Ie ne fay rien sans Gayeté (Montaigne, Des livres) Ex Libris José Mindlin 1 J THE WAR IN PARAGUAY. LONDON : TRINTED BY SrOTTISWOODE AND CO., NEW-STREET SQUARE AND PARLIAMENT STREET London: Lantífcnana &C? THE WAR IN PARAGUAY. •WITH A HISTOEICAL SKETCH OF THE COUNTRY AND ITS PEOPLE AND NOTES UPON THE MILITARY ENGINEEKING OF THE WAR. BY GEOEGE THOMPSON, CE. MEUTENANT-COr.ONEL OF KNGINEEItS IN THE rAItAGUAYAN ABMV, AIDE-DE CAMP TO PRESIDENT LOPEZ, KNIGHT OF THJI OBDER OF MEMT OF PARAGUAY, ETC. WITH MAPS, PLANS, AND A PORTRAIT OF LOPEZ. LONDON: LONGMANS, GREEN, AND CO. 1869. PREFACE, THE contradictory views of the conduct and character of President Lopez, taken by those who have felt an interest in the struggle between the Paraguayans and the Allied Powers opposed to them, have led me to think that a short work, written by one who has resided eleven years in Para­ guay, might not be unacceptable. Having been engaged in the defence of the country, I am enabled to give au- thentic information on the subject. As will be seen from the following narrative, I consider Lopez to be a monster without a parallel, but I did not discover his character before the latter end of 1868. Ali his outrages at the commencement of the war I only heard by vague rumours. His manner, however, was such as entirely to dispel and throw discredit on any whispers which might be uttered against him. Latterly, however, I have received overwhelming corroborations of what I have stated against him in the early part of the book. The mode in which President Lopez began the war on the Argentines was outrageous, but with Brazil war was apparently unavoidable; and had he not commenced the war when he did, Brazil would have taken Paraguay at a disadvantage. My pcrsonal motives for taking a part in the war were not, however, so much political as physical. I wanted VI PREFACE. change of air, and I was glad of the opportunity of joining what then promised to be only a military promenade over several hundred miles. Interested motives I had none, for I received no augmentation of salary; and when the Secret Treaty was published, it gave me a further zest to fight for Paraguay, as I believed, from the terms of the Pro- tocol, that she must either fight or be absorbed. It was not my intention to have written the following account of the war until President Lopez should have been deposed by the Allies. They appear, however, to be in no way anxious to put an end to the fearful sacri- fice of life which has been going on in Paraguay for four years and a half; and, considering that the following nar- rative might have some effect towards urging them to conclude the war, and thus save the lives of the women and children in Paraguay, who must now be dying of mere starvation, I have endeavoured to give an una- dorned statement of facts. Although I can speak of the despot, who has used them for the purposes of his own selfish ambition, only with the greatest horror and aversion, for the Para­ guayans themselves I have the most friendly feelings; and I think I may say that I have done my duty to­ wards them, having, as far as I could, alleviated the misery of the military life of those who were under my orders, and having been able to save many of their lives. For some of the information respecting the Allies, I am indebted to files of the Buenos-Ayrean Standard, Tribuna, and Nación Argentina. LONDON: June 18, 1869. CONTENTS CHAPTER I. FAOB GENERAL NOTICE OF THE BELLIGERENT rOWEHS, AND SKETCH OF THE HISTORY OF PARAGUAY TJP XO THE COMMENCEMENT OF THE WAR 1 CHAPTER II. OF THE CAUSES WHICH LED TO THE rARAGUAYAN WAR, AND THE COMMENCEMENT OF THE SAME BY LOPEZ n. AGAINST BRAZIL 16 CHAPTER III. THE PARAGUAYAN EXPEDITION TO MATTO-GROSSO . 32 CHAPTER IV. THE COMMENCEMENT, BY LOPEZ II., OF THE WAR AGAINST THE ARGENTINE CONFEDERATION—THE SECRET TREATY OF THE TR1PLE ALLIANCE 40 CHAPTER V. THE ARMY OF PARAGUAY AND ITS GENERAL RESOURCES—THE FORCES OF THE ALLIES 52 CHAPTER VI. THK COMMHNCEMENI OF THE CAMPA1GN IN CORRIENTES—GENERAL URQUIZA 59 VIU CONTENTS. CHAPTER Vn. PAGE THE BATTLE OF THE RIACHUELO—LOPEZ LEAVES ASUNCION FOR THE SEAT OF WAR—IMPRISONMENT OF GENERAL ROBLES, AND CON.TINUATION OF THE CAMPAIGN OF CORRIENTES 70 CHAPTER VIII. THE CAMPAIGN ON THE BIVER URUGUAY—THE ALLIES TAKE THE FIELD—THE EVACUATION OF CORRIENTES BY THE PARAGUAYAN ARMY 85 CHAPTER IX. LOPEZ PREPARES TO RECEIVE THE ALLIES IN PARAGUAY—RECRI- MINATIONS BETWEEN LOPEZ AND MITRE—THE ALLIES ARRIYE ON THE CORRIENTES SIDE OF PASO LA PÁTRIA—RAIDS OF THE PARAGUAYANS ON CORRIENTES 98 CHAPTER X. THE ALLIES INVADE PARAGUAY—PEELIMrNARY OPERATIONS—THE BATTLE OF THE BANK—EVACUATION OF PASO LA PÁTRIA 121 CHAPTER XI. THE BATTLES OF MAY 2 AND MAY 24, 1866, AND THE DESTRUCTION OF THE PARAGUAYAN ARMY 134 CHAPTER XII. PARALYSATION OF THE OPERATIONS—THE BRAZILIAN FLEET— DESCRIPTION OF CURUPAYTY—PORTO ALEGRE REINFORCES THE ALLIES—LOPEZ REVIVES—BATTLES OF YATAITY CORA AND OF SAUCE 150 CHAPTER XIH. THE BRAZILIAN FLEET—CAPTURE OF CURUZÚ — INTERVIEW BETWEEN LOPEZ AND MITRE—DEFEAT OF THE ALLIES AT CURU­ PAYTY—PABALISATION OF ALL OPERATIONS 165 CONTENTS. IX CHAPTER XIV. PAG» THE ALLIES DO NOTHING—CHOLERA—WHITWORTH'S ARTILLERY AND THE OLD 8MOOTHBORE GUNS—DEATH OF GENERAL DIAZ— MANUFACTURE8 IN PARAGUAY—ANNIHILATTON OF THE BRA­ ZILIAN EXPEDITJON TO MATTO-GROSSO 184 CHAPTER XV. THE ALLIES MARCH TO TUYUCUÉ—THE IRONCLADS PASS THE BATTERY OF CURUPAYTY 211 CHAPTER XVL PROP08AL8 OF PEACE—MEDIATIONS OF MB. WASHBURN AND OF MR. GOULD 216 CHAPTER XVH. THE ALLIES ATTEMPT TO BESIEGE HUMAITÁ. DESCRIPTION OF THE COUNTRY ABOUT HUMAITÀ—THE FIGHT FOR THE CONVOY—BATTLES OF ISLà TAYÍ, TATAYÍBA, OBELLA, AND GUARDIà TAYÍ—SACKING AND BURