.
General Mitre, upon his return to headquarters, sent a
circular to the Generals of the allied army, informing them of
the main facts of his conference with Lopez, concluding by
saying : that he had slated to the Marshal-President that he
would leave the matter to the allied Powers and would be con-
trolled by their decisions.
The white flags at the outposts were lowered towards
evening of that day and Mitre, with the rest of the 1st and
2nd Argentine division embarked at Itapira for Curuzu to make
there the necessary preparation for the assault on Curupaiti.
From this place he sent the following letter to Lopez.
Headquarters at Curuzu, Sept. 14th 18GG.
I have the honor to inform Your Excellency that, in accor-
dance with our agreement, I have aquainted the allied Govern-
ments with Your Excellency's conciliatory propositions which
you made me on the 12th hist, at Yataity-Cora.
As I declared to you on that occasion, this does not in.
the least change the existing condition of the war.
The Lord keep Your Excellency many years.
Bart olo mi' Mitre
The following day Mitre received the following answer
from the Marshal-President, which was delivered under a flag;
of truce.
— 73 —
Headquarters at Paso Poci'i, Sept. 15th 1806,
Acknowledging the receipt of the letter which Your Ex-
cellency honored me in sending to me from your headquarters
at Curuzii, by which letter I am informed that Your Excellency
had come to an agreement with your allies to aquaint the
allied Governments With the object of our conference on the
12th at Yataity-Cora, 1 am not alarmed at the idea that, for
my part, I have made the last attempt to come to an under-
standing and to stop further bloodshed. 1 have I lie satisfaction
to know that, by this act, 1 demonstrate to the world, which
is observing us, that 1 am actuated by humanity, a noble pa-
triotism and a high esteem of the enemy who is lighting my
country.
The Lord preserve Your Ecellency many years.
Francisco Solano Lopez.
A youDg captain of the national guard, a lawyer and a
member of a prominent family of Buenos Aires, was appointed
by Mitre to make a reconnaisance of the difficult ground in
front of Curupaiti. General Mitre was probably induced by a
well sounding name to make this selection of a young offi-
cer for a task which required military education, skill and ex-
perience of a high order.
Suhsequent events will show whether or not General Mitre
committed a grave mistake. »
-§*$>-
With the Outposts.
Man j prominent Paraguayan families weir banished from
their country during the administration of Dr. Francia, but
more so during thai of his successor President Carlos Antonio
Lopez. Their estates were confiscated and they, as well as
their descendants were forebidden i«» return to their homes on
pain of death.
— 74 —
The love of their native country, the intense longing for
their old homes, the hitler hale of the tyrants ane the burn-
ing desire lor revenge on the cruel despot who successively
terrorized Paraguay, could not he extinguished in the hearts
of the exiles.
«Dealh to the tyrants !» ((Liberty for our enslaved bro-
thers'" ((Restitution of our stolen estates!)) were the solemn
vows which these fugitives, as residents of the Argentine Re-
public and of the Banda Oriental exchanged at every meeting.
This fierce hatred was transmitted from parents to children
and readily absorbed by the latter. When in consequence of
sudden, violent and unprovoked seizure of Argentine steamers
by Paraguayan men-of-war in the harbor of Corrientes the trip-
le alliance of Brazil, Banda Oriental and the Argentine Repu-
blic was formed in the city of Buenos Aires on May 1st. I860,
the exiles saw their opportunity for revenge and redress. The
fugitive Paraguayans, residing in Buenos Aires, Montevideo,
Rosario and Corrientes, assembled in the Argentine capital
and appointed a committee. This committee put itself in com-
munication with General Mitre, the commander in chief of the
allied army and prayed permission to organize a legion of the
sons of exiled Paraguayans which, under the command of the
general but under the Paraguayan flag, might battle for the
liberation of Paraguav from the yoke of the oppressor Lopez.
The chief commander cheerfully accepted the proposition,
particularly, when the committee assured him that the soldiers
of Lopez would desert to them in masses as soon as the allied
forces crossed the boundary of the Paraguayan Republic. The
flag of the legion would demonstrate to them that the war was
carried on solely against the despot but not against the people.
This assurance certainly seemed plausible.
The committee issued stirring appeals to the Paraguayan
youths in the different cities, calling upon them to enlist in the
ranks of the legion.
Four weeks later the legion with a strength of 180 men,
well armed and equipped, offered its services to General Mitre.
Besides carrying the Paraguayan flag, this legion enjoyed
the further privileges of electing its own officers and subal-
terns.
It was placed under the command of General Flores and
placed in the van-guard at the commencement of the cam-
paign. It fought bravely and with distinction throughout the
whole war.
But the hope, that the soldiers of Lopez would desert in
large numbers to the legion as soon as the soil of Paraguay
was invaded, was doomed to disappointment. The prisoners
taken after this occurrence were far more hostile, bitter and
defiant than those raptured before.
It is self-evidenl that Lopez manifested a particularly bitter
hatred toward this legion and he was informed that it foughl
under the Paraguayan flag against him.
He strenuously protested against this feature of the war
before the representatives of the United States of North Ame-
rica, Chili, Peru and Bolivia, who were accredited at his capi-
tal. Be pointed out to them thai it was a disgraceful act. un-
worthy of a civilized nation, to permit the enlistment of dege-
oerate sons of a nation with whom they were al war and to
allow them with weapons in their hand and the sacred banner
<d their country waving above them, to invade and crush Iheir
native land which had expelled them.
The ministers reported the facts to their governments cal-
ling attention to Hie matter of the flag, whereupon protests
were made al Rio do Janeiro and al Buenos Aires.
but i he flag remained with the legion.
.Man\ captured Paraguayans enlisted in the legion and it
inall\ attained a strength of 360 men.
On i he morning of September ilth 1866, after the request
of the Marshal-President, made under aflag of truce, had been
granted h\ (he general of the allies, while flags were hoisted
along the lines of the opposite outposts. Hostilities were stric-
tly prohibited and free intercourse between the two armies was
permitted.
Without an\ previous agreemenl these arrangements were
made h\ both sides al the same time.
Tin' instructions on the side of the Paraguayans were:
All hostilities against the outposts of the enemj are for-
bidden. Visits io the hosiiles are not permitted.
li unarmed soldiers from the enemy's camp \isit \ou, re-
ceive them pleasantly and hospitably, treat them to cigars and
mate inn to ooi b >come ion intimate with them.
(Have your arms always in readiness for immediate use as
you cannol he loo cautious with these treacherous macacos.
— 70 —
«The different commanders of the guards at the outposts
will be held responsible for the strict enforcement of this
order.
Resquin, Brigadier General.
A Paraguayan Outpost.
A picket guard of 3o men under the command of Lieuten-
ant Montiel, stationed on the southern edge of the forest near
the Paco Gomez, was visited hy a number of Argentine and
Brazilian soldiers about three o'clock in the afternoon. The
Paraguayans, camped around little fires, near the rifle-pits,
cheerfully and courteously received their visitors*.
These, clad in uniforms, shabby and worn but complete,
contrasted favorably with the Paraguayans, who, with the ex-
ception of the commanding Lieutenant, were without shoes and
trousers,— a veritable lot of « sansculottes.* Their whole dress
consisted only of a red woollen blouse with black collar and
trimmings, a belt with a cartridge box attached and a cap of
leather, on the rim of which the national colors, red white and
blue, were painted in oil. Their loaded guns, ready for use
and within reach of the owners, were placed on the low earth-
wall adjoining the ditch.
Hot mate, the favorite drink of South America, and cigars
were cheerfully and freely offered by one side and as freely
and thankfully accepted hy the other.
They were soon engaged in a cheerful, harmless conver-
sation, seasoned with wit and humor and accompanied by
hearty, merry laughter.
And these groups of pleasantly chatting and joking soldiers
had been deadly enemies only a few hours ago. The bitterness
of the 'contest and the bloody battles were forgotten for a mo-
ment. To-day, these men were not grim adversaries but hap-
py, contented men only.
Among the visitors was a sergeant of the Paraguayan le-
gion in the allied army, by the name of Domingo Ruiz, who
had ventured to come in a frivolous, foolhardy disregard of
danger. He met several Paraguayans, whom he know person-
ally, among them Lieutenant Montiel, and he committed the
indiscretion and folly to indulge in unguarded and unfavorable
expressions concerning Lopez and the conditions in Paraguay.
He told them of the legion, which had joined the allies
with t he only purpose of freeing the country from the galling
yoke of t he bloodthirsty despot Lopez ; what an easy and
comfortable life he and his comrades enjoyed in the allied
camp and that the Paraguayans now had the best opportunity
to recover their lost liberties, if they only had the energy to
avail themselves of it. He also mentioned his two friends,
Lieutenant Lucindo Recalde and the Cabo Heraclio Loriano,
who had also enlisted with the legion.
The soldiers of the Marshal-President listened in silence to
die words of their countryman. Not a word in controversy
passed across their lips.
When ihe\ separated an hour later, sergeant Ruiz was in-
vited by Lieutenant Montiel to repeal his visit the next day
and to bring along with him Recalde and Loriano, their mu-
tual aquaintances.
Montiel reported the matter to General Resquin, mention-
ing particularly the inciting speeches made by Ruiz. Lopez,
in whom everything, even the smallesl incidents, was report-
ed, directed Montiel to place himself in ambusb with 20 men
near the picket guard, on the morrow, to capture the legio
naries dead or alive and to bring them to Paco Pocii where
thej would receive their jusl reward tor their treason.
On the following day, the daj of the conference between
Mitre ami Lopez, Ruiz, Recalde ami Loriano. without the least
— 78 —
apprehension of danger, went to the picket guard men-
tioned.
As the guard had been relieved at 8 o'clock in tlie morn-
inn-, tli<\\ found a now squad but had no cause to complain of
their reception. Alferez Albarazin, in command of Hie squad,
acted the amiable host and invited them to partake of 'a ten-
der, juicj joint, with which thej drank the strong cana, fol-
lowed by the favorite mate.
The ensuing animated conversation was suddenly inter-
rupted in a very unexpected manner.
Unanticipated, like a clap of thunder from a clear sky, the
armed guards of the Marshal-President led by Montiel waving
his sword, sprang from their ambush and dashed toward their
unsuspecting victims seated on the ground. The three legio-
naries perceived instantly that it was a surprise, engineered
by Lopez, to secure their capture.
They started to save themselves by a hasty flight. It was
a desperate, almost impossible undertaking. They dispersed in
different directions in order to divide their pursuers but their
chances of escape were very slim. Two of them were captur-
ed after all three had been wounded more or less severely by
the guard of the Supremo.
Only Lieutenant Luciano Recaldo managed to escape.
The fate that awaited the two prisoners Ruiz and Loriano
was frightful and terrible to contemplate.
Taken before General Resquin at Paso Pocu, they were
at once condemned «to be flogged to death. »
The judgment was excecuted without delay.
The unfortunate victims were stripped of their clothes, in
front of the mayoria. They were then thrown on the ground,
face downward, and each one held down by four men holding
arms and legs.
There were present an adjutant, a bugler, and a number
of soldiers furnished with lassos.
Upon a signal from the officer a soldier approached the
condemned.
A second signal, — and the bugler began to execute a lively
march and the sharp leather thongs of the lasso, keeping time
with the music, began to descend with cruel force on the bare
— 79 —
barks of I he deplorable victims of an inhuman judgment. The
two soldiers were relieved al each thirtieth blow.
The hacks of the unfortunate men presented amass of raw,
bloody, quivering flesh, after a few blows. Painful groans al-
ternated with piercing shrieks of distress until both finally
changed into a stentorous death-rattle. The quivering flesh
rose in welts and gradually assumed the appearance of jelly.
The death-rattle became inaudible. No convulsions, no
signs of life were visible in (be torn and deformed bodies. But
the lassos continued to descend until a young army surgeon
approached ami. after a superficial examination, pronounced life
extinct.
Tlie execution, which had lasted upward of an hour, was
at an end and (lie corpses of the victims were taken away for
interment.
This »flogging to death" was the punishment which Lopez
nflicted on all those Paraguayans, who, al the surrender of
Lieutenant-Colonel Estigarribia on the 18th day of September
L865, at Uruguayana, bad been captured and who, escaping
from the allies, tramping footsore and weary over circuitous
roads, suffering untold privations in swamps, woods and plains,
returned at last to their idolized Supremo. A death of brutal
torture awaited them instead of praise and a kind reception as
a reward for their faithfulness and loyalty.
^-:-<«>-
C n r u pa i t i.
The new intrenchments, which the Marshal-Presidenl caus-
ed tu be erected al a distance of half a kilometer to the south
ol Fori Curupaiti, were finished. The righl wing of these for-
tifications rested on the bank of the Rio Paraguay, here cov-
ered with almost impenetrable thickets. The lefl touched the
large, mirej Laguna Lopez. This work, constructed with se-
veral projecting angles, waa 2,000 paces in length and con-
— 80 —
sisted of an earth wall 9 feet wide and 7 feet high, with a
protecting ditch. It was so arranged that its existence could
not he observed from the hostile fleet.
The Fort Curupaiti itself was fortified by two additional,
parallel trenches, each 18 feet wide and 15 feet deep and be-
yond the farthest ditch, by an abatis of branches 30 feet in
width, defences so formidable and calculated to defy the bold-
est and most daring assault.
General Diaz was entrusted with the chief command and
a garrison of G,000 men was placed under his order.
The fort, armed with 5G cannons of heavy calibre, mostly
11- and G8 pounders, was commanded by Major Sayas. The
court martial, which tried him on the charges brought against
him on account of the loss of Curuzfi, had cleared him. This
is perhaps the first and only instance where a Paraguayan
court martial, without coercion from Lopez, decided a case in
accordance with the dictates of conscience and justice.
The infantry was commanded by Colonel Gonzalez.
Four batteries of twelve field guns in all, were mounted
on the intrenchments in front.
A battery of two guns, under Captain Ortiz, covered the
narrow strip of solid ground which, to the south-west, ran
along the river bank.
Four cannons, under Captain Gil, swept the front, two
others, under Captain Saguier, covered the Laguna Lopez and
the remaining four guns, also pointed forward, were placed
on the extreme left wing and commanded by Major
Hermoza.
Actual flank attacks could not be expected on account of
the natural obstacles of the ground.
General Mitre, who had come to Curuzii on September 13th
with two divisions of Argentine troops, to reinforce the Bra-
zilian army corps under General Porto Alegre, at once began
to make his dispositions for the attack.
After having made a very careless and inefficient recon-
naissance of the enemy's position, Mitre concluded to make the
assault on the 20th but it had to be postponed on account of
the heavy, drenching rains, which set in and continued for two
da vs.
— SI —
The sun rose clear and pleasant on the morning of the
22nd The grey, heavy clouds had disappeared and the sky
appeared in a garb of clearest and purest azure.
The fleet under Admiral Tamanare began a spirited bom-
bardment oi Curupaiti very early in the morning, which was
responded to promptly by a lively cannonade from the fort.
The effeet of the heavy Brazilian naval guns on the fort was
nought. The Paraguayans, sheltered by the traverses, had
suffered no losses al noon.
The attack by the land forces commenced at 12 o'clock.
Mitre's plan of battle was as follows :
The allied army, here 18,000 strong, makes the assault in
five columns.
The right wing, composed of Argentine troops under the
command of General Emilio Mitre, will wade through the nor-
thern pari hi I he Laguna Lopez to a small peninsula projecting
into Ihc laguoe at thai place and proceed to the attack.
The third column, 5,000 strong, composed in equal parts
of Argentine and Brazilian troops, will form the centre and
will put itself in motion a little while after the others. (It was
intended that General Porto Alegre should command this col
limin. hut it was lead into the fire by the Argentine Colone-
bivas.)
The other two columns, composed of Brazilians, and led
by General Pontes and Carvalho respectively, will constitute
the lefl wing.
The attack will he made simultaneously along the whole
lino and will ho supported h\ the tin- of the field-artillery.
General Polydoro, with 30,000 men. will, from Tuyutu
assault the Paraguayan defences al Paso Gomez and along Hie
Estero Rojas.
Mitre's dispositions were perfectly correel in so far as lie
believed that the works in his front, recentlj constructed, were
the walls and intrenchments of Port Curupaiti.
Me addressed his troops in an inspiring harangue shortly
before the commencemenl oi the action, manifesting the utmosl
confidence in ii- success.
The signal for the attack was given.
The infantry, supplied with ladders ami gabions, advanced
in splendid style, although greeted with a destructive hailstorm
- 82 —
of cannister, grape and musket balls; but the soft, spongy
ground rendered it exceedingly difficult and toilsome to bring
the field. guns into position.
The Argentines, under General Emilio Mitre, a brother of
the commander in chief, had to perform the severest and most
hazardous task. They were exposed to the raking fire from
the hostile batteries on the eastern border of the Laguna Lo-
pez, of the existence of which they were perfectly unaware.
At the same time, while the Argentine and the central co-
lumn struggled through almost impassable swamps, lagunes
and quagmires, the Brazilians, on the left wing, advanced
along the narrow strip of solid ground but were received by a
withering artillery fire from the intrenchments.
Yet, the attack of the allies was a complete success along
the whole line, notwithstanding the heavy losses sustained and
the almost insurmountable obstacles of the ground over which
they charged.
The soldiers, daring and with absolute contempt of death
threw themselves into the deep and wet ditch and scaled the
wall without meeting with any stubborn resistance. But when
they reached the top of the wall, they were surprised and con-
founded to see before them a broad belt of water thro ugh
which the Paraguayan artillery and infantry hurried away
along submerged fords known only to them.
General Dias had issued the order that the Paraguayans,
as soon as the enemy had possession of the ditch, should re-
treat to the fort, bringing their field pieces with them,
The allied troops were surprised. The officers were mo-
mentarily perplexed and nonplussed. They fancied that they
had taken Curupaiti and now saw the walls of the fort rise
threateningly beyond a broad expanse of water in their front.
Instead of having finished the task the sanguinary work was
yet to begin.
Not a soldier ventured to descend into the water, and
when I he top of the wall was crowded with troops, the bat-
teries of Curupaity opened upon them a fire of grape, cannis-
ter and shell, so disastrous and deadly that hundreds of them
fell dead or wounded within a few seconds. Whoever did not
leap hack into the ditch paid with his life for his audacity.
83 —
General Osorios' famous Cavalry.
General Bartolome Mil re, observing the battle from the
walls of Fort Curuzii, after having received the report of the
conditions in front, ordered a general assault on Curupaiti.
Breeches were at once made with spades in the wall and
the ditch was filled with loose earth, so that the field-pieces
could be advanced. They opened fire on Curupaiti, but were
soon reduced to silence by the heavy guns of the fort.
The Brazilians and Argentines daringly waded through the
lagnne under a scorching fire from the enemy but their pro-
gress was slopped when they reached the formidable abatis.
The Paraguayans poured a murderous fire into the ranks
of the enemy, causing a fearful carnage and thousands of them
breathed their hist before the abatis.
Alioni sixtj soldiers succeeded in crossing the abatis and
the trenches and in scaling the wall, but were cut down to ;i
man b\ the Paraguayans standing behind the traverse.
Towards two o'clock in the afternoon Mitre stopped the
fruitless, sanguinary conflict and ordered his army to return
to its camp al Curu/ii. The relieal was accomplished in fair-
ly good order.
The allies were iii their camp al aboul five o'clock.
Their loss, mm this day, was severe, of the 18,000 war
riors who al noon bad advanced to the assault. Too la\ dead
— 84 —
or wounded in t lie morasses and banados. The seventeen Ar-
gentine batallions, which had participated in the battle, had
lost all their commanders. Colonels Rosetti and Charlone,
Lieutenant-Colonels Fraga and Diaz and Major Salvadores. Colo-
nels Kivas and Calvere, Lieutenant-Colonels Conesa, Martinez,
Ayala, Caspars, Campos, Luis Campos, and Geribona and Ma-
jors Lora, Retolazo, Fernandez and Mansilla were wounded.
The Paraguayans lost only 54 men, amongst them Lieute-
nants Lescano and Urdapilleta.
The 12th batallion of Paraguayan infantry was sent to the
deserted battlefield to gather up the scattered arms and ar-
ticles of accoutrement and to despatch the wounded into the bet-
ter beyond. The nufortunate men were asked if they were still
able to walk and were immediately killed if they answered in
the negative.- Nearly all those who were able to crawl man-
aged to drag themselves to the camp of the allies ; those re-
maining behind were shot.
The Argentine Lieutenant Quinteros escaped such a fate
by a mere chance. When he answered that he was unable to
walk and when he saw the Paraguayan load his gun, he drag-
ged himself into a thicket but was subsequently taken prisoner
and brought to Curupaiti.
Quinteros is one of the few prisoners who survived Para-
guayan imprisonment as Lopez treated him with marked con-
sideration. He explained later that he was the recipient of
these favors on account of both being brother masons.
Eight other officers, besides Quinteros, were taken to the
Paraguayan camp. Two of them were native Paraguayans who
had enlisted in the allied army at Urnguyana.
General Diaz ordered the latter to be hanged at once.
One of the victims suffered excruciating torture because
the noose had been badly adjusted. In the agony of death
he begged the general to have him killed out-right as he was
suffering unendurable anguish.
«That is exactly what I desire !» replied Diaz with demo-
niac laughter.
Death delivered the unfortunate man from his torture
half an hour later.
The booty which the 12th batallion brought in from the
battle-field was immense. The soldiers not onlv robbed the
— 85 —
dead, they even stripped them of their clothes, so that several
Paraguayan batallions could be dressed in the uniforms of the
allies. There were delivered 3,600 Minie rifles and a vast lot
of drums, horns, knapsacks, ammunition etc., hut not a flag.
Madame Lynch ordered her carriage as soon as the news
of the victory reached Paso Pocu and drove over to Curupaiti,
to congratulate the officers, to jest with the soldiers but prin-
cipally to make advantageous bargains with them.
Elisa Lynch was a shrewd, practical woman who knew to
drive a good bargain and never lost sight of an\ useful oppor-
tunity.
With the greatest amiability and the utmost disinterested-
ness, she was ready to exchange her Paraguayan paper cur-
rency, the only money in circulation in that country, for the
gold which had been taken in large quantities by the soldiers
from the fallen enemies. The business was ver\ lively as the
allied troops had received several months pay onlj five days
before the battle. Madame spent several hours as a mone>
changer and in the purchase of watches. Elisa was to-day, as
always, the guardian angle of the brave soldiers and her
praise was on the lips of all.
General Diaz, who had been in the saddle the whole day,
did not wait for Madame to finish her lucrative business, but
hastened, at dusk of evening, to report in person to the Mar-
shal-President about the brilliant victory gained.
Lopez greeted him with joyous exclamations and an ardent
embrace. Champagne was brought and, with the foaming juice
of the grape, they celebrated the glorious victory over the « mi-
serable macacos,* the same macacos to whom His Excellency mag-
nanimously hadoffeied terms of peace only a few days ago.
So ma\ all the wretches perish and ma\ their bodies rot
in tin- swamps ' exclaimed Lopez, intoxicated with wine and
victory. Cheeks and brow were of a purplish hue and his
black eyes sparkled like diamonds. After a brief pause, he ad-
ded : i Proceed, m\ dear Diaz, continue your report.*
General Diaz then narrated how hi- had ordered the bands
t«> furnish music to inspire the soldiers; described the surprise
and dismay of the allies when they reached the top * » i the
miter wall and saw thai lhe\ had accomplished nothing and
their real work was yel before them and how the well-aimed
— 86 —
cannons of the fort hurled discharge after discharge of grape
and cannister into the dense crowds and tearing wide gaps
through them.
«The effect of the artillery lire, » added Diaz with a con-
tended smile,)) was horrible. 7000 shots were fired on the
land army and on the hostile fleet. «
That was the fatal day of Curupaity. The allies were so
depressed that the activity of the army was paralized for a
whole \ear.
General Mitre returned with his two Argentine divisions to
Tuyuty, where General Polydoro, with his 30,000 men, had re-
mained inactive on the 22nd although he had been ordered to
attack the Paraguayan position at Paso Gomez.
Polydoro had been contented to check-mate the enemy b>
forming his troops in line of battle ready for the attack.
Not a gun was discharged on either side.
The infantry, formed into columns, stood with guns at rest.
The horses were hitched to the gun-carriages, ready to
advance at any moment and the cavalry regiments, ready to
mount, stood by their saddled horses.
No advance was made.
Four years later and after the close of the war, it was
Wind that the conduct of Polydoro was justified by the circums-
tances. Lopez, fearing an attack that day on the Paso Gomez,
had concentrated 18,000 soldiers with numerous cannons at
that place. And the ground in front of Paso Gomez was even
more unfavorable for an assault than that before Curupaity.
The excuse advanced by General Polydoro in defence of
his behavior, that by arranging his army corps in order of
battle, ready for the charge, he bad, without loosing a single
man, secured I he object of holding the enemy at Paso Gomez
and of preventing the sending of reinforcements to Curupaity,
may seem plausible but does not completely exculpate that officer.
He was certainly guilty of an act of insubordination.
He was recalled to Rio de Janeiro a few months after, to
explain and justify his conduct. The venerable Fieldmarshal
Marques de Gaxias succeeded him in the chief command of the
Brazilian army.
The 22nd of September 1800 is a dark, gloomy page in
the historv of the allied army.
Cessation of Operations.
A long calm followed the day of Curupaity. The blow had
hern struck so unexpectedly and with such force that the allies
required much time to recover from its effect. Their energy
seemed totally paralized.
General Flores was greatly irritated that no opportunity
had heen offered him and his Orientals to participate in the
battle of the 22nd. And when the other generals resisted his
impetuous demands of a hold, reckless advance, the old caud-
illo, with two of his hatallions, left the allied camp on the
:}(>th of September, and embarked at Itapiru for Montevideo. To
support the interest of t lie Banda Oriental in the triple alliance,
In- left 600 men and four cannon under the command of Gene-
ral Castro and these remained with the other allies until the
termination of the war.
Fieldmarshal Marques de Caxia, recently appointed chid
commander of the Brazilian forces arrived at Tuynty on the
20th of November.
Admiral [gnacio, on the 21st of Decemher, superseded the
weak, irresolute Admiral Tamamlare as commander of the fleet.
Admiral Tamandare" and General Polydoro returned to Bio
de Janeiro. Thej had to face an investigation of their con-
duct at the seat of war before an imperial court martial.
Tin' cholera broke out in the allied camps ill the month of
Februarj 1867. .Many fell victims to the plague at Tnynty hut
it raged with greatest malignitj among the Brazilians camp-
ing at Curuzii. The epidemic attacked i,000 men ai this place
of whom 2,400 privates and 87 officers died.
Curuzu was evacuated bj tl rder of Gaxias ami the
troops under the command of General Porto Alegre were trans-
ferred to Tuyutj in order to check the savages of the plague.
The fleet, with ii s heavj guns, covered the evacuated fori ami
was able to prevenl in r tcupation bj the Paraguayan army.
General Osorio, who had recovered his health, brought a
newly organized army corps of 10,000 men from the Brazilian
province of Rio Grande do Sul to the little town of Candelaria
on the Rio Parana, whence he expected to join the main army
under Field-Marshal Caxias.
Paraguayan Prisoners of War.
Reinforcements, besides this corps, continued to arrive
Irom Brazil from October 1866 until July 1867 so that, at the
fatter date, the imperial army had attained a strength of 48000
men.
This army was divided by Caxias into three army corps of
equal strength. The first was commanded by General Argollo,
the second by General Porto Alegre and the third by General
Osorio.
The relation existing between Field-Marshal Caxias and
General Mitre, the commander-in-chief of the allied army was
very friendly and hearty. Both men knew well how to observe
and respect the somewhat vague and uncertain limits by which
their authority was prescribed.
The chief commander was General Mitre, a brigadier ge-
neral, and subordinate to him commanded Field-marshal Mar-
quez de Caxias, a man, not only greatly outranking Mitre but
also the latters superior in years and military experience. But
— 89 —
by the treaty of alliance the chief command had been entrusted
to General Mitre and it could not be changed now. Mitre,
however, always gave due heed to the counsel of the venerable
marshal and openly and frankly acknowledged the superior
skill and experience of Caxias. The latter was in reality the
power behind the throne and Mitre simply carried out his
ideas and suggestions.
This condition was also to terminate soon.
The western provinces of the Argentine Republic : Rioja,
San Juan, Mendoza, San Luis etc. were in open rebellion, which
threatened to assume serious and formidable proportions.
To suppress this revolution, General Paunero with 1000
men had been detached from the allied army and sent to the
seat of the disturbance. This force proved insufficient.
It became necessary, not only to protect the constitution
of the Argentine Republic, but also to prevent the organization
of a hostile army in rear of the allies. Mitre, therefore, trans-
ferred the chief command to Field-marshal Marquez de Caxias
and with i,000 Argentine troops embarked for Rosario. Only
6,000 Argentine soldiers, under the command of General Gelly
\ (dies, remained in Paraguay- They were divided in two di-
visions and commanded by Generals Hornos and Emilio Mitre
respectively.
These were the leading events which transpired in the
camp of the allies between September 1866 and Juh 1867.
Mutual bombardments were frequent and skirmishes be-
tween pickets and outposts were of almost daily occurrence
during thai tunc, luil this waste of ammunition, aside from
killing some men. was without any influence on the course of
the war.
There was a stirring life and great activity in the camp
ui tin- Paraguayans.
Lopez ii"! onlj strengthened the fortifications already
existing but connected them by a continuous iutrenchment
which extended from Curupaitj via tin' northern and eastern
border of the Laguna Lopez, the sauce (willow) grove, Paso
Gome/, the northern rim of tin- Estero Rojas t<» Paso Yataity-
Cora and thence via the Augulo, Paso Pocu and Paso Espinillo
to the s. niih-east corner ol Fori Humaita, a distance of about
is miles. Trenches were deepened, breastworks were raised
— 90 —
and repaired and covers for the protection of infantry from
the projectiles of the hostile artillery were constructed behind
the breastworks.
Lopez, under the very eyes of the enemy and with admir-
able skill and despatch had created a second formidable and
large fortress in front of Humaita.
The intrenchments, 18 miles in length, could only be man-
ned by 23.000 men, and this only after the last conscription,
by which every male inhabitant between eleven and sixty-five
years of age, was forced into the ranks for the defence of the
country.
The batteries and also the infantry batallions were placed
at intervals far apart. The spaces between the batteries were
filled with tree-trunks, wrapped in oxhides, resembling can-
nons. They served their purpose well and the officers of the
reconnoitring parties took them for real guns.
A reserve corps, composed of the Lopez' guard of 1500
men, two infantry batallions and two regiments of cavalry,
2,000 strong, in all 3,o00 soldiers with 40 field-pieces, was lo-
cated at Paso Pocu. It had to hold itself always in readiness
to hasten to any menaced point on the long line of defences,
where support was needed. All the most important points
along the extended fortifications were connected with the head-
quarters at Paso Pocu by lines of telegraph. Every event,
even the most insignificant, had to be reported at once to the
Supremo.
The road-ways along the walls and intrenchments were
built in a substantial manner. Bomb-proof magazines were
erected near each cannon.
The camp duties and services of the Paraguayans were se-
vere and irksome. The different batallions were strictly se-
parated and officers and men were forbidden any verbal or
written communication with the officers and men of any other
batallion or regiment. As a consequence, not one had the
least information on the real state of the war. The army re-
ceive! no pay as it was considered the patriotic and sacred
duty of every citizens to defend his country by the sacrifice, if
necessary, of his life and his property. Money, in the form of
a bounty, was disbursed to the army only three times during
the five vears duration of the contest.
— 91 —
The rations served consisted of meat, verba,* tobacco and
salt, the last only in small quantities.
The disciplin was exemplary and was maintained with the
utmost severity. Every subaltern carried a cane. Each cor-
poral was authorized to administer three blows, each sergeant
twelve and each officer as many as he deemed fit, for any vio-
lation of duty. Flogging was general. An officer who was
accused of having received, while on picket duty, a bribe of
30 pounds sterling, was shot. Three other officers, who had
been guilty of irregularities in the distribution of rations among
the men, suffered the same fate.
By the death of General Diaz, his favorite, which occurred
at this time, Lopez suffered an irreparrable loss.
When the Brazilian fleet was bombarding Fort Cumpaitj
during the last days of January 1807, General Diaz with three
officers entered a boat, rowed close up to the hostile vessels
and coolj began to angle for fish.
This temerity was regarded by the Brazilians as a scof-
fing affront and they began to aim their guns at the little craft.
A shell smashed the boat and shattered the generals leg, but,
with the assistance of his companions he managed to swim
ashore.
Lopez, as soon as the mishap was reported to him, sent
Dr. Skinner, his own physician, who amputated the limb. Ma-
dame Lynch sent the wounded general in her own carriage to
Paso Pocii, when- he w;is lodged in the house of General Bar-
rio and where the .Marshal-President visited him several
times during the da\ .
There was no hope of recovery. The victor of Gurupaity,
after suffering intense agonies, died a lew days later.
Desertions now became of alarming frequency and in order
t" check them, Lopez gave public notice that wives, parents,
brothers and sisters of the deserters would suffer the death pe-
naltj if the latter were not recaptured or did nol return to
their duty. Everj soldier, furthermore, was held responsible
for the COnducl of his comrade. B\ Ibis order, all Hie soldiers
were converted into spies and informers who regarded each
oilier with distrust and suspicion.
ii "i w lii<li the favorite mate is m ide
— 92 —
The Marshal-President was well advised of everything
which happened in the camp of the allies. Deserters from the
hostile army, as soon as they reached his outposts, were strip-
ped half-naked, their hands fettered hehind their back and
then taken before General Resquin who interrogated them. If
the answer were wo canviene* (not satisfactory) the deserters
were flogged until they were *conviene* ; whereupon the ans-
wers were written down and sent to the Marshal-President.
The deserters were then locked up in the army prison, an open
corral, where, sooner or later, they perished from exposure,
privations and starvation.
Lopez never placed a great deal of confidence in these re-
ports from deserters. He, therefore, organized a company of
one hundred soldiers who were well aquainted with the sur-
rounding country. They were relieved from the ordinary camp
duties, received double rations, were armed only with the
*machete»* and were required to report at Paso Pocu every
evening at sundown, to receive their instructions and then to
disperse in various directions. These nocturnal prowlers sur-
prised and cut down pickets, bribed sentinels, sneaked into the
very midst of the hostile camp under some kind of disguise
and secured information from soldiers, sutlers, women and
camp-followers. As a rule, they brought one prisoner along in
confirmation of their statements, but the other surprised pick-
ets had their throats cut as it was inconvenient to have too
many prisoners in camp.
Two newspaper, fuEl Cenlinela,))** published twice a week,
and uCabichui,**** a weekly paper published in the Guarani
tongue, were issued by Lopez in the camp to heighten the pa-
triotism and increase tbe fanaticism of the soldiers. The lat-
ter, a sort of comic or humoristic organ, was especially
filled with incredible abuse of the allies. These papers were
regularly distributed among the batallions and read to the
soldiers.
A large number of women staid with the army in camp.
They had a military organization under officers of their own
sex and resided in villages or Apuas, set apart for them. They
*i — A large sickle shaped knife.
**>— The Sentinel.
***)— The Wasp.
— 93 —
were employed in weaving, washing and cleaning of the camp
but were not permitted to remain with their friends over night.
Lopez insisted upon it that each hatallion arranged a dance
once a week. A sergeant of such a hatallion made a requisi-
tion of General Resquin of the necessary number of women.
They were ranged in a row and of the number the sergeant
selected those who to him seemed the most suitable. Accom-
panied by the chosen ladies, a barrel of cana (a present from
Lopez to increase the merriment,) and a fat steer for a roast,
the sergeant proceeded to the place of the dance and the
couples were soon « swinging the light fantastic toe» to the
tune of the music.
The cholera made its appearance in the Paraguayan camp
in Ma\ 1807. Its victims numbered about 50 a day. Sepe-
rale hospitals, built of tree-trunks and rushes, were quickly
erected for those stricken with the plague. As the stock of
drills and medicines was nearly exhausted, Masterman, the
druggist, brewed and distilled medicaments and nostrums out.
of tlif medicinal plants, roots, fruits and herbs of the country
and these medicines were then given to the patients by the
Paraguayans whom Dr. Stuart had hurriedly converted into
physicians.
When the epidemic spread, when Colonels Pereira andGon-
zalez succumbed to it and Generals Resquin and Bruguez, Dr.
Skinner, Benigno Lopez and others were attacked by it, the
Marshal-President ordered that huge masses of branches and
leaves of tie' laurel and araza be burned daily to disinfect the
air. The thick, offensive smoke made breathing difficult.
Lopez was frightened to death. Potent as he deemed him-
self, he felt his impotence in the lace of this fell disease. No
one, not even his physician, was permitted to utter the word
i cholera i in Ins presence. Tie-, aame *chaio» was substituted
for it. In spil all precautions and probablj h\ reason ol
his cowardlj fear, Lopez was taken with the ichaico, was con-
fined in lii- bed i'H- several days and charged everj one with
Hi.- intention to poison him.
Field-Marshal Caxias, al the end ol April, resolved i" iiti
lize a balloon in reconnoitering the enemy's position. A
Frenchman, Mm- owner of a balloon, was employed for the
— 94 —
undertaking, but the first attempt miscarried, as the balloon
caught fire and burned.
A North American and officer of the Brazilian general staff
undertook the first ascent, when six weeks later two other bal-
loons arrived from Rio de Janeiro. Soldiers held the balloon
captive by a rope GOO feet long and pulled it from one end of
the entrenchment to the other.
The Paraguayans were in consternation at the sight of
the balloon and when it disappeared from view behind a cloud
they believed that it was able to render itself visible and invi-
sible at will. When they saw that the balloon could not bom-
bard their camp from above, they commenced to fire at it, but
without hitting it. The balloon made successive ascents dur-
ing the next few days, and as the Paraguayans could not in-
jure it by shooting, they contrived to envelop the camp in a
dense smoke by burning vast masses of wet grass. Notwith-
standing this, the observers in the balloon managed to recon-
noitre the Paraguayan position as far as Paso Pocu and to
count the number of guns mounted on the front intrenchments.
Thev counted 106 cannons and 3 mortars.
-S>*<^
The Surprise.
The condition of the Paraguayans was soon to grow worse
and the long activity of their enemies, which gave them ample
time to complete their continuous line of fortifications, was a
very fortunate circumstances to them.
Their adversaries now appeared on their left flank.
Field-Marshal Oaxias had executed a plan, conceived and
well matured for some time previously.
On the morning of July 23rd 1807, he, with 38,000 men,
broke camp and marched from Tuyuly eastward along a low
narrow ridge of solid land between the Esteros Rojas by the
Paso Tio Domingo, which extends between the Estero and the
- Ho —
swamps of the Laguna Cespedes, marched in a north-westerly
direction until he reached Tuyu-Cue on the 29th of July and
began to fortify his camp.
The second Brazilian army corps and 1000 Argentines, in
all 10,000 men, under the command of General Porto Alegre,
remained at Tnyuty, to keep open the line of communication
with the harbor at Itapini, which was the allies" base of sup-
plies.
Admiral Ignacio, with ten ironclads passed the threatening
batteries of Curupaity on the loth day of August. Five of
these vessels were anchored between CurupaiU and Humaita.
and the other five went farther up stream and were moored
behind a little island, almost opposite to Humaita but beyond
the range of its batteries.
Lopez was not embarassed by the apparent successes of
the enemy.
He caused most of the heavy guns of Curupaity to be
brought to Humaita as they had now become superflous at the
former place. Colonel Alen, until now commander of Curupai-
ty, was put in charge of Humaita and the command of Curu-
paity was entrusted to Captain Gil.
The fleet of ironclads opened a spirited bombardment on
Humaita, without doing any perceptible damage to the wide-
spread iiiir fortress, which contained a garrison of only 2,000
men and scarcely two dozen buildings. No citizens, whatever,
resided in Humaita.
The unfavorable situation of the Paraguayans was to grow
worst- yet.
The Brazilian General Menna Barreto, a bold, resolute sol-
dier, was scut oul on October -'7th with 5,000 men, with the
object (o capture the little town of Tayi on the Rfo Paraguay,
about 25 kilometers to the north of the enciente oi Humaita
and to blockade the river at thai place
Tin- territorj intervening between Humaita and Tayi con-
sists of a wilderness of swamps, marshes, woods ami low
meadows sprinkled with thickets. Copez bad opened two roads
through this wilderness, which intersected each other ami
were defended by intrenchments at the terminal points. This
territory, known under the name of Potrero Ovello, was used
— 96 —
as a stuck reserve where the cattle, needed for the support of
the army were kept and pastured.
Menna Barreto took this potrero on the 30th of October
after a stubborn fight and captured Tayi on November 1st.
The Paraguayans lost 500 dead and 08 severely wounded
who fell into the hands of the Brazilians. The fury and bit-
terness with which the Paraguayans fought was such, that
none of the wounded accepted the proffered pardon, as long as
they were able to participate in the battle.
Lopez lost here also two of his warships, the «01impo»
which was sunk by the Brazilian artillery and the «Veinticinco
de Mayo a which caught fire and burned down to the water's
edge.
General Menna Barreto at once constructed intrenchments
around Tayi and had them mounted with fourteen 32-pounder
YVhitworth guns. He also stretched a heavy chain, which rest-
ed on pontoon-boats, across the river to prevent the shipments
of supplies from the north of Humaita.
It seemed as if now the Paraguayan army and Humaita
were cut off from the rest of the world.
General Menna Barreto, with a force of 5,000 men stood
in the north. A Brazilian division of G,000 men, under the
command of General Neves, camped at the Estancia San Solano
to the north-east. Field-Marshal Gavias, with the main army
of 25,000 soldiers, occupied Tuyu-Cue in the east. General
Porta Alegre, with 10,000 men, remained at Tuyuty to the
south. A gunboat-fleet of 18 steamers, armed with 75 guns
and manned by 2,000 men, was moored at Curuzii to the south
west. Five ironclads with 31 guns, anchored almost opposite
to Humaita, guarded the western and north-western front and
almost closed the iron ring around the fortress.
The allies imagined that they had completely invested and
isolated Humaita ! This, leaving out of consideration the mys-
tic and mysterious Gran Chaco, was apparently so. The Gran
Ghaco, helped to frustrate their scheme.
The Gran Chaco, a veritable moli me tangere* of the
allies, is a wilderness of impenetrable woods and impassable
swamps and marshes, a region unfit for the operations of
armies.
— 07 —
The Gran Chaco, for these very reasons, was of particu-
lar importance to Lopez and he delayed not to improve the
advantages it offered to him.
First he erected a strong fort on the Gran Chaco hank of
the river, 6 kilometers above Humaita and between this place
and Tayi. It was armed with 30 gnns and placed under the
command of General Caballero. It was named Timbo.
Then, with almost superhuman efforts, he had opened a
road. 20 miles in length, through the forest and swamps of
the Gran Chaco. This road connected Fort Timbo with Mon-
telindo, situated two leagues above the place where, on the
opposite hank, the Rio Tebicuary empties into the Rio Para-
guay.
Droves of oven coming from the interior of Paraguay
to Montelindo, were driven from this place over the new road
through the Gran Chaco to Fort Timbo and then by flat boats,
barges and rafts transferred to Humaita. A new way had been
found to provision the armj again.
In this emergency, when misfortune after misfortune as-
sailed him, Lopez gave proof of his extraordinary resolution
and firmness of character.
His situation had become truly menacing and desperate,
hut his dispositions betrayed no nervous restlessness nor hope-
lessness and his military talent, notwithstanding his personal
cowardice, shone with unusual brillancy.
The dear insight, to master complicated situations, never
failed him, as Ion- as he was beyond the range of hostile guns.
His residence at Paso Pocii was protected by a high earth-wall.
36 feel in thickness and eovered by a bomb-proof roof.
A- ;m evidence <»i the resolute and determined character
,.i the Marsbal-Presidenl it may be stated that, immediately
after the capture <>i the Potrero Ovello, the loss of Tayi ami
Hie two warships at the latter place, he proc led to lake the
offensive.
II,. perceived clearlj the probability of defeating the hos-
tile forces in detail alter the allied armj had been divided and
spread over an extensive territory. If he could succeed in
forcing General Porto Alegre from his position at Tuyutj and
driving him int'» the Rio Parana, then the allies would he cut
off f r om then- base ol supplies ami would be compelled i"
— 98 —
make a desperate assault on his entrenchments or submit to an
unconditional surrender.
It was the 2nd day of November 1867. Night wrapped
swamp, lagune, woods and plain in the folds of her sombre
garments and a warm rain poured down upon the southern
rogions of Paraguay where for a year and a half the san-
guinary conflict had raged.
The bugler of the guard in front of headquarters at Pase
Pocii had given the signal for roll-call and the sounds were
echoed from batallion to batallion through the camp.
An unusually large number of Generals and staff-officers
were at that hour assembled before the residence of the Mar-
shal-President and silently awaited the orders of the Supremo.
No one ventured to engage in a conversation with his com-
rades. That would have been suspicious and consequently
dangerous.
The entrance doors were soon flung open. The generals
and' staff officers entered the poorly lighted front hall and from
thence stepped into the equally dimly illuminated, large, plain-
ly furnished office of the Supremo who walked to and fro with
long strides.
There were present: Generals Resquin, Barries, Bruguez
and Caballero, the Colonels Xirn^nez, Gonzalez, Rivarola and
Marcos, Lieutenant Colonel Lescano and the Majors Mendoza,
Fernandez, Bullo, Duarte, Montiel and Palacios.
Lopez, for one moment, fixed his dark, piercing eyes on
his officers. His countenance was pale but not the quiver of a
muscle betrayed the uneasiness which, but a little while ago
had controlled him.
With a calm, cold voice he began :
'(Gentlemen: For the first time* you are now called to-
gether to receive instructions in regard to the attack which
will be made to-morrow,* so that each one of you may know
how to conduct himself in regard to the operations of his
comrades.
'— Lopez commonly only gave each commander his particular instruc-
tion as to his part in the battle planned, so that no one but himself had a view
nf the whole field. On this occasion he made an exception to the rule.
— 09 —
An attack on the enemy's camp at Toynty will be made
to-morrow* morning at day break and before sunrise, and yon,
General Barrios, are selected to lead the troops.
All the troops, that could possibly be spared from the de-
fence of the intrenchments, have been collected and thus a
corps of 8,000 men has been formed for the purpose, which I
hereb\ place under your order. The infantry, divided into two
brigades, will be commanded by Colonels Ximenez and Gonza-
lez and the cavalry will be led by General Caballero.
The charge will be made from the east and not from the
north, so that the enemy will be taken in the flank. Only the
infantry will be used for this attack. The cavalry will sweep
around the camp, press forward as far as llapini and cut
down everything in its way. Arrived there, they will wheel
about and charge on the enemy's rear.
All the troops designated for the attack, will go across the
Paso Yataity-Cora to-night and camp there so that they will be
ready for the surprise before the dawn of day.
All the bnildings, barracks and ranches in the hostile
camp will be burned. It is your duty, moreover, to loot the
• amp completely, to destroy the stores which you cannot carry
away and to let the soldiers secure all the booty they can.
Here is a list of the different organizations of troops plac-
ed under your command and now proceed to carry out the
arrangements.*
"Gentlemen !» continued Lopez, bowing lightly in addres-
\wj the other officers, «I expect, that every one of you will do
his dill) .
All bowed and departed in silence.
Thf Paraguayans, massed at Paso Yataity-Cora, were on
the alert at dawn ofdaj and in a double quick, charged west-
ward towards Tuyuty, while tie' cavalry, making a widesweep
around the enemy's ramp dashed oft in the direction of Ita-
pirti.
Tho infantry encountered two Argentine picket guards,
who opened tire on them, bul thej were lefl unmolested, so
as nol to give the alarm too early. The success of the enter-
prise depended on the completeness of the surprise.
The outer entrenchments were scaled with lightning speed
ami the soldiers behind them were cut down before thej bad
time to discharge more than two cruns.
— 100 —
Forward stormed the Paraguayans, leaving behind them
soim 1 detachments*, previously appointed for the purpose, to set
fire to the barracks and ranchos. A sea of flame soon raged
in the camp and clouds of sparks and fire ascended the
sk> .
The garrison of the second line of intrenchments, compos-
ed of four batallions, gave way before the sadden, impetuous
onslaught of the Paraguayans and fled toward Itapini.
This second line was also taken with ease and the Para-
guayans, still rushing onward, encountered the mercado, *
peopled by about 2,000 sutlers, who, crazed with fright, follow-
ed the flying Brazilians.
The Paraguayans now began to loot and plunder the mer-
cado to their hearts content. They commenced to feast on the
provisions, to drink the liquor they found in abundance and to
load themselves with the spoils. Some of them even, burden-
ed with the fruits of the pillage started on the return to Paso
Pocii. The mercado, after being plundered, was set on fire.
Suddenly the crash and thunder of artillery, and a hail-
storm of grape, cannister and chrapnell, dealing death and
destruction on all sides, swept among the numerous groups of
feasting and dancing Paraguayans.
It was now broad day light and the Paraguayans, to their
dismay, discovered betore them a redoubt, armed with 14 guns.
This fort did not give any evidence of its existence until Ge-
neral Porto Alegre had gathered sufficient troops to man its
walls.
Barrios, to his unpleasant surprise saw, that the main object
of the undertaking was still to be attained. In the prevailing
dusk, neither he nor his officers, had noticed these formidable
works.
The Paraguayan officers at once proceeded to rally their
men and to form them into columns. It was a difficult task,
as many were already intoxicated and only disorderly mobs
could be led to the assault. Heroically they charged with
bayonets fixed, up to the trenches and walls of the redoubt.
It was all in vain. Artillery fire and volleys of musketry
brushed them away.
< SutL s' camp.
— 101 —
General Barrios recognized t lie futility of a longer con-
tinued assault and ordered the retreat .
Scarcely had the retreat commenced, when the allies sal-
lied from the redoubt and a fearful carnage ensued among the
intoxicated, booty-laden backward pressing Paraguayans.
General Caballero with his cavalry, meantime, pushed ra-
pidly southward, crossed the Estero Bellaco b\ the Paso de la
Carretas, dashed forward as far as the Paso de la Patria near
Itapiru, then turned, cut down what came in his waj of fugi-
tive Brazilians and sutlers and. recrossing the Estero Bellaco
by the westerly Paso Sidre, returned to Tuyuty, to charge the
enemy in the rear. It was too late. The infant i> had already
ceased its assaults on the redouht and was in lull retreat to
Paso Pocii.
A cavalry brigade under the command of the Argentine
General Hornos arrived at this moment from Tuyu-Cue" where
the roar oi the cannon had been heard and the conflagration
had been seen. It dashed at once into the Paraguayan cavalrj
and a spirited fight ensued. It was useless as the prevailing
circumstances of the battle forced Caballero to retreat.
The battle was at an end at nine o'clock in the morning.
An after-piece was vet to he played thai da\ after the
events, already narrated, had occurred.
i ■• mbarlty).
— 102 —
Among iht 1 cannons captured by the Paraguayans, was a
32-pounder Whit worth gun, which, on being transported, had
sunk axle-deep into the swamp within gun-shot distance of the
allies' intrenchments, and had to he abandoned.
Lopez was furious at the thought such a valuable gun
should be lost immediately alter having been captured.
General Bruguez stepped up to the enraged Supremo and
pledged his honor that he would bring out the gun if two ba-
tallions were given him in aid.
Lopez accepted the proposition with delight.
It was not an easy task for Bruguez to organize and form
two serviceable batallions out of the disorganized, intoxicated
mob of returning Paraguayans. At last he succeeded.
The general, besides those men, took with him 12 draught
oxen, ropes, planks, spades, windlasses and other articles ne-
cessary for the work. He also took along two prisoners of
war of the Paraguyan legion to have them shot per order of
Lopez. They had already been half flogged to death before
they were turned over to Bruguez.
They were ordered to kneel, as soon as the general was
outside the intrenchments, and were then shot from behind, as
was the custom with all traitors and spies in the South Ameri-
can republics.
Allied troops surrounded the guns and were endeavouring
to draw it out of the swamps with a team of cattle.
A lively skirmish ensued ending in a victory of the Para-
guayans and the much prized gun was brought off to the evi-
dent delight of the Supremo.
The Paraguayans lost that day 1,200 dead and 1,000 wound
ed. Of staff-officers there were killed Lieutenant Colonels Les-
cano and Majors Fernandez, Mendoza and Bnllo. Colonel Gon-
zalez, Gimenez and Rivarola and Majors Duarte and Montiel
wounded. The allies lost 400 dead, 700 wounded, 000 priso-
ners, 3 flags and 14 cannons.
General Barrios, who commanded the battle, was promoted
to general of division, but he did not dare to wear the uniform
of his new rank, as the Marshal-President himself only wore
the uniform of a general of division.
The whole camp presented the picturesque look of a Euro-
pean country fair. This was the case especially at the places
— 103 —
where the wounded were attended to. They, in spite of their
wounds, had managed to bring their loads of boon with them.
Every Paraguayan is a natural, passionate trader and the ex-
change in all articles imaginable was extremely lively.
What things had they not dragged with them from the
hostile camp. Articles, of the use of which, these simple peop-
le, had not the faintest conception. For instance, the perfum-
ery, enclosed in dainty flasks, they regarded as rare and
choice liquors and drank them with the greatest enjoyment
pictured on their faces. The bravo Guaranis relished main
things that day (if which they had never dreamt in their lives
before.
Shrewd, thrifty Madame Lynch also drove a brisk trade.
Willi the same amicability, which she had shown I lie previous
year at Curupaity, was she again ready to exchange her pa-
per currency for the gold which the soldiers had captured in
the allied camp. She knew her business.
The captured prisoners of war, officers and privates, were
put into a roofless, shelterless, miry corral, where thej suc-
cumbed, one after another, to cold, hunger disease and pri-
vations.
A Brazilian captain, to end the torture, resolved to escape
at all hazards. He succeeded in slipping out of the pen and in
reaching a near In grove, but soon became convinced of the
impossibility of passing through the Paraguayan lines.
He was discovered three days later and shot in front of
his fellow-prisoners. To prevent any further attempts to escape
."in others were selected al random from the prisoners ami the
doomed men shot immediately .
«It is simpl> to deter you from such ventures explained
General Resquin, with an icj smile, to the remaining pri-
soners.
The surprise was well planned by Lope/ ami ii would have
been a splendid success, as. wiihoui the premature pillage of the
mercado the Paraguayans would have taken tl xtensive
reduil al the Firsl assault.
Il that had taken place, then the situation would have
changed at once. The besiegers would have turned into !"•
ed ami their condition would have I u the mosl critical.
104 —
The "Alagoas/
The Brazilian fleet, moored below Humaita, was reinforced
by four new men-of-war, sent from Rio de Janeiro and built
after the pattern of the monitors. On the 13th day of Febru-
ary 1868, under the command of Commodore Delphim Carlos
de Carvalho they passed the batteries of Fort Curnpaity. They
lay low in the water and very little of their hulls was expos-
ed to the projectiles of the hostile guns. There names were :
«Para,» «Alagoas,» «Rio Grande, » and «Pianhy.» They were
propelled each by machines of 30 horse power and each carried
a 70-pounder Whitworth gun.
The ease with which these ironclad monitors passed the
batteries depressed the spirits of the Paraguayans.
Lopez only was undismayed. He conjectured rightly that
this fleet of ironclads would now make an attempt to force the
passage of the river at Humaita and to reach Asuncion, the
capital, a city which at that time contained about 40,000 Inha-
bitants. To render the maneouver harmless and unimportant
even if successfully carried out, he telegraphed to the Vice-
President of the republic to have every man, capable of bearing
arms, leave the capital within 24 hours. At the same time he
sent Elisa Lynch to Asuncion with the commission to place in
safety all articles of value in his and her residence, so that
they should not be lost in the confusion incident to the hasty
evacuation of the capital.
The courageous woman left Paso Pocii on February 18th
and travelling through the Gran Chaco by the way of Monte-
linda reached Asuncion three days after and had already ac-
complished the object of her journey, when the vice-President
published the decree of the Marshal-President and proceeded
at once to its rigorous enforcement.
— 105 —
— — It. was past midnight, Silence reigned on the Rio
Paraguay and only the faint rustling of the foliage in the tops
of the forest-giants on the banks of the river, as they were
moved by the gentle eight wind, were audible. Dark clouds
veiled the starry firmament of a mild, peace-breathing summer
night, in which everything seemed to enjoy sweet repose and
refreshing sleep.
Silently something pushes away from the Brazilian iron-
clads.
Three boats with muffled oars glided from the flag-ship
«Brazil» to the «Barroso,» «Bahia» and «Tamandare.». The
commanders of the latter returned to their ships from the flag-
ship where they had received the last instructions for the ad-
vance to be undertaken within an hour. Admiral [gnacio, re-
cently created Baron de Inhauma by the Emperor, had resolv-
ed to force the passage of the river at Humaita, this night, the
night of the 19th of February 1808. The time was favorable
as the river was high and the torpedoes were covered with
deep water so that the vessels could pass over them without
injury from those snbmarioe monsters. The heavy chain, rest-
ing on pontoons, which had blockaded the river had also dis-
appeared. The fire from the ironclads had demolished the
pontoons causing the chain to sink to the bottom and to burj
itself deep in the mud. The Paraguayans made vain ai tempi s
to raise the chain, which had 7 inches in thickness, h\ push-
ing rafts beneath it. The raking fire from the Brazilian ves-
sels, kept up day and night, compelled them to desist.
The 14 ironclads put themselves in motion about hall past
two o'clock in the morning. It was intended that only three
ironclads and three monitors under Gomodore Delphim should
force the passive. The remaining eighl vessels were onl> to
assist and protect the former by engaging the lire ol the hos-
tile batteries.
The latter cast anchor ten minutes after the start and the
other si\ advanced to run the gauntlet of the batteries.
Each of the three ironclads had a monitor in tow. The
admiral conjectured righth that the latter, d\u' to the weak-
ness of their machines, would be unable to overc< the verj
rapid current of the river ;ii the narrows.
The Barroso with the monitor bio Grande led thevan.
It was followed bj the Bahia,« the flagship ol Comodore Del-
— 106 —
phim, with the «Alagoas,» and «Tamandar6» with the monitor
i Para' brought up the rear.
The batteries of the fortress opened fire on the fleet at fourty
minutes pasl two a.m. Rockets shot up from both banks to alarm
the men in the shore batteries. Fire balls ascended continu-
ously, illuminating river and shore so that every object on
water and land was distinctly visible.
The «Barroso» and its companion the monitor «Rio Grande*
advanced steadily notwithstanding the severe fire from the
shore batteries and, after a run of 40 minutes, passed the last
battery and sent up a rocket as a signal 'that they had safely
made the passage.
The «Bahia» and the «Alagoas» followed. Their progress
was very slow on account of the swift current and the clumsi-
ness of the steering gear of the «Bahia.» A ball from the bat-
tery «Londres» cut the cable, the «Algoas» became detached
from the «Bahia» and drifted backward with the rapid current.
Admiral Ignacio, seeing the critical situation of the «Ala-
goas» signalled her to return to the main fleet and to anchor
there.
The machinery of the «Alagoas» was disabled at that mo-
ment and the helpless vessel slowly drifted down the stream,
but her brave commander Captain Lieutenant Joaquin Maurity
was unperturbed.
The «Tamandare« and the «Para» steamed past, the com-
manders supposing, naturally, that the «Alagoas» would obey the
orders of the admiral.
The situation of the little monitor grew more desperate
from moment to moment as the fire from the fortress was now
concentrated almost exclusively on the little craft. The admi-
ral repeated the order to return but the «Alagoas» made no
efforts to comply with the command.
The damage to the machinery had, meantime, been repair
ed by Commander Maurity with the assistance of Etch-
burne, a native Frenchmen, his chief engineer, and the Cap-
tain, perceiving that he had his ship under his control, sent
her up stream after the other ships, although raked by a gal-
ling fire from the heavy guns of the fortress.
It was an ever memorable deed.
— 107 —
The smallest ironclad of the Brazilian Davy, with a ma-
chine of only 30 horse power, with a crew of only 32 men and
armed with <»nl\ one 71) pound cannon undertook to battle
with the strongest fortress in South America and defied the
fire of the shore batteries with their 93 guns of heavy calibre.
The little tortoise, paddling slowly onward against the
swift current at the narrows, was struck 1S7 times by hostile
projectiles. The armor was indented, ripped and torn, but the
ship itself sustained no serious damage.
A violent shiver ran through the whole vessel every time
t wis struck l>\ a heavy projectile.
The fire from the fortress was well sustained and the guns
were well aimed. The tremendous shower of shot and shell
poured on the little monitor, could not slop its stubborn and
determined advance. It accomplished a feat, which, Admiral
Tamandare had declared, could only be undertaken bj a fleet
of sixteen vessels, calculating thai eight or ten ships would be
lost during the passage.
A resolute, determined and courageous lieutenant, with his
diminutive craft, accomplished what thej had nol dared to un-
dertake with their whole fleet. It was a greal achievement.
The Alagoas» alter running the gauntlet of the hostile
batteries for an hour, lefl the fortress behind, entered the
still waters above awaj from the rapid current of the main
stream and signalled that the first given command had been
executed.
But there was \et another danger in store for the pluckj
little monitor!
The vessel, aiier having arrived at a place ol sale's, was
compelled to hunt up the other ships which had preceded i(
and to steer through unknown waters.
Numerous Paraguayan boats, filled with soldiers, suddenlj
emerged from the many deep, contiguous canals and bayons
of the low banks ol the Potrero Orello. Thej cam- with the
intent of grappling, boarding and overpowering the monitor.
The diminutive size ol the vessel the clear deck and the
facl that by closing the hatchways access from the deck to the
interior could b • completelj birred, were ol gre il a I
againsl this unexpected attack.
It was now broad dayliffh i.
— 108 —
The Paraguayans, pressing furiously ahead, succeeded in
boarding the monitor, hut were perplexed and confounded when
they saw none of the crew. The crew was in the hold and in
the tower and the hatchways were securely closed by heavy
iron plates.
Then the crew poured a whithering fire from within the
tower into the dense masses of Paraguayans surging over the
deck, which was cleared in a brief time.
Of those who managed to leap back into the boats some
were killed by the fire lrom the tower and the others perish-
ed in the waves, when the monitor, in hot pursuit, crushed
and sank the boats.
The little steamer, turning now to the right and then to
the left, ran down one after another of the wildly flying ca-
noes. Only a few of them succeeded in reaching the shelter-
ing canals where the monitor could not pursue them.
The fight was over in five minutes.
The «Alagoas» joined the other ships at five o'clock in the
morning. The fleet then steamed up stream, passed the bat-
teries of Fort Timbo on the Gran Chaco bank and an hour later
cast anchor at Tayi.
The total loss of the six ironclads amounted to only 10
wounded but the «Tamandare,» «Para» and Alagoas» had suf-
fered such damages that it required several weeks to repair
them and make them fit for service again. The damage sus-
tained consisted chiefly in crushing, breaking, bending and
loosening of the armor-plates.
It was a serious blunder of Comodore Delphim, in this
daring and successful enterprise, that he took all his ironclads
past Fort Timbo to Tayi instead of leaving two of them in the
river between Timbo and Humaila.
If he had done this, then the Paraguayans, already suffer-
ing from starvation, would have been cut off completely
from the interior, and the war must have come to an end in
a few days.
On the following day, the 20th of February. Comodore
Delphim, with the «Bahia,» «Borroso» and «Rio Grande, « as-
cended the river to Asuncion, where he cast anchor on the 24th.
He had no knowledge of the evacuation of the city by the Pa-
raguayans.
— 109 —
He threw 68 shells into the city during a bombardment of
two hours and when he observed no signs whatever, either of
surrender or of attempts to pasley, lie returned with his
three ships to Tayi. He could not risk a landing with a crew
of only 295 men on his whole fleet. Nor was it his desire to
burn the capital and thus to deprive the allies of the fruit, of
their victory ,
The Emperor Pedro II, in recognition of the distinguished
services rendered in the passage of the river at Humaita, made
Commodore Delphim Carlos de Garvalho a Baron de Passagem
and Captain-Lieutenant Joaquim Maurity, besides his promotion
in the rank oi Captain of Corvette, was decorated with cross of
a commander of the order of roses.
-$*^-
The Bogabantes*) .
The fall of Humaita was onlj a question of time after the
six Brazilian ironclads had succeeded in forcing the passage of
the river and now controlled the upper riser.
The Marshal-Presidenl was no! discouraged. On the con-
trary, he developed an indomitable energy, irnl\ wonderful, in
these days full of disaster. He conceived a new enterprise
against his enemies and proceeded al once to carrj ii into
effect.
The war would vel lake a new turn if the Supremo could
succeed in capturing one or two ol the enemy's armored
ships. These, manned with brave Paraguayans, would be able
to bid defiance to the whole allied [lee! .
Lopez, animated with this Idea, selected 300 o I the strong
est ami most determi I men of his armj and « mi of them
formed a corps ol bogabantes, the training andcommanding ol
H
— 110 —
which was entrusted to Captain Cespedes of the navy. This
officer, with the aid of two young officers commanded to his
assistance, drilled the men daily in rowing, swimming, grapp-
ling, hoarding and gymnastics generally and instructed them
in the art of an attack on a men-of-war. The hogahantes re-
ceived neither muskets nor cannon. They were armed only
with sabres, pistols, handgrenades and rockets.
The Rio Paraguay, at the time of its periodic floods, which
raise the lower river twelve, and the middle and upper river
thirty feet, is covered with a greater or less number of float-
ing islands, called camelotes. They are formed of trees, bushes,
reeds, rushes and heaps of earth tumbling into the river from
the undermined and caving banks. They are frequently large
enough to furnish involuntary refuge to the savage beasts of
the forest.
They are often a great inconvenience and even a menace
to navigation if they float along in clusters.
The night of the 1st and 2nd of March was intensely dark.
Not a star was visible on the firmament.
The two armored ships «Cabral» and «Lima Barros» which
formed the head of the Brazilian squadron moored below Hu-
maita had placed guard-boats about a hundred feet, upstream,
from their bows, in order to give a quick alarm in case of
approaching danger.
It was about two o'clock in the morning, when Jose da
Silva, a marine in the guard-boad of the «Lima Barros,» no-
ticed an unusually large number of camelotes drifting down
stream. The close clustering of the little islets attracted his
attention and he proceeded to investigate the matter. Almost
at the same moment he discovered the noiseless movements of
oars beneath the green boughs, and, suspecting a new Para-
guayan deviltry, gave the alarm and rushed back with his
boat to the «Lima Barros.»
The Paraguayans now threw off their mask of green bran-
ches and climbed on board simultaneously with the marine.
The surprise was carried out with 24 boats, Captain Ces-
pedes had them connected, two and two, by ropes 60 feet in
length. In floating down the stream, the boats were so steer-
ed, that the centre of the connecting ropes struck the bows of
— Ill —
the <Lima Barros» and the <Cabral.» The boats then drifted
alongside the vessels and were held there by the ropes,
The well-planned scheme of boarding the vessels was en-
tirely successful so far.
The decks of the two ironclads were instantly filled with
bogabantes and the guards cut down.
Commodore Joaquim Rodriguez da Costa, the commander
of the squadron, at that time, rested, half dressed, on his bed
in the cabin of the «Lima Barros.» Aroused by the noise on
deck, he jumped from his couch, grasped his sword and rush-
ed on deck, where, attacked from all sides, he fought furious-
ly for his life but was overpowered and sank under the sabre
strokes of the enraged Paraguayans. His body was afterwards
found in a horrible mutilated condition.
Tbe commander of the same vessel Captain Aurelio Gar-
cindo Fernando da Sa was also -severely wounded before he
could take refuge in the sheltering tower.
The hatchways leading to the holds of the ships were now
closed and stopped further progress of the brilliant enterprise.
The leaf turned.
Protected by the iron armor of the towers, the Brazilians
began to pour a wittering fire into the mob of Paraguayans
rushing around the deck. These, exposed to the fire and see-
ing certain death before them, made desperate efforts to pe-
netrate into the holds.
They threw rockets and handgreaades down the smoke
stacks. All in vain ! They caused some damage and wound-
ed some of the crew, but could effect nothing more.
The «Silvado» having steam up, now approached from be-
low. The commander, Captain-Lieutenant Jeronima Golcalvez,
perceiving the critical situation of tbe two ironclads, in spite
of tbo darkness, steered bis ship straight between the Lima
Barros« and tbo Cabral and poured a raking fire oi grape
.Hid cannister among the Paraguayans swarming the decks of
the two vessels.
Tbe moon bad now risen and with a soil, molb'W lighl
illuminated .1 fearful scene of horrid slaughter.
Corpses and mutilated bodies covered the dock- and streams
ni i>i i poured mi" the river to mingle with the waves.
— 112 —
Those oi the [Paraguayans who attempted lo save them-
selves by swimming ashore were pursued by the boats of the
Brazilians. They accepted no pardon but preferred death to
surrender. Heaping curses and imprecations upon their ene-
mies and cheering enthusiastically for the Marshal-President
they received the bullets and sank heneath the waves.
Truly, the intrepidity, determination and devotion of this
corps of bogabantes, so lately organized and now exterminat-
ed, merit the highesi praise.
Their losses were as follows :
On the decks of the «Lima Barros» and the «Cabral» lay
110 dead and 15 severely wounded Paraguayans and among
the latter Captain Cespedes, the intrepid leader of the devoted
band. The Brazilian boats, in pursuit of those endeavoring to
swim ashore killed 104, and only about 50, mostly wounded,
and favored by the darkness, managed to reach Humaita
The Brazilian losses amounted to 8 dead and among them
Commodore da Costa. Four officers and 17 men were wound-
ed severely and 2 officers and 50 men were wounded lightly.
The scheme of the Paraguayans was well conceived and
executed and, unquestionably, would have been crowned with
great success, if, unfortunately for them, the «Silvado» had
not had steam up at that time. The quick action of Captain-
Lieutenant Jeronimo Goncalvez decided the fight and saved the
Brazilian navy two of its best ironclads.
^e>«H>-
The Laguna ^cayunasa.
On one of the last evenings of the month of June 1868 a
tall, serious, lonely man sat in the office of the headquarters
at Humaita and stared sorrowfully into the flame of the tallow
candle before him.
He was dressed in the uniform of a colonel and his head
rested heavily on bis right ellbow. The cold rain of winter
— 113 —
beat against the closed window-shutters. The stillness of
death prevailing in the room was only broken once or twice
by the faiiil sight of the officer, whose soul was filled with
anguish.
Truly, this officer, Colonel Alen, commander of Humaita.
had good reasons to feel sorry and depressed.
Lopez, with his Generals Barrios, Resquin and Brugnez
had left the fortress on the 3rd of March and had evacuated
one after another, the iMitire position formerly occupied by him.
in order to establish a new camp at San Fernando on the Rio
Tebicuarv and Id recruit Ins army. 12,000 men with 150 guns
were despatched from Humaita to this new camp within four
weeks, and 8,000 now recruits, old men and children above
10 \ears of age, all that was left of the male population, were
added to I lie a run .
Humaita with 215 guns and a garrison of 3,500 men was
placed nnder the command of Colonel Alen. Fort Timbd, six
kilometers above Humaita, on the (Iran Chain side of the river,
was armed with 3d guns, garrisoned by 3,000 men and com-
manded h\ General Caballero.
The Fortress Humaita was able to sustain a long siege as
long as the river was upon to Fort Timbd and as long as it
could be amply provisioned from that side
The allies had closely invested Humaita since the 23rd of
.March. Thej became more and more convinced, as time pas-
sed on, that a lino of communication, by which supplies were
broughl to the fortress, must siill be open through the Gran
Chacb: The Argentine General Rivas was therefore sent with
1,000 men across the river to find this line of communication
anions the lagunes and timbered swamps of the Gran Cham.
He had solved the problem mi the 3rd of May. The road
over which supplies were broughl to lliiniaila. ran along a nar-
row ridge; 300 metres in width, which bordered the river for
a distance of six kilometers, on one side of this low ridge
ran the Rio I'araL'iiav and on the other, the western side,
spread the extensive Laguna Icayunasa.
Riraa established himself on this ridge hah waj between
Fori Timbd and Humaita, ami fortified his camp. General Ca
ballero endeavored to dislodge him the nexl dav and again on
the 8th of .Ma\ but was compelled to abstain from further at-
— 114 —
temp Is. After suffering severe losses, he was forced to return
lo Fort Tiinbo without having accomplished anything.
Humaita was now cqmpletely isolated and doomed to fall
unless General Rivas could be forced from his position.
Rivas, meantime, had discovered a canal which connected
the Laguna Acaynnasa with the Rio Paraguay and by which
the allied boats could amply supply his division with artillery,
ammunition, provisions, and reinforcements.
All this did not fail to have a depressing effect on the Pa-
raguayans. Lopez sent proposition after proposition to Gene-
ral Caballero. They were all of them impractiable. The river
and the lagune forbade a flank movement and Caballero was
not strong enough to venture an attack in front on the nar-
row ridge.
The Paraguayans tried once more to capture a Brazilian
ironclad. They endeavored to board the «Rio Grande* at tayi,
at which occasion the commander, Captain-Lieutenant Antonio
Joaquim fell, but failed. The Brazilian ironclads «Cabral» and
«Silvado» and the monitor Pianhy passed the batteries of Hu-
maita the next day and dropped anchor above the fortress.
The last hope to save Humaita had now vanished and its
fall was inevitable.
All this was clear to the pale, lonely man sitting in the
office, whom Lopez had entrusted with the command of the
fortress, He was a brave and circumspect soldier, who had
always done his full duly and who had ever kept his honor
pure and untarnished. He knew also what he could expect
from the Supremo if he had to yield at last and surrender the
fortress.
However much Colonel Alen might revolve the matter in his
mind, he could not discover a way of escape.
A fit of absolute despair took possession of him suddenly
— his senses became paralyzed — mechanically he reached for
the revolver on the table before him — a crash and the unfor-
tunate commander rolled in his own blood on the floor.
He had not succeeded in killing himself but he was so se-
verely wounded, that Colonel Martinez, the second in command
took charge of the fortress.
This officer also recognized the impossibility of resisting
the enemy and to obtain help from without. After a consul-
— no-
tation with Captains Cabral and Gil. he concluded to make the
greatest effort possible to escape with the garrison through
the Gran Chaco to the Supremo at San Fernando. It was ne-
cessary to make quite amble preparations for the enterprise
without undue haste and with the greatest circumspection.
The Paraguayans had constructed entrenchments opposite
the chain-battery of llumaita, on the right hank ol the Rio
Paraguay, on the southern angle of the Gran Chaco; This tort
was completely covered h\ the guns of the fortress.
Colonel Martinez on July 11th had formed the resolution
to evacuate llumaita and on the next and following days trans-
ported small groups of sick, wounded, women and children
and small quantities of provisions across the river to the
forts.
Among the first taken across was the severely wounded
Colonel Alen.
Onlj about 3,0(10 serviceable soldiers remained with Mar-
tinez at llumaita.
On the 16th of Julj at 2 o'clock in the afternoon the Para-
guayans noticed movements ol troops in the hostile camp,
which pointed the contemplated attack.
A general alarm was given and each company, batallion
and regiment hastened to its assigned place at the breast -
works. Colonel Martinez mounted his horse to discover the
point against which the enemies were directing the assault.
The allies, 30,000 strong, advanced towards the fortress
hut most of them soon halted and Martinez observed that the
main attack was aimed at the north-east side of llumaita. He
sent 2.000 men hurriedly to that place and ordered the artil-
ler\ to fire only with cannisler and shrapnel! and to reserve
their fire until the enemj had approached to the outer rim of
i he glacis.
The third Brazilian arm> corps 12.000 strong, under the
command of General Osorio made the attack at this place.
The Brazilian troops were formed as it on parade. The
infant r> was formed in attacking columns, a brigade of artil-
lery and a haiallion of pioneers was placed in the gaps bet-
ween the columns and a brigade ol cavalrj acted as a re
perye.
With hand.- playing and colors flying in the wind, the
Brazilians advanced in magnificenl style, as if on a parade
— in; —
ground, The) grew more confluent of victory with every step.
Humaita was theirs certainly as they had already crossed the
bell of rifle-pits and abatis without a shot from the Paraguay-
ans. It was evident thai they had lost heat and would sur-
render unconditionally to the brave and lion-hearted Brazilians,
Such were I he thoughts which agitated the breasts of the at-
tacking soldiers.
They had reached the glabis — and then — a thunder, a
crash, and a hailstorm of grape and cannister and shrapnell,
hurled from the muzzles of 08- and 24-pounder cannon swept in-
to their ranks so unexpectedly and with such overwhelming
and destructive force, that they halted, turned and broke into
hasty flight, leaving 2.000 dead comrades on the field.
This brilliant repulse of the assault was an unpleasant sur-
prise to the allies and convinced them that the garrison of
Humaita was far from being discouraged and subdued.
General Caballero, the commander of Timbo, when he
heard of the magnificent success of Colonel Martinez, was in-
duced to resume again the offensive. He attacked the posi-
tion of General Rivas, on the road from Humaita to Timbo, was
at first successful, inflicting a loss of 400 men and two chiefs
of batallions on the Argentinians, but was finally compelled to
retreat again.
Deprived of all means of subsistence and unable to hold
i lie fortress, Colonel Martinez resolved upon its evacuation.
The work was begun in the night of July 24th.
He had at his disposition 30 boats and on them 1,200 men
were ferried over to the opposite bank within eight hours. It
was done so quietly and cautiously that it escaped the obser-
vation of the hostile fleet.
At dawn of the next day, Martinez fired a salute of 21
guns in honor of Supremo's birthday. The bands were order-
ed upon the walls of the entrenchments to furnish cheerful
music. This little stratagem, as it was intended to do, con-
vinced the allies, that, as had been customary for years, this
annual feast day would be spent in dancing and carousing by
the Paraguayans. The music ceased toward midnight and at
five o'clock the next morning, after all the guns had been
spiked and made useless, the last man had left Humaita The
— 117 —
whole garrison occupied the little fort on the Gran Ghaco bank
opposite the chain batten of Humaita.
Ruins of the Church at Humaita.
The allies (earned of the evacuation of Humaita only ten
hours later and hastened to occupy the place.
The greal object of the former garrison of Humaita was
how to reach Fori Timbo. This seemed aimosl impossible.
General Rivas, in his fortified camp blocke'd the drih mad lead-
ing in Timbri along the ri \ «*r and th'g 1 half-starved Paraguayans
soldiers could nol risk an assault on his defences.
The only chance of escape remaining was h\ crossing the
Lagnna Acayunasa, tw6 and 6ne ludf kilometers in width ex-
tending between the said lagune and the Fori in Which the
Paraguayans were imw tjuartered.
Martinez, after having notified General Ca'ballero of Ids
purpose, had 30 boats, with almost superhuman efforts, brought
from ihe river to the lamina.
The sick and wnnnded and women were firsl transported
Ui the north shore 6i the lagune, where thej were received
ami placed in safetj n\ detachments "i Paraguayan troops.
The wounded Colonel .Men was one ol the lirst taken
across and broughl to Fort Timbo.
— IIS —
General Kiwis fired upon and smashed some of the boats
when more than one attempted to cross the lagune at the same
time. The Parguayans, in consequence were forced, to con-
tinue the transfer of troops only at night.
The arm\ of General Hivas was increased to 10,000 men
and the Brazilian fleet sent GO armed boats into the lagune.
The situation of the retreating Paraguayans became worse
than desperate.
Rivas swept I be lagune, four square kilometers in extent,
with his 11 cannons and 11,000 muskets and the Brazilian fleet
raked its shores. Wherever the despairing Paraguayans look-
ed, mil l lie smallest opening for an escape offered itself.
Desperate, bitter, determined fights occurred at night be-
tween the Brazilian and the Paraguayan boats on the lagune.
They did not always end in favor of the former but to the Para-
guayans, every boat lost in these encounters meant the destrue-
t ruction of a hope.
If a boat succeeded in making a landing on the opposite
shore., those saved jumped ashore with loud shouts of exulta-
tion and the boat returned for another load.
The men were reduced to living skeletons.
General Hivas, to end this terrible state of affairs, ordered
a general attack, which incredible as it may appear, was mag-
nificently repulsed by the starved, exhausted and despairing
Paraguayans.
Rivas, on the 2nd of August, sent a soldier under a flag
of truce to offer a pardon to the brave Paraguayans. Mar-
tinez ordered his men to open fire on the white flag.
The Argentine general, two days later, again sent men to
negotiate for a surrender. They were admitted at this time as
the Paraguayan soldiers had not had a morsel to eat for the
last four days.
When General Hivas held a conference with Colonel Mar-
tinez in regard to the terms of the surrender, the latter was
so week that he could, scarcely speak and could only stand up
supported by two officers.
The rest of the former garrison of Humaita, 1,200 in num-
ber and one third of them wounded, were made prisoners of
war but the officers retained their side-arms.
— 11!) —
The prisoners were ;it once amply 1 provided «rith provisions
and transported lo Paso Pocu to be fed and clad at that place.
The allies, during ilie whole war treat their prisoners of war
with a noble consideration and magnihity, therebj inciting the
Marshal-President to the greatest fury.
Lopez declared all these soldiers who had fought so nobly
and heroically, who had given hundred-fold proofs of their de-
votion, faithfulness and seHsacrificing spirit, hut who were at
last forced to capitulate, to be traitors to their county and
their innocent wives had to sutler from his brutal vengeance
_..;..
In the Camp of a Tyrant,
The Supremo, with the rapidih of lightning, had abandon-
ed his former positions and occupied a new one on the north
bank of the Rio Tebicuary, a tributary of the Rio Paraguay.
A- earl\ as tin.- month of March, three batteries, consist-
ing of 16 heaw nuns, had been erected on the right bank of
the Tebicuan, near its mouth, where it is lo()() feet in width.
TIm' were- considered sufficient protection for the new camp of
Lopez, at San Fernando, ten kilometers farther up stream.
The region around I he camp was low. flat and swampy.
Tin- innumerable little ponds and lagoons and the ever flow of
tie- river into the wide low bottoms gave it the appearance o
a broad lake studded with little islands covered with woods
and thicket- ami with single trees occasionally rising from
the shallow water.
The village of Sau Fernando is buib on a slightlj elevat-
ed ridge
Tin' greatesl part of the troop- camped in the mire and
morass, but the utmost cleanliness was the rule, due to an
iron discipline.
— 120 —
Barracks for the companies, constructed of tree-trunks and
grass and reeds, rose as if by magic. Streets and alleys were
carefully surveyed and staked off and the whole camp had an
aspect surprisingly symmetrical.
The soldiers walked around almost naked. The skin of an
animal, for the sake of decency slung around the hips, consti-
tuted the uniform. A belt with the cartridge box and the
keen-edged macheta was buckled around the waist. Every
Paraguayan, besides, carried two leather thongs around his
neck. To one was fastened the picture of his patron Saint and
to the other a comb. A military regulation compelled every
soldier to comb himself three times a day — a wise precaution
under the circumstance, and the rule was rigorously enforced.
A leather cap, the only piece of the uniform which the state
was now able to provide, covered the head.
The residence of the Supremo was built in the centre of
the camp. It was a square structure, surrounded by a veran-
dah, enclosed by palisades, guarded by his body-guard and ac-
cessible only to a few generals and Colonels.
Even the bishop, until now the intimate keeper of Lopez'
conscience, was not permitted to reside within the palisades.
A modest building, for the use of the bishop, was erected
opposite to the headquarters and at a distance of a hundred
paces from it.
An elegant, tasteful, octagonal chapel was built on the
space between the residences of the bishop and the Supremo. Lo-
pez was now in the habit of attending divine service daily,
frequently remaining as much as four hours at a time. He
entered the chapel and returned crawling on his knees, beat-
ing his breast with his fist, he prostrated himself before the
altar, tore his hair and demeaned himself like the most wicked
and contrite of sinners.
And yet, at the very time when the Supremo was taken
with an acute attack of piety, he grew bloodthirsty and began
to commit acts of injustice and cruelty truly bestial.
Something like a sultry, oppressive atmosphere hung over
the camp.
No one dared to speak to another but what was absolu-
tely necessary, because the utterance of an unguarded word
might cost him his life, and yet, rumours of the contemplated
— 121 —
extermination of all prominent Paraguayans and of all foreign
inhabitants, floated around the camp.
A system of espionage flourished at this time in the coun-
try to such an extent that the son dared not to trust his father
nor the brother confide in his brother. No one ventured to
write a lew lines as even the possession of paper, pen and ink
was suspicious and dangerous.
Strangers, generally police officers and priests, flow fre-
quently made their appearance in camp, conferred with Gene-
neral Resquin and disappeared as suddenly as they had come.
The Supremo, repeatedly and as early as the heirinning of
July, had told Colonel Jorge Thompson, the commander of the
fort at (lie mouth of the Tebiniary, thai the hostile fleet of
ironclads would make an attempi on Jull 24th, Hie Marshal-
President's birthday, to pass the batteries and thai the colonel
must take all precautions to prevent the passage.
It came as Lopez had predicted.
The armored \essels Bahia and Silvado ■ and I ho moni-
tor Rio Grande,* on that day, came up the Rio Paraguay,
entered the Rib Tebicuary and with full steam passed the bat-
teries. The vessels were hit a number of times but the solid
shot burst into a thousand splinters when it struck the solid,
heavy plates.
'Three persons, during the passage, appeared on the roof
of the to'wer of the «Bahia.'» One of them was Lieutenant Lu-
ciano Recalde of the Paraguayan legion, who motioned with a
pocked handkerchief and called out something which was not
understood by the garrison.
Thompson at once telegraphed to Lopez that the fleet had
passed, lb- was immediateh asked the question: what signal
did the first ship make in passing .' The telegraph operator
bad already repprted the occurrence to Lopez. Thompson tele-
graphed, thai upon questioning his men, Um\\ staled thai in
the individual makingthe signal, ilm\ had recognized Recalde.
An answer came from He' Supremo full of the wickedest cur-
ses and imprecations against all traitors to their country and
expressing his astonishmeni thai the batteries shduld have per-
mitted men lo pass who open their filth} immlhs a-ainsl pa-
triot defending their country. Lopez was pacified when Thomp-
son informed him thai the three men on the ironclad had in
122
return been most thoroughly, vindictively and shamefully abus-
ed by his own men.
The Marshal-President tried to hold Thompson responsible
lor the fact that Kecalde had pushed his head out of the tower
of the «Bahia.>'
Groups of prisoners, of both sexes, coming from all direc-
tions, arrived in camp daily. The men commonly with heavy
irons, so-called grilles, on their legs. The prisoners were
huddled together in an open, shelterless pen, surrounded by
palisades. They belonged to the leading families of the land
or were foreigners residing in different parts of the country.
Numerous arrests were made, not only among private ci-
tizens but also among the high officers of the army. These
arrests were frequently associated with a degradation to the
rank of a common soldier.
The next issue of the Semanario then explained these
astonishing occurrences to the surprised soldiers. They were
told that one of the wealthiest of Paraguayan families had
started a widespreading conspiracy with the object of betraying
the country and to desert to the enemy on the 2ith day of
JhI\. The wicked scheme of these mhpmbres malos? (bad men)
had been opportunely discovered and frustrated by the energy
and circumspection of his Excellency, the Marshal-President and
that these fiendish traitors would receive their well deserved
reward.
Lopez suddenly discarded his garb of pitfty and gave full
vent to his brutal, tiger-like nature and blood-thirstiness when
he learned that Humaita had fallen. To prove that he had com-
pletely broken off all relations with the church, he had bishop
Palacios, the Dean Bogado and a dozen other priests arrested
and thrown into the army-prison.
General Bruguez, chief of artillery, had been arrested a
few davs before. This man had proved himself a brave, faith-
ful and able officer during the whole war. His conduct during
the early part of the war had been [highly meritorious. His
skilful and rapid manoeuvres on the Riachuelo, at Bella Vista
and at Cuevas, in 1805, had inflicted such terrific damages on
the Brazilian fleet, that it was crippled and paralized for two
years, and was charged with cowardice by the Argentine
press.
— 123 —
The next morning after his arrest, without any previous
trial, and upon the express order from Lopez. Bruquez was
executed in a horrible manner. Lashed to a tree with lassos.
he recived the bayonet stahs of 30 soldiers marching past him
in single file, until, alter endtirlhg the torture and indesrriba-
hle anguish lor sometime, he perished.
The executions now increased ai an extraordinary rate.
The\ look place twice a day, in the morning and in the Even-
ing 1 . The death penalty was executed in the form of sfcootitigj
staldiiuu with lance or bayonei or tldggitig. Throat-cutting
was nut in vogue 1ml it was practiced hy the brutal soldiery.
if the prisoners broke down on the wean march, and. in spite
of Dogging, were unable i>> proceed:
Th«- ,-ase was then reported thai P. IV died on his wa\
io prison.))
Among the mosl notable of the prisoners,; who, hali-nacked
and starving, expose^ to all the inclemencies p| il"' weather
in the open pen and shackled wilh heavy irons crawled around
through the mire and filth of the prison were: Beujgno and
Venancio Lopez, the brother of the Marshal-President: Borges.
Minister of Fpreign Affairs: Can-eras, secretan ol the inlerior:
Satui-niuo Bedoya, treasurer; Gofanel Alen, the sewreh wound-
ed, former commander of Humaita; the director <»i telegraphs
l-ischer \ou Tieiienlels. the Portuguese consul Leite-l'erreira:
the attaches of the North-American embassj VTiess and.Master-
iiian. the British mason T&jlon., t,he German merchants Hamann
and Neumann; the German jeweller Fuellgrafj the Brazilian
Major Albuquerque; Bishop PaJacios, ihe Deans Bpga4p and Al-
faro. Hie Argentine Colonels Lpttere and Lope/., ihe Oriental
Colonel La.'ima. Captain l'idan/.a ol ihe naw, and. a lill le later.
General Barrios, ihe brother-in-Jaw oi the Supremo. The last
mentioned attempted to eul Ins ihroai in prison, bu| faded, and
in consequence was fettered hi as revenl a repetition.
There were, besides those uaine<l. hundreds ol prominent civil
officers, armj officers, priests, foreigners ancj private cj,tizeqs.
The imprisoned ladies; near* all belonging t" the amstocw
tic classes, enjoyed ihe privilege thai Ihe 1 ? were tw\ shackled
.hmI received " cowhide for a codfeU: Thai wasaU The] had
|() cam p j n lne p en air He' same as the male prisoners, re
— 124 —
ceived the same scanty, unwholesome prison fare and, at night,
were chained to the block
Among the female prisoners could be noted the two sisters
of the Supremo, and the mother, wife and sisters of Colonel
Martinez, the last and heroic defender of Humaita, who, after
a most stubborn resistance in the Gran Chaco, was compelled
to surrender to the Argentine General Rivas at the Laguna
Acayunasa.
When the venerable mother of Lopez came to the camp
from San Fernando and begged for the lives of her. two sons,
his brothers, she too became an object of suspicion and was
thrown into prison by her unnatural son.
The daily life of these doomed victims was an endless chain
of suffering, hunger and privations.
The male prisoners enjoyed the liberty of freely moving
about within the pen during the day. At night, from six
o'clock in the afternoon until sunrise, they were fettered to
prevent escape. Lassos were stretched between poles driven
into the ground, and to these lassos, in groups of twenty to
thirty, the prisoners were tied for the night with leather
thongs. Ranged in rows, stretched on the damp, slimy ground,
they rested, suffered and slept.
The female prisoners, mostly wives and young girls down
to fourteen years of age, couching on cowhides, occupied an
outer circle extending around the male prisoners.
The sun has risen and ascends higher and higher toward
the zenith.
All these victims crave a drink of water and desire to
cleanse themselves.
Nothing of the kind is granted at present.
A young officer with 30 soldiers with loaded guns arrives
at ten o'clock. The officer, with the chivalresque bearing of
a hidalgo, invites the ladies to follow him to the little grove
adjoyning to satisfy human necessity for the next twenty -four
hours.
How many ladies and virgins, of tender and delicate feel-
ing and sentiment, could be induced, after horrible torture, to
obey the iron demands of nature, in the presence of thirty
strange, rude, armed men, standing around'
But distress and necessity banished all rules of decency.
— 125 —
The male prisoners were permitted the same favor an hour
later.
The prisoners during these proceedings, had to bring their
daily supply of water from the lagoon near by. If anyone was
without a vessel for the purpose, so much the worse for him,
but nearh everyone had secured the horn of an o\ in which he
could letch and keep the necessary amount ef water.
An angel, in the shape of a negro, called Elizalde, appear-
ed at noon. He brought a tub filled with boiled meat placed
on a cart, and halted outside the palisades. With his grimy
fingers he picked out the pieces of meat and threw them on the
sand before the prisoners.
Those of the victims, who managed to grasp a larger
chunk of meat than their co-sufferers, shouted with glee.
Klizalde returned towards five o'clock and distrihuted an-
other quantity of meat in the same manner.
The rations of meat received by each prisoner at noon and
in the afternoon weighed about two ounces and were cooked
without salt.
This was the only nourishment which the prisoners re-
ceived.
(inly he. who for months has been deprived of the use of
salt, can understand the torture caused by such deprivalion.
Everyone knows that, without this article, furnished us h\ na-
ture, good digestion becomes impossible at last. Dyseatsery,
typhus ami imbecility degenerating into lunacy are the logical
results of such a deprivation.
The prisoners, in consequence, became so emaciated, mi-
serable ami siik thai I he\ resembled living skeletons more
than human beill
At sunset, and later, in the morning ton. an officer of the
guard read aloud a list id' names. Those, whose names had
been called, were freed from their shackles, taken to a clearing
in the adjoiniu- ion-stand there shot. The corpses Were then
robbed of their scant} garments, which were considered l>\ the
soldiers as righth their bootj .
Absolutelj vile was the treatment of the ladies who camp-
ed around tin- fettered men. Not onlj were thej compelled to
See and hoar the hoslial hru' alit n\s. hit the\ had to submit to
them, until their hour of deliverance arrived, when the] were
— 126 —
taken to the place of execution, where a vollej ended their
young, innocent, dishonored li\es.
A large rancho or hut, built of reeds and rushes, adjoin-
ing the palisades around the residence of Lopez, served as a
palace of justice. This house of Themis was surrounded by a
close fence tfl prevent an\ unauthorized individual from casting
a look into the court-room,.
Three fiscals, ;: administered justice in this building. Each
one of I hem prosecuted, tried and judged, complainant and
judge in the same person. Two subalterns, iftpmbres de con-
fitinzK^' (trustees) were also present to assist in the adminis-
tration of justice by applying the torture and forcing a con-
fession from stubborn defendants.
It was characteristic of this court-room that neither paper
nor ink, nor pens were used. But lassos, hammers, grillos,
rusty muskets and a bundle of bambu canes could be observ-
ed in a corner.
Within the palisades and adjoining the court-room a clos-
ed pavillion was erected, whence, lounging in his hammock,
Lopez could hear and see everything transpiring in the court
of justice. Round holes had been cut in the partition wall for-
tius purpose. The fiscals knew this fact and knowing that
they were observed, endeavored to manifest at the trials, a
servility and adulation beyond all limit.
Everyone, once accused, was guilty, because Lopez had
ordered it.
If the idolatry and low servility of the Guaranis for the
Supremo is taken into consideration, the result of these investi-
gations can readily be conjectured.
The charges brought against the prisoners were nearly all
those of high treason. Some were accused of participation in
a conspiracy against the life of the Supremo, some that they
had contributed money for revolutionary purposes, some that
they had been accomplices in forwarding treasonable corres-
pondence, others that they had been guilty of defalcations and
of robbing the public treasury ete., etc.
Such a conspiracy never existed in the Republic ot Uru-
guay. It was simply impossible under the prevailing conditions.
Military prosecuting attorney's
127 —
The accused, who were tried and judged in secret, always
declared themselves innocent of the charges, as lliey could in
truth and with a clear conscience.
So much the worse for them. The fiscals ordered the tor-
ture to force a confession from the obdurate victims and the
two subalterns, with diabolical pleasure, began their work.
*'
ffssi m
irr
Church at La Villeta Hospital of the Paraguayans.
The torture, of which there were several grades, was ap-
plied according to the pleasure and direction of the fiscal.
The mildest form was the rivetting of three grilles or heavy
irons to the legs, so that the accused could not walk hut was
compelled to crawl.
Another form was the Cepo Uruguayano or the Uruguayan
I. lock. The victim had to sipial on the ground, his hands
were tied together below the knees, a gun was stuck through
between arms and koees ami three to si\ musk. 'is were placed
on the neck. Leather thongs, running through rings on the
floor and over the n\i\> of the muskets, were then .lr;iwn so
tight that the accused was rolled up ill the shape of a hall.
He was left in this condition until he confessed or made *epo
sitions which were satisfactory to his judges. Man; died ol
apoplexj while fastened in the c.pn Uruguayano.
— 128 —
Another form was the stretching or the &cuadro estaca-
<li>s» (lour stakes) in which the accused was thrown upon the
ground, face downward, cords, fastened to hands and feet,
were drawn tight over four stakes driven into the ground so
that he lay stretched out in the form of the cross of St. An-
drew. This as a rule, was done in the open space in front of
the hall of justice, when the sun shone with scorching effect
and thousands of blow-flies filled the air. If still the accused
refused to confess, flogging was resorted too until the victim
yielded or died.
It would require too much space to enumerate all the means
of torture omployed to force confessions from the doomed vic-
tims. Only two more methods may he mentioned, consisting
iu smashing the ends of the fingers with heavy iron hammers
and in dislocating the shoulder by tying cords around the
wrist, holding the arm in horizontal position and then wrench-
ing it from its socket by sudden jerks and swings.
It was undoubtedly the best policy for the prisoners to
plead guilty at once ; they saved themselves the torture, and
execution, one way or another, was sure to follow.
How the fiscals fared at the hands of Lopez, if they were
loo lenient at the trial or betrayed a spark of humanity in
their breasts, may be shown by the following instance.
The fiscal Cayetano examined Don Begnigno, the brother
of the Marshal-President. The accused, loaded with heavy
chains and worn out with an inquiry lasting five hours, beg-
ged the favor to be allowed to sit and rest a few moments.
Starved and exhausted, as he was, he declared he could not
proceed without completely breaking down. Cayetano permit-
ted it and even had a glass of water brought for the sufferer.
This act of humanity on the part of a fiscal was an un-
pardonable crime. That he failed to properly use heat, thirst
and exhaustion and thus neglected to improve a fine oppor-
tunity for obtaining a confession, looked suspicious.
Cayetano was sent for an hour later. Lopez charged him
with having shown too great leniency, accused him of being
an accomplice of his brother, had him arrested and placed in
irons. After suffering cruel treatment for weeks Cayetano,
one day, heard his name called as the fatal list was read by
— 129 —
the officer. With some other victims he was taken to the
dreaded clearing and shot.
The common soldiers were secretly pleased to see a haughty
aristocracy cut down in this manner. Yet they were also well
aware that over each one of them hung the sword of Damocles,
which at any moment could and did descend on some unfortun-
ate with destructive force. No one felt save. Everybody sus-
pected everybody else. All intercourse, all conversation ceased
and distrust, suspicion, denunciations and espionage ruled the
4-amp.
Colonel Thompson one day came up to San Fernando to
make a report to Lopez. He had to wait for some time in the
court within the palisades as the Supremo happened to be en-
gaged in other business.
An old sergeant of the guard with grey hairs and covered
with wounds, joined him and the two engaged in a conversa-
tion.
The adjutant of the Supremo came five minutes later and
arrested and took away the old sergeant. The Colonel was
requested, at the same time, to follow the adjutant. He was
taken to a little hut and told not to leave it. A guard was
placed before the door.
Paper, ink and pen were brought to Colonel Thompson an
hour afterwards, with the order to write down the contents of
the conversation with the sergeant.
The Colonel complied with the order.
The conversation had been of the most innocent even child-
ish nature, hut Thompson wrote down concientiously. The old
sergeant had inquired of the colonel : if he would wear the
handsome Paraguayan uniform alter his return to England ? If
the Queen of Great Britain were as beautiful as Madame Lynch ?
Jf the Queen always wore her golden crown on her head when
she took a drive I etc, etc.
The written document was called for the next morning al
eight o'clock. The colonel went, to Lopez al half an hour later
and was courteously and amiably received. The] discussed the
question of the erection Of new forts. The Supremo did not
mention anything aboul the affair with the sergeant.
The written answers of Colonel Thompson came too late to
the life of the old sergeant. He had I a shol at seven
— 130 —
(•'clock in company with two other soldiers who were guilty
of the heinous offence of having taken water from the Supre-
mo's exclusive well. There was a possibility, that by this
means, they could have attempted to poison the well.
Only Elisa Lynch, although her most intimate friend, the
wife of Colonel Martinez, had been imprisoned, flogged and
menaced with death, was happy, cheerful and content and
knew how to turn to advantage the most doleful of circums-
tances. Her shrewdness and thrift to increase her material
wealth never deserted her.
Dr. Stuart, the surgeon general of the army, was one day
called to Madame. She was inconsolable, wrung her hands
and with tears in her eyes, exclaimed: «0 ! Doctor ! I fear the
President is contemplating something which I shall never for-
give him.» After a brief conversation, in which she intimated
that the doctors life was in imminent clanger, she requested of
him his promissory note for 4,000 pounds sterling, which he
gave to save his life. Dr. Stuart was subsequently sued on
this promissory note in the city of Edinburgh. Elisa Lyncb
had managed to dispose of this negotiable paper in the market
of Europe.
What was the cause of this sanguinary raging of the
tyrant ?
Lopez recognized the fact that the resources of his coun-
try were completely exhausted and that his glory had come to
an end. Filled with groundless suspicion and fierce hatred
towards all intelligent and prominent persons who saw through
his selfish schemes he resolved to get rid of them by exterm-
ination and to appriate to himself their wealth. Distrust and
greed were the motive forces which made Lopez the mad and
bloodthirsty tyrant, compared to whome, Nero and Tiberius ap-
pear meek and gentle. This was the cause of all the arrests,
ill usage, torture and executions of generals, aristocrats, mi-
nisters, priests, merchants and nearly all the foreigners.
Lopez evacuated the camp at San Fernando on August
2oth and, retreating before the advance of the allied army,
took up a uew position, with his army, at the Lomas (hills) be_
hind the Rio Piquysyry, a small tribntary of the Rio Paraguay.
During the eight weeks preceding that date, 267 persons had
fallen victims to his suspicion, averice and rage.
— 134 -
The Lomas Ita-Yvate" and Cumbaritv.
At the end of December 1868, the Marshal -President had
completed the fortifications of his new ramp on the north bank
of the Rio Piquysyrj and his army, now reduced to 12,000
men, made itself quite comfortable in the new quarters.
A line of fortifications, with projecting angles, extended
along the north side of the river, from its mouth to a point
nine kilometers up stream. The river meanders through a series
of broad deep swamps and marshes. The entrenchments were
mounted with 100 cannon and 8,000 soldiers were detached
to defend them. General Caballeros received the command of
the works.
About one kilometer to the north of the western terminus
of these entrenchments, at the narrowest point of the Rio Pa-
raguay, called Angostura, Lopez erected a shore battery of fif-
teen he;iv\ guns and placed it under the command of Colonel
Thompson.
Mis headquarters were erected on the Loma Ita-Yvate" and
the mayoria and the prisons were established on the Loma
Cumbarty, also sometimes called the Loma Valentina.
Ita-Yvate was a tabooed hill. No one specially authorized
dared to approach and ascend it. Everything was arranged
so as to deceive ami hoodwink foreign ambassadors who came
here on a mission from their government to obtain the release
of their imprisoned countrymen.
The highest point of Ita-Yvate" was occupied bj the taste
fid, spacious, verandah-surrounded residence of the Marshal-
President.
The body-guard, dressed in new, complete, faultless uni-
forms, also camped on this hill. They knew nothing of want
ami starvation. Everj resident of Ita-Yvate" sought to demon
strate in an extravagant manner, his unswerving loyaltj to
the Supremo ami to the cause he represented.
— 132 —
Here were received and deceived the embassadors of North
America, France, Italy, Portugal and England. The last men-
tioned could not be imposed upon and saw clearly through the
fraud and duplicity. The North American minister, blinded by
the apparent mildness, nobility, magnanimity and selfsaeri-
ficing spirit of the Supremo, became an enthusiastic champion
of the bloodthirsty tyrant.
This ambassador was the North American General Mac-
Mahon. He afterwards escorted, without the least molestation,
seven loaded carts decorated with the flag of the Union, through
the lines of the allies.
The carts and their contents were considered and respect-
ed as the property of a- neutral state. Not one of the allies
made a move even to examine the contents although the public
funds, the property of the state, consisting of gold and silver,
was deposited in and carried off by the carts, The public treasu-
ry and the private purse of the President were considered
identical in Paraguay from 1860 to 1870. General Mac Mahon
undertook and succeeded in exporting and bringing to a place
of safety the public funds for the benefit of the dictator, Ma-
dame Lynch and their children.
8hortly before the arrival of General Mac Mahon, the North
American Commodore Davis, through his energetic demands,
had been successful in procuring the release of Messrs. Bliss
and Masterman, two attaches of the North American embassy.
They had been arrested, placed in irons and suffered for
months in prison. They were put on board the gunboat
«Shamokin» and taken to Buenos Aires. It was a circumstance
highly advantageous to Lopez and his heirs.
The statements made by Bliss and Masterman concerning
their brutal treatment at the hands of the tyrant Lopez, were
received with incredulity. They seemed too monstrous to be
true. The narrative of the two attaches fell far short of the
full truth. It was only a dim and faint reflex of the almost
incredible atrocities daily committed by Lopez.
The foreign gunboats -(Dotterellx of the English, «Veloce»
of the Italian and «Decidee» of the French navy had, with the
consent of the Brazilian Admiral Inhauma, run the blockade
and were anchored above Angostura, the place fortified by
Lopez.
— 133 —
The commanders of these gunboats, received b\ Lopez in
the most hearty, hospitable and courteous manner, were com-
missioned to demand the release and take on board any sub-
jects of their respective governments, who were detained h\
force in Paraguayan prisons.
These Captains, decehed by what they observed at Ita-
Yvate, and not being permitted to proceed any farther,
gave full credit to the hypocritical declarations of Lopez. He
assured them that he would gladly surrender the prisoners to
them, if he had the power, but as they had been guilty of serious
crimes and misdemeanors, it was beyond his authority to inter-
fere with the course of law in the Paraguayan courts of justice.
Paraguay : — Lopez : — Courts of Justice!
What a Mockerj !
The prison-pens at the mayoria were kept full with new
arrivals, notwithstanding that executions took place everj
evening.
A German merchant was executed at San Fernando short-
ly before its evacuation. Hainan died, in consequence of tor-
tures and privations, immediately after his arrival at the lo-
mas. The German jeweller Fiillgraf, in company with 4.j fel-
low-sufferers, among them Venancio Lopez, a brother of the
Supremo, was shot a few days later.
Major Palarios, one of the most loyal of creatures of Lopez
and second in command at headquarters was degraded to the
rank of a private, thrown into prison and placed in irons.
There was not in the whole countrj a man of note or a
foreigner who had not been shot or was not detained in
prison.
The onl\ exception to this was the venerable Colonel Wis-
oer von Morgenstern, an Austrian. The old gentlemen had
suffered for years from rheumatism at Asuncion, so that he
was absolutely helpless. He had been held in high esteem h\
the father of the .Marshal-President. This Fact, although a
high grade ol filial love and respect cannot be expected in a
man who threw his own mother into prison, and the conside-
ration that the old colonel would presumably soon die a natu-
ral death, saved this officer from anj molestation. \i anj rate.
Colonel Wisner von Morgenstern \\;is the onlj foreigner who
escaped the general fate.
— 134 —
The old Fieldmarshal Caxias, spurred on by ambition, now
made spasmodic efforts to terminate the weary war by a com-
pile victory of the allies and to drive Lopez from Paraguay, —
the real object of the conflict. He was roused to this energy
by news from Hio de Janeiro. The imperial government in-
formed him, that if until January 8th 18G9, the day of meeting
the Brazilian chambers, he could not gain an effective victory,
a peace would be arranged under conditions, as a majority of
the chambers belonged to the peace party.
The war had not been popular in the Argentine Republic
from the beginning and the demands for its cessation now
grow louder from day to day.
Caxia had, since September, occupied a position at Las
Palmas, about 5 kilometers south of the Paraguayan entrench-
ments on the Rio Piquysyry. He resolved to turn the right
flank of the enemy by a march through the Gran Chaco and to
attack him in the rear.
General Argollo with the first Brazilian army corps was
transferred across the river and ordered into the trackless
wilderness of the Gran Chaco to open a road to a point oppo-
site Villeta. This was accomplished in four weeks and Caxias,
with an army of 32,000 men, marched northward over the
newly finished road.
The Argentines, Orientals, 3,000 Brazilians and nearly all
the artillery remained at Las Palmas. The Fieldmarshal took
only 12 light fieldpieces with him.
As soon as Lopez was informed of the movement and pur-
pose of the allies, he ordered General Caballero with 5,000
men and 72 guns to defend the bridge across the Itororo, a
little river 25 kilometers to the north of Ita-Yvate.
Caxias, on the 6th of December, attacked the bridge in
front with the 1st and 2nd army corps under the command of
Generals Argollo and Bittancourt and ordered General Osorio,
with the 3rd corps, to turn the right flank of the enemy.
Osorio came when the battle, which had raged for two hours,
was over. The bridge had been taken. The Paraguayans had
to yield to a superiority of numbers, but not until after a
stubborn resistance. The Brazilians lost 3,000 men and among
the seriously wounded was the brave General Argollo.
General Caballero lost 1,200 men, all dead, and six guns.
— 133 —
Fjeldmarshall Caxias, on the lltli of December, moved his
army toward the Arroyo (creek) Avay, seven kilometers south
of the Itororo. General Osorio, with the 3rd corps led the ad
vanee, followed by the 1st and 2nd corps. The cavalry divi-
sion of General Triunfo covered the right and that under Gene-
ral Menna Barreto protected the left wing.
Lopez placed 3000 infantry, 1000 cavalry and 12 guns
under the command of General Caballero on the south bank of
Arroyo A\a\ and with this force ordered this general to defend
the ford through the creek.
The rain poured down in torrents when, at noon, the Bra-
zilians advanced to the assault. The fight was excessively bit-
ter. The Paraguayans would not yield and the Brazilians were
determined to cross the arroyo at all hazards. The passage
was forced and the Paraguayan cannon captured after a san-
guinary battle of four hours duration.
The Paraguayan force was almost annihilated. Of the 4000
men, who entered the battle, only 240, and these covered with
wounds, returned to lta-Yvate.
General Caballero, at one time during the fight, was sur-
rounded by Brazilian cavalry. They had grasped his poncho,
which he slipped suddenly over his bead, cut down two troo-
pers in his way and, dashing off in a gallop, made his way to
the headquarters of the Supremo.
The Brazilians lost 4000 men and among them the intrepid
leader General Qsoria, who was seriously wounded.
Lopez was not prepared for these heavy, successive blows.
He feared the depressing effect of these defeats on his army,
which was now reduced to 7000 men, and he knew that he
must do something to again inspire his troops and to inflame
their ianatism anew. He was a master in that art. Dances
were arranged every night in the camp, and Lopez furnished
a liberal supph of cafia-liquor and slaughter oxen for the came
con cuero Fiery adresses by the Supremo, which inflamed
i lie Guaranis to madness, were read aloud to the soldiers b\
the officers. The speeches were answered bj [rousing cheers
for l he Marshal-President and loud, wicked imprecations and
corses hurled against the enemies of their country.
Beei roasted In the hide.
- 130 —
Once thoroughly aroused, Fieldmarshal Caxias never re-
laxed and was firmly determined lo end the Supremo's career
of glory.
He ordered General Triunfo with 2500 cavallry at one
oclock on the morning of December 21st to reconnoitre the
region to the eastward of the Lomas Cumbarity and Ita-Yvate.
General Menna Barrel o, with 400 cavalry was sent at the time
to pass to the west of these fortified hills and to make an at-
tack from the rear on the Paraguayan entrenchments on the
Piquysyry, which were defended by 1500 men with 30 cannon.
General Menna Barreto's attack was successful. The as-
sault was too sudden for the Paraguayans to turn their guns.
The cannons were captured after a brief but bloody fight. One
thousand Paraguayans, who refused lo surrender, were cut
down and 500 of them succeeded in cutting their way through
to Colonel Thompson at Angostura.
General Triunfo, on his reconnaiscance, captured several
Paraguayan cavalry-pickets, a transport of wounded soldiers-
accompanied by 1000 women intended to be sent to Cerro Leon r
and 4000 head of cattle.
That same afternoon Caxias bombarded the Lomas Ita-
Yvate and Cumbaiily for an hour, after which the infantry ad-
vanced to attack the north and west side of the Paraguayan
position.
The conflict swayed to and fro. The Paraguayans made
several daring sallies charging the slowly advancing Brazilians
at the point of the bayonet, but were driven back by the su-
perior fire of musketry. The extreme northerly entrenchment
of Cumbarity was in the hands of the Brazilians at sundown
and they proceeded at once to raze the walls. Fourteen guns
were captured in these entrenchments.
Lopez had his tent removed to the woods eastward of Ita-
Yvate and put the same in telegraphic communication with his
headquarters as soon as the Brazilians opened fire upon the
two lomas that afternoon. From this tent he directed the bat-
lie. He evidently feared that the enemies would capture the
second line of defences, for he ordered everything to be put-
in readiness for immediate flight and also the execution of the
most prominent of his prisoners.
— 137 —
Here is a list of the names of the vfclims who were shot
by order of the Marshal-President on the 21st December 1868.
Benigno Lopez, the youngest brother of the dictator.
General Barrios, the brother-in-law of the dictator.
Bishop Palacios.
Borges, minister of culto and of public instruction.
Carreras, minister of the interior.
Bedoya, minister of finance.
Leita-Pereira, Portuguese consul.
Colonel Alen, former commander of Humaita.
Wife, mother and sister of Colonel Martinez.
Dean Bogado.
Captain Fidanza.
Three priests, two private citizens, an Argentine colonel
and two Brazilian naval officers.
In all 21 persons.
Lopez in the event of the deliver) of these prisoners by
the Brazilians, feared their disclosures and their revenge. For
this reason, altough the knife was now at his own throat, he
secured the eternal silence of these unfortunates.
The body-guard of the Supremo had been under fire that
afternoon, for the first time during the war and had been al-
most exterminated. The cannoneers, manning the batteries be-
hind the low walls, were mostly cripples, many of them having
the use of onl) one arm or one leg. Everyone, without regard
to person or sex, foughl in the ranks of the Paraguayans.
Physicians, officers of the intendantur, priests and even women
clad in a chemise only, had taken up a gun or wielded a lance.
The women were also employed to carrj the severely wounded
soldiers to the woods.
The following daj was spent in fruitless skirmishing. A
Brazilian battallion at times would make an assault but w;is
flung hack, each time with serious losses.
Caxius, <m the 23rd of December, ordered the ;um\ corps
at L;is Palmas, l(),i)0() strong, to advance, cross the Piquysyrj
and [iost 15 cannons on the Loma Auxilio.
When Lopez observed this movement from the summ o
lia-YvaU 1 , he requested the North American embassador, Gene-
ral Mac Mah on, I" take his children, in the carriage of Ma-
dame Lynch, to Cerro Leon, a I'ttle village situated at the foot
— 138 —
of the Sierra Leona, where he would either follow them or
send further directions. General Mac Mahon consented and an
hour later, accompanied by the children of the Marshal-Presi-
dent and the engineer Mr. Yalpy, was on his way to the
east.
The sun rose blood-read on the morning of the 24th; Be-
fore he ordered fire to be opened from the forty five 32-poun-
der Whitworth guns stationed on the Loma Auxilio, Caxias
sent a messenger under flag of truce to Lopez demanding his
surrender to avoid further unnecessary bloodshed.
Lopez refused to surrender but declared that he was wil-
ling to enter into negotiations for peace provided, the honour
of his country or the dignity of his person were not affected
thereby.
The Brazilian general did not return an answer to this,
but waited another twenty-four hours before opening the bom-
bardment, in order to give Lopez ample time to recognize the
ulter hopelessness of his situation and to reconsider his reso-
lution.
It was in vain.
Caxias bombarded the Paraguayan position for two hours
after sunrise on the morning of the 25th. Whereupon the in-
fantry was formed into column for the charge. The Paraguay-
ans beat back every assault with only six guns remaining with
them. All the rest had become unfit for service. Nearly all
the Paraguayans were wounded that day but that did not cool
their ardour nor calm their fanaticism.
Lopez collected the scattered wrecks of his cavalry towards
noon, and, adding to them everyone in camp who was mount
e"d7he obtained a body of troopers, 500 strong. This cavalry
made a sudden sally against the Brazilians. Fighting bravely
and heroically, it was cut to pieces by the numerically far su-
perior cavalry of General Triunfo.
The Brazilians had accomplished nothing when night fell.
The same desultory fighting and skirmishing was continued
at dawn on the 26th. The Brazilian infantry repeated the as-
sault again and again, but each time were flung back in dis-
comfiture by the desperate Paraguayans.
Lopez, mounted on a horse, hid himself in the woods,
where he could see nothing of the raging battle. His adjutant
— 139 —
and his intrepid consort, Elisa Lynch, were with him. She had
sent away her children with General Mac Mahon three days
ago, but she remained with her lover to inspire him with her
personal courage. She gave ample proof of a disregard of death
on this occasion,
She sat, straight and bold, on her spirited horse. With
eyes Hashing fire and her volnptons form firmly compressed, she
saw the shells crash through the trees, scattering branches
and huge pieces of bark, saw and heard them evplode in the
air, and heard and saw the fragments, dealing death and des-
truction all around, startling the ear with omnious sounds,
strike the ground with a splash and a dull thud. Occasionally
her cheeks would turn a shade more pale, but her nerves
and her pulse remained steady and her red lips curled them-
selves into a haughty disdainful smile.
But her lover?
He bowed constantly down to the saddle, the moment
he heard the ominous noise of an approaching and passing
projectile. Disregarding the compassionate smile of his con-
sort, he flung himself from his horse and threw himself flat on
the ground, face downward, whenever a shell burst even at a
distance of a hundred paces or more.
He passed a prison-pen some time I bat day where, among
others, his former director of telegraphs Fischer von Treuen-
feld and Mr. Taylor, the British mason, were incarcerated. The
former made himself known to the cowardly, hypocritical tyrant
who seemed utterly astonished that anyone should have the
audarih to arrest and place in irons his most faithful friend
and servant, lb- ordered iiis release at once.
Encouraged bj this, the other prisoners rushed forward
and throwing themselves on their knees before the despot beg-
ged lor mere; and libertj .
IV it. that the continuous whistling ami crashing of shells
admonished him that possiblj his last hour was at band: be it
fhal Hi" tear ol soon appearing before the judgmenl seat of a
Just and eternal Judge or that he had a strange ami unusual
attack of mildness, he released all the inmates of this pri-
son and gave them their freedom upon the condition never to
undertake anything againsl his person and againsl the welfare
of the republic.
■140
The prisoners promised everything demanded. They em-
braced and kissed each other amid laughter and tears of joy
and worked themselves into such a paroxism of joy over their
unexpected fortune, that some of them hecame seriously sick.
Rocks were gathered tohreak the galling shackles. « Welcome-
0, golden liberty !»»
The allied troops storming the Loma, December 27 18S8.
Caxias saw that it woufd take the Brazilian infantry weeks
to capture the Paraguayan fortifications. They lacked the vim
and spirit necessary for a successful bayonet charge. It was
desirable that he should be able to send the news of a deci-
sive victory to Rio de Janeiro before the -8th of January and
he was compelled to employ 2000 Argentine infantry for the
attack the next day.
The Argentine troops had done nothing during the whole
month of December as it was the purpose of the commander in
chief to let the Brazilian troops solely secure the honor and
glory of having disposed of Lopez for good.
The Argentine batallions were ordered to attack the south-
ern, the steepest and most difficult side of the entrenchments.
They swept across the walls at the first assault and captured
fourteen guns, mostly demolished. The western and northern
sides were scaled almost simultaneously by the Brazilians and
whatever there was left of the Paraguayans was taken pri-
— lit —
soner. Only the Supremo, accompanied by Madame Lynch and
90 mounted men, succeeded in escaping through the forest to
the east.
The Argentine General Gelly y Obes took up his headquar-
ters in the former residence of the Marshal-President on the
Lorn a Ita-Yvate.
The cavalry division under the command of General Tri-
unfo, sent in pursuit of Lopez, made a very important capture
the next day. They took a number of carls, which contained
ilic archives of the dictator and two noted prisoners of state.
These were the venerable mother and a younger sister of the
Supremo. His eldest sister, widow of the same General Barrios
who had been executed seven days ago, was still carried
alonjr by Lopez, although he himself had barely escaped
capture.
From the captured archives it appeared, that between the
2oth of September and the 21st of December 1868, 348 persons
had been executed at the lomas. If to these are added the 2U7
persons who were executed at San Fernando from June loth
until August 25th we have a total of 615 persons executed
under a peculiar judicial procedure but in realty innocently
murdered.
-<$*<$-
In the Sierra Mbonaypey.
The fugitive tyrant, accompanied b\ Madame Lynch, sonic
officers and !)() soldiers of bis body-guard, reached Cerro Leon
after a brisk six hours ride. This hamlet is situated at the
base of the Sierra Mbonaypey, 35 kilometers to the east of
Ita-Yvate. The Supremo, fatigued but not despairing, took up
his quarters in a plain, low-roofed house of the village.
lie had come to the firm determination, while on the road
not to surrender but to continue the war to the knife and to
wear out the allies bj a stubborn resisteirce. Madame Lynch
— 142 —
strongly supported his resolution. She was strenuously opposed
to a capitulation which involved her lover's banishment from
Paraguay.
Bui to offer any effective resistance, it was necessary,
above all things, to have an army, and his whole force at
present, consisted only of 90 men. The extraordinary, resource-
ful energj of the Marshal-President did not abandon him in
this most critical emergency, and he found means to accom-
plish what seemed impossible.
There was at Cerro Leon a military hospital contain-
ing (5000 sick and wounded. The reconvalescent were ordered
to proceed to the battlefield of the lomas, pick up the scatter-
ed arms and articles of accoutrement and bring them to Cerro
Leon. Bands of Paraguayans, who had been dispersed at the
battles or who had escaped from the allies, came into camp
daily.
It seems incredible, that men, who were treated so harshly
and brutally as the Paraguayan soldiers were treated by the
Marshal-President, should voluntarily return to their tormen-
tor, after having been liberated, fed and clothed by the allies.
The attempt has been made repeatedly, to explain this
strange phenomena on the ground of the Paraguayan fervent
patriotism and their enthusiasm for their chief in whom, as
they were taught to do, they recognized the embodiment of
the state.
That was not the case.
The Guarani is no idealist but, on the contrary, is empha-
tically a realist. All the devotion and loyalty which the Para-
guayan had shown during the whole war, sprang from that
fierce fanaticism which Lopez had artificially kindled and nour-
ished in their hearts. When his power to inflame this fanati-
cism was broken, his influence over the fanatics ceased. There
most have been another reason, another factor, which induced
the Paraguayans to return to Lopez.
This was the reason :
The women and children of the captured and dispersed
Paraguayans remained with Lopez, and were in his power.
He could punish them in his cruel manner for the crimes and
misdemeanors committed by the men, and it would have been
considered a heinous offence if the Guarani, escaped from his
— 143 —
captors, had not returned to camp within a week. The Gnara-
nis love their families intensely. This is one of the marked and
shining characteristics of this noble, brave and almost extinct
race. Care and anxiety about the lives and the welfare of
their beloved families were the motive forces which drew the
brave Guaranis to Cerro Leon into the talons of the despot.
This was the secret of his dominant power over them.
Within seven days, Lopez collected again an army of 5500
men. With this force he moved, on January 4th 1869, to Az-
curra. a village 15 kilometers to the north-east of Cerro Leon
and situated in the heart of the mountains, on the main pass
over the ridge. Azcurra can easily be put in a state of de-
fence. Lopez threw up entrenchments around the place and
mounted the walls with five field pieces, which he had man.
aged to save.
He proceeded, without delay, to reorganize and equip the
wrecks of his former army. Of his prominent officers there
yet remained with him : Generals Resquins and Caballero, Co-
lonel Thompson, Minister Gaminos, Dr. Skinner and the engi-
neer Mr. Valpy. They were required to aid him in his under-
taking.
The Supremo, a month before, had ordered the machines
and employes of the arsenal at Asunsion to be taken to Caa-
cape", a little place five kilometers to the north-east of Azcurra.
Colonel Thompson, who was put in charge of the new T arsenal,
developed such energy and activity that three light field-
pieces with full equipment, 130 small arms with bayonets and
<;()(» lane- were manufactured every week. Certainly an ad-
mirable feat in the midst of a dense wilderness. The iron de-
termination df the Marshal-President managed to provide the
necessary material.
The ammunition for the little, newly created army was
manufactured in a powder mill situated at Peribebuy, a little
hamlet, fifteen leagues to the east of Azcurra. General Ca-
ballero, with 1800 men and 13 fieldpieces was sent to this im-
portant place to secure it against any possible surprise, lie
constructed verj formidable entrenchments around the hamlet.
One thousand men were detached to protect the sulphur
factory ai San Jose, a village -'<> kilometers east ol Peribebuy.
— 144 —
Only 3000 men with 'M) field guns remained in camp with Lo-
pez at Azcurra.
Dr. Stuart, the surgeon-general of the army, had been
taken prisoner by the Brazilians on the 28th of December, and
his wife and two little children, for that reason, were thrown
into the army prison where thsy suffered intensely from hun-
ger, privation and exposure. Dr. Skinner was appointed in Dr.
Stuarts place and it became his chief duty to quickly train a
sufficient number of young surgeons or practicants for the
army.
The army of the Supremo had melted away to almost
nothing on December 27th and yet, within a very brief time
thereafter, the fertile genius of the Marshal-President had, in
the midst of a wilderness, created, organized, armed and
equipped a new army, manufactured artillery and erected exten-
sive fortifications. It was done if by magic.
But to supply the army with provisions was a most diffi-
cult problem. Lopez did not know where to obtain them in
sufficient quantities. The soldiers were reduced to short ra-
tions, and the lo0,000 women and children, who accompanied
the army, received . nothing. They were not sent home, but
had to remain, in order that, by threatening to punish them
cruelly for the desertion of their husbands, the tyrant held
them secure in close allegiance to his person.
It is true, the country, surrounding the camp, produced
an abundance of all kinds of wild fruit but it was insufficient
for the support of such a vast aggregation of people. More
than one hundred thousand women and children died then of
starvation within six months.
The reign of terror, inaugurated by the despot and mani-
festing itself by frequent executions, was, under such condi-
tions, the only means whereby discipline could be maintained.
And the allies ?
They celebrated the victory by a trimphant entry into
Asuncion, the deserted capital, on January 1st 1869. They pil-
laged the city thoroughly, leaving not a pane of glass, nor
mirror, nor lock untouched, although the war was ostensibly
waged 'against the tyrant Lopez and not against the people of
Paraguay. They made themselves thoroughly at home in the
abandoned capital and made arrangements for a new campaign
— l4o —
although it was well-known to them that, on the 27th of De-
cember Lopez had escaped with only 90 men.
Such procrastination was too much even for the patient
and forbearing government at Rio de Janeiro. Fieldmarshal
Marques de Caxias was recalled towards the end of January
and created Dmpie de Tuyuty by the Emperor. He was super-
seded b\ the Conde d'Eu, an Orleans, son of the Duke de Ne-
mours, consort of the Crown-princess Isabella and declared
heir to the imperial throne. He came to Asuncion and began at
once to restore order and to infuse new life into the army.
The new commander-in-chief, then only 27 years of age,
was received with general rejoicing by the army. Officers and
men were weary of the tedious war, which seemed intermin-
able, with the weak, trifling irresolute policy pursued at the
allied headquarters opposed to such an energetic, resourceful
and tenacious enemy as Lopez.
The Conde d'Eu, after having reorganized the Brazilian
army, selected, as his line of advance, the railroad from Asun
cion to the base of Mount Sapucay, a distance of 98 kilometers.
This railroad furnished an open road into the interior.
As there was only one railroad engine at Asuncion and
that in a delapidated condition, a second engine had to be
ordered up from Buenos Aires. The main portion of the army,
meantime, marched on foot or on horseback, to the south-east
letting the railroad carry the provisions and equipments.
At the middle of the month of March, the van-guard reach-
ed the bridge across the delta of the Rio Pirayu, which emp-
ties into the Laguna Ypacaray. Lopez had blown up the bridge.
It had to be repaired before the provision trains could pass
over it, which took eight weeks and the Conde d'Eu did not
react] Cerro Leon until the 20th of May.
The Paraguayan positions were reconnoitered in June,
whereupon a part of the allied army advanced to the Para-
guay and the Rio Ibicuy.
Prom this point, an infantry division inarched westward
and a cavalry division advanced southward, toward Peribebuy,
which place the ;illi»'s erroneously took to be the headquarters
of Lopez, as it formed the centre of the extended Paraguayan
position.
— 14(1 —
The Conde d'Eu, on the 14th of August, demanded the
surrender of Caballero at Peribebuy, which was refused. An
assault was made from three sides simultaneously an hour
later. The Paraguayans defended themselves like lions, but were
finally overpowered by the numerical superiority of the allies.
The cavalry, under the command of General Menno Bar-
reto, dashed across the northern breastworks, broke through
the enemy's lines and cut down most of the Paraguayans.
Only about 300 of them cut their way through and escaped to
Azcurra.
The Brazilians also suffered fearful losses. General Men-
no Barreto, one of the most daring and intrepid cavalry lea-
ders of their army, was mortally wounded.
The allies liberated a number of prisoners of war, who,
for almost a year, had been compelled by Lopez to labor at
his factory and arsenal.
General Caballero, with the wrecks of his army, reached
Azcurra the same evening and reported the capture of Peri-
bebuy to Lopez. The Supremo at once issued orders for a re-
treat to begin the following morning. The garrison of San
Jose had been captured previously and the little army of the
Marshal-President at Azcurra amounted only to 3000 men with.
15 guns.
The retreat commenced before the dawn of day and women,
for want of draught animals, had to draw the gun carriages.
It was a toilsome march over hill and dale. Not a moment
was allowed for rest, for the 1st Brazilian army corps under
Jose Barreto was close on the heels of the retreating Para-
guayans.
Lopez halted and his troops bivouacked shortly after sun-
set. After a weary march over 22 kilometers of mountain road r
they camped on a plain surrounded by swamps and marshes,
called Nhuaguassu or Campo Grande, through which flows the
Bio Pirebebuy. It was intended to cross this river the next
morning and escape into the interior of the country.
But the Brazilians were on hand at daybreak on the morn-
ing of the 16th August, and at once opened the battle. The
Paraguayans fought with their accustomed bravery and dis-
regard of death and the result of the conflict was doubtful for
some time until the allied troops suddenly made their appear-
- H7 —
ance on the Paraguayan right flank. The flying columns of
Emilio Mitre and Jose Auto, in accordance with orders receiv-
ed the evening before, had broken up camp at Atira and put
themsehes on the march at midnight. Their sudden and un-
expected appearance decided the battle.
The Paraguayans retreated across the Rio Peribebuy after
having sustained a loss of 500 dead and nine guns. They de-
fended the ford so stubbornly and heroically, that the allies had
to desist from crossing the river that day.
Lopez, during the night divided his forces into two divi-
sions. The one, 1700 strong with six guns, under the com-
mand of General Caballero, marched eastward and Lopez him-
self, with 8000 men, drew off in a north-westerly direction,
lie took no guns with him so that the deep, fresh ruts of the
heavy gun-carriages would not lead the enemies on his trail.
This stratagem succeeded admirably and the allies lost track
ol him for a long time.
A largo number of prisoners were here liberated by the
allies. Lopez had been unable to drag them any farther with
him on his headlong flight. The wife and the two little chil-
dren of Dr. Stuart, resembling living skeletons and unable to
speak from sheer exhaustion, were among the number.
The allies crossed the Rio Peribebuy on the 17th of August
and followed the trail leading to the north-east. They over-
look l ho Paraguayans at Caguiyuru on the next day and de-
feated them, whereby General Caballero lost one half of his
men and all of his guns. With the rest of his army, punct-
uallj obeying the directions of the Marshal-President, he led
still farther on Ins course to the nort-east. An Argentine co-
lumn under Kmilio Mitre and a Brazilian division under Jose
Aulo followed him in close pursuit.
Caballero crossed the Rio Manduvira and hurried through
the eastern part of the Estero Aguaracaty, a vast, swampy,
bushy plain ol Von square leagues in extent. After pushing
forward 58 kilometers in the. direction of San Estanislao, he
was overtaken bj the allies on the 21st da\ of August, defeat-
ed ami the resl of the troops still with him fighting beroicallj
to the last were either nil down or taken prisoner.
Lopez had completely vanished oul of sight.
The Conde d'Eu divided his troops into a number of flying
columns, which had to race in various directions through the
— ns —
country to discos or the whereabouts of the fugitive Supremo.
He himself returned to Asuncion, deposed the Marshal-President
and installed a new provisional government, composed of three
Paraguayans.
All the prisoners of war in the allied camps were placed
at liberty and the Paraguayan legion disbanded so that all
could participate in the coming election of members of the le-
gislative assembly.
The new government received money, arms and articles of
equipment to organize a little army lor the purpose of pre-
serving order. One third of the allied forces by degrees left
Paraguay and returned home.
It was impossible to conclude a definitive treaty of peace
until the dictator was either death, captured or had left the
country. Whilst large in the country, he was still a disturbing
element. The allied generals were well aware of the fact, that
the personal appearance of Lopez, at any time and place, would
be sufficient to cheat them of the fruits of a long, costly and
sanguinary war.
The allies, furthermore, were bound by the conditions of
the treaty of alliance, not to lay down their arms until Lopez
had been made harmless by death, capture or banishment.
The search after the Supremo, for these reasons, was con-
tinued with unabated zeal.
On the Aquidabaniguy.
The Rio Aquidabaniguy rises on the western slope of the
Cordillera de Amambay and after a run of 200 kilometers emp-
ties into Rio Paraguay at 23° 10' south latitude. On a wide
clearing near the low, swampy, wood-fringed banks of one of
ihe upper tributaries of this river, scenes of stirring, active
life could be witnessed on the 28th day of February 1870.
— 14<> —
Groups of half naked Paraguayans, of bolli sexes, were
busily engaged in the preparation of their frugal meals, around
a number of small fires. In other parts of the camp, people
could be seen engaged in attending their horses and cattle,
repairing harness and wagons and in cleaning their guns.
Nine hundred persons, 400 men and 500 women, had camp-
ed here in the woods for some days. They rested from a long
weary, fatiguing march through wide swamps and dense forests
with thorny underbrush, where not a breath of fresh air cool-
ed the suffocating heat and where billions of moskitoes and
flies drove the patient, long-suffering wanderers almost to des-
peiation. They not only rested from the toilsome march but
they also tried lo recuperate their strength for the toils, pri-
vations and sufferings si ill before them during the coming
months,
A large, doth tenth, lined with damask and floors cover-
ed with soil carpets, stood in the centre of the camp. It was
the present abode of the Marshal-President, Madame Lynch
and their children.
Lopez had resolved to take the small remnant of his faith-
ful Guaranis through the wilderness of the Gran Chaco to Bo-
livia and to accept for the present, the hospitality of the neigh-
bouring republic. This, the Bolivian government would have
granted cheerfully, but the resolution, to go there must have
sprung from utter despair. The distance between the Bio
Aquidabaniguy and Santa Cruz de la Sierra, the first town be-
yond the Bolivian frontier, was 700 kilometers. The route led
through trackless swamps, deep inarches and dense forests,
peopled with tribes of hostile Indians and the Supremo was al-
most totally divested of the necessary equipment for such a
march. His whole train consisted of the family carriage of
Madame Lynch, four two-wheeled carts, carrying provisions,
ammunition, arms and the archieves, and 2 horses, 22 mules
and 'M) oxen for draught animals. A band of 500 head of
slaughter oxen \\;is insufficient for the proposed long and
wearisome journey.
but Lopez, nevertheless, persisted in carrying out ids re-
solution.
li was his plan to move northward along the western slo-
pes of the Cordillera de Amambay, to cross the headwaters of
— 150 —
the rivers rising here and flowing into the Rio Paraguay, to
turn in a north-westerly direction alter passing the Rio Apa,
to cross the Rio Paraguay on raits at Fort Olympo, situated
in the Gran Chaco in 21° 2' south latitude, to march through
the wilderness of the Gran Chaco along a bridle-path from Co-
rumba to Santo Cruz de la Sierra, which he had opened in
1867 and to proceed into Bolivia.
It was the purpose of the Marshal-President to hreak up
camp and enter upon the tedious and toilsome march, after
two more days of rest.
The sun had disappeared in the west and a dark night
descended on forest and plain.
A Brazilian troop of 300 soldiers, at the same time, bi-
vouacked on a grassy plain some twelve leagues to the south
of the Paraguayan camp. The chatting and smoking soldiers
were lounging on their ponchos, spread on the soft grass
around the fires while their horses, staked out with lassos at
a short distance from camp, were eagerly cropping the abun-
dant and nutritious grass.
Two squadrons of the Rio Grande do Sul cavalry and 40
infantrists, belonging to the flying column of General Camara,
composed of three regiments of cavalry and one batallion of
infantry, camped here for the night.
The general, who, with his adjutant Major Jose Simeon de
Oliveira and Colonel Silva Favares, accompanied this section
of his column, sat near a cheerful fire, engaged in conversa-
tion with his officers.
Camara had divided his troops into five sections. Four of
them were sent out in various directions in search of the fu-
gitive Marshal-President, who, for the last six months, had be-
come absolutely invisible as if the earth had swallowed him.
The Conde d'Eu continued the hunt with undiminishing
zeal, as it was of the utmost importance to know, whether or
not, Lopez had already abandoned the country. The prestige
of this one man in the country was so extraordinary that the
allies had to exert themselves to the best of their abilities to
destroy it. Only after this had been accomplished could they
feel secure that the long, bloody war had not been fought in
vain and that the object, aimed at from the beginning, had
— 1SI —
been attained. Until then, all the honors and advantages ob-
tained at enormous sacrifices, would he illusory.
It was about nine o'clock, when the sharp call from the
mounted, statuesque picket suddenly interrupted the conversa-
tion and caused everyone to pear intently into the darkness.
A patrol of troopers, lead by a subaltern, approacbed at a
trot immediately. The corporal, short and of heavy built, dis-
mounted, advanced to the general and reported: that they had
discovered the trail of Lopez as, an quarter of an hour ago,
they had encountered a deserter, who desired to speak to the
general and to give bim valuable information in regard to the
present whereabouts of the dictator. The deserter, evidently
an officer, was awaiting the order of the general to appear
before him.
This report caused a great sensation amongst the group
of officers.
General Camara ordered the man to be brought:
A young man, in a red blouse with black collar, open in
front, and a black, gold-fringed cap on his head, stepped with
military salute, into the circle of officers.
'Are you a deserter U inquired General Camara.
Yes, my general!" came the response.
'Who are you?"
My name is Solano Lindo. Until now, I have been a prac-
licant, (one of those army surgeons, hurriedly trained and
equipped by Uis. Stuart and Skinner) in the little crowd which
I he tyrant Lopez still regards as his army. This morning, before
dawn, I left the camp with the purpose, to find the nearest
allied troops and to deliver the blood-hound into their hands.
I expect do reward. The revenge, which 1 vowed to heaven,
will be partially satisfied when the brutal despot is delivered
into the bands of his enemies. If you, mj general, are willing
to accept my offer, I beg you to follow me with your troops
without delay.
■What induced you to desert?" interrogated, with a faint
Shade "I distrust. I he general, "and what is the cause of your
sudden hatred of the ex-president I
iThe cause is plain : My lather, a man sixty-five years
of age and one of the most loyal and faithful adherents of the,
Supremo, accompanied the latter until now as a captain of ca-
— 152 —
valry. Night before last, lie relumed to camp, very much de-
pressed, and reported that a Brazilian raiding party had capt-
ured fifty head of his horses and that he was able to bring
only four horses away with him. Lopez was frantic with rage
over the loss, although my father had only three men with
him to guard and protect the tropilla.* In his anger he order-
ed my father to be shot. This morning, after a painful fare-
well from my beloved father, at which 1 suffered unspeakable
anguish, he was lead forth to his death. I followed him
— — to his execution. A minute later, and my parent lay
writhing in death agony on the blood-stained soil. A spasmo-
dic faint rattle came from the wide open moulh, where the
bloody tongue hung from the white teeth. Despairing and wild
with distress, I threw myself on the quivering body. I held his
head to my breast and called my shamefully murdered father
by the tenderest names — in vain, the staring, broken eyes
had not for me one ray of that warm and tender love which
he had shewn me all my life. — My tears ceased to flow. — I
arose calm and cold. But, at the side of the rigid form of
him who had my only love, I solemnly vowed to heaven to
have revenge on the murderers, who, for fifty contemptible
horses, had murdered like a bandit a man who, for five
years and during the whole war, had loyally and faithfully
stood by him. — My general, now you know the motive which
impelled me to this act of vengeance and you will appreciate it.
Deep silence pervaded the group of the listening officers.
«1 understand the cause which promts you perfectly" res-
ponded the general seriously. « Where can we find the ex-
president and over how many men does he dispose?
«The tyrant camps twelve leagues to the north-east of this
place, on the woody bank of the headwaters of one of the sou-
thern tributaries of the Rio Aquidabaniguy !» excitedly replied
the deserter. « Lopez intends to proceed on his march to Bo-
livia the day after to-morrow and it is necessary that you put
yourself in motion to night, to surprise him to-morrow. He
has 400 men with him, but they will scarcely offer any serious
resistance to an unexpected, spirited attack. They believe that
the allies have lost all trace of them and, in consequence, are
*)— A small liand of horses.
— 153 —
deluted into a fancied security. Two picades,* one leading
north to the river and the other south to the plain, have been
cut through the grove where the tyrants camp is located. The
grove must be surrounded in such a manner that the fox will
find no way to slip out, and I pledge my head that 1 will point
out to you the proper positions. It is now upon you, my Ge-
neral, to effect this grand capture and to end this unhappy
war for ever.»
Camara pondered over the matter in silence for a brief
time. Then, although it was now ten o'clock, ordered his
troops to break up camp at once. He had resolved to venture
the surprise with his small force and not await the arrival of
reinforcements from the other detachments.
Within half an hour the fires were extinguished and the
troops put themselves on the march to the north-east. The
general, with the Paraguayan deserter at his side, led the van.
The grove, in which Lopez with his small band of faith-
ful followers camped, was completely surrounded by the Bra-
zilian troops at noon of the next day, the 1st of March 1870.
Camara had only 20 mounted men and a detachment of 40
infantrys with him.
Colonel Silva Tavares received the command to take the
20 troopers and force the southern pikade.
The order was obeyed. The surprise was sudden and
swift like a thunderbolt, but the Paraguayans, by their mus-
ketry fire, threw back the charging cavalry and began to rally.
Then the Brazilian infantry dashed into the camp, bringing
disorder and consternation to the Paraguayans who now en-
deavored to save themselves by flight through the thick woods
and the northern pikade.
The disorder in the camp was indescribable. Women with
dishevelled hair, screaming and yelling, fled over the opening
in all directions, to find protection behind trees from the ca-
valry which came dashing in from all sides.
Onl\ three Paraguayans, Lopez, General Resquin ami Luis
Caminos, the former prime minister, were mounted. They
drew their sabres and galloped off for the northern pikade.
Lopez and ('.aminos rode the onl\ two horses left in camp while
Resquin was mounted on a mule.
Koadi or pal h« • «>' through the f<
— 154 —
A section of Brazilian troopers, led by the deserter Solano
Liudo. charged after the three fugitives, discharging their car-
bines as they rode.
Lopez rode ahead. He looked back at the entrance of the
pikade. He had lost his cap, was recognized and the pursuit
centred upon him.
He dashed furiously through the pikade and might have
escaped, if the ground outside the grove had not been soft,
miry and swampy, which compelled him to walk his horse.
He spurred his horse to a more rapid gait in a frantic and
desperate attempt to save his own person, even if everything
else should be lost.
The last of the three riders was Minister Caminos. A bul-
let from behind crashed through his spine and expiring he sank
from his horse.
When General Resquin saw this, he turned his mule to his
pursuers, flung his saore into the thicket and shouted that
be would surrender himself.
Lopez, during the time General Resquin was taken to the
rear by some troopers, had jumped from his floundering horse
and was wading through the creek, hotly pursued by the cor-
poral of the patrol which bad captured the deserter Lindo the
evening before, and some other soldiers. The Supremo seem-
ed wounded but this did not prevent him from climbing the
opposite steep bank. The corporal Jose, or (little devil* as
be was called, with three or four soldiers, waded after him.
General Camora, at this moment, came galloping up, but
bis horse sank into the mire. He leaped from the saddle,
rushed through the stream and shouted: «Disarm him! '(Dis-
arm him! But dont kill him.!»
The corporal called upon the Marshal-President to surren-
der.
In response Lopez aimed his revolver at the cabo (corpo-
ral) but was pierced through the back by a lance jin the hand
of the latter and fell on his face. He rose again imme-
diately fired at the corporal and wounded him in the shoulder.
The lance of the corporal struck the dictator in the breast
and be fell forward, with his head into the water.
The pursuers rushed to the place but the earthly career
of the Marshal-President had come to an end.
— loo
Francisco Solano Lopez, the terror of his enemies, the
bloodthirsty tyrant of a nohle people, was no more. A plain
surgeon had vowed to destroy him and had accomplished his
purpose. The lance of the « little devil* had terminated forever
a career of glory and of inhuman raging. Sic transit gloria
mundi.
When General Camara had convinced himself of the iden-
tity of the fallen men, he had the corpse placed upon a litter
made of saplings and carried to the camp of the Paraguayans
in the clearing of the grove. *
The litter was placed on the ground and surrounded by
a strong guard to protect the corps from insults, which the
enraged Paraguayans, now giving full vent to their long sup-
pressed hatred, were preparing to wreak upon it.
The sister of Lopez, the widow of the murdered General
Barrios, whom the Dictator had dragged with him as a priso-
ner, so far, was here liberated. Taken to the side of her
brothers corpse she looked upon it with an expression of evi-
dent abhorrence. Neither the staring, glassy eye nor the rigid
features of her brother could force from her heart one symp-
tom of sorrow.
No tear fell for the fallen Supremo — not a sound of com-
passion could be heard.
But. the Paraguayans, who were present, heaped reproaches
imprecations and curses upon the monster who had ground
them under foot and drove their country to destruction.
Madame Lynch, with her children, had tried to escape in
her carriage, but was overtaken and brought back by Lieute-
nant Cipriano and some cavalry-men. The officer called upon
the fourteen year old son of Lopez to surrender, and, turning
in his saddle, gave orders to disarm the boy. The young Pa-
raguayan, at that moment, discharged his revolver against the
lieutenant, wounding him, whereupon the boy was mortally
wounded by a lance-thrust from a Brazilian trooper.
Madane- Lynch, iu her carriage, was brought before Ge-
neral Camara, who received her with due courtesy. She beg-
ged to be permitted to remain in her carriage, which was
granted. The general placed a strong guard around the car-
riage to protect the occupant from the infuriated Paraguayan
women, who would have turned the intensely hated foreign wo-
— 156 —
man to pieces. They yelled and shouted thai Madame carried
a fabulous fortune of gold, jewels and brilliants with her and
repeatedly demanded of the Brazilians to confiscate this. The
frenzied women could only be made to desist by the free use
of the bayonet.
No one was allowed to touch the carriage.
A grave was dug at the place where the damask-lined tent
had stood before. The defunct Dictator was buried in it at
sunset. A roughly hewn cross market the final resting place
of the Supremo.
The Conde d'Eu sent Major Jose Simeon de Oliveira, who
had participated in the closing act of the war, to Rio de Ja-
neiro, to deliver the sword of the fallen Marshal-President to
the Emperor Don Pedro II.
This sword was not made for actual war. It did not look
like the sword of a brave warrior determined to sell his life
only at a high price. It was a fancy sword. The hilt was of
tortoise-shell ornamented with gilded bronze.
Eliza Lynch, a few weeks subsequently, left Paraguay for
Buenos Aires, and after a short stay at that capital, returned
to France.
The former consort and companion of Francisco Solano
Lopez, who had faithfully remained with him until !his violent
death, resided at Boulogne for many years and finally died in
Paris.
-<H«<$>-
Conclusion.
More than twenty-five years passed away since the long
bloody drama, in which a brave, noble but ignorant people sa-
crificed themselves heroically for their cruel oppressor who
bound them with iron fetters of servitude.
Only the death of the blood-thirsty despot put an end to
the murderous war.
— 157 —
The roar of cannon ceased and the silence of the grave
settled over the deserted woods, swamps, marshes and lagoons
which had been dumb witness of the fierce struggle of con-
tending armies.
Lopez had the inhuman cruelty of Richard III. and, like
him. perished by the avenging lance.
Impelled by a fixed idea, blinded by an incontrollable am-
bition and spurred onward by a fatal selfconceit, he drove his
country to the verge of destruction and almost caused the ex-
termination <il his people, whom he was ordained to lead on
Hit* path of progress and civilization.
Yet, notwithstanding his cruelty and his notorious cowar-
dice, when menaced by danger, he possessed brilliant qualities,
which forced admiration even from his enemies.
He had uncommon talent and skill to lead and manage the
{juaranis ilndependencia o Muerte* was the leading principle
to which he remained faithful, under all circumstances, during
the war.
No losses, however severe, no defeat, however disastrous,
no situation, however critical could dim the view with which
he surveyed the condition. The measures to which he resort-
ed during the war, speak of a high grade of innate strategi-
cal talent and were executed with thoroughness, despatch and
■decision.
He depended only on himself and his genius.
Tin' allies had no general who was at all his equal in the
arl oi war.
Hut ;ill his shining qualities were stained and obscured by
bis brutal tendencies.
History condemns the monstre and hands down to poste-
ril\ a name soiled with blood and cruelly and covered with
infamy.
The frivolous manner with which lie provoked the war was
a transgression, a wrong, which was followed by a succession
ot cruelties, inhumanities, and enormities of a neronic charac-
ter. mhIi as mankind has rarely witnessed in any country and
in any age.
158
Stricken down by I he lance of the « little devil)- he now
rests in a cool grave, in the clearing of a forest, on the slope
of the Cordillera de Amambay near the headwaters of the Rio
Aquidabaniguy.
May he there rest in peace!
• ff
wjmt
M:;fr,ts .&8f:
1 iii ^^Il^iiii r -rt'ft
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The Government Building in Asuncion, erected by -Lopez.
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UC SOUTHERN REGIONAL LIBRARY FACILITY
AA 000 773 494
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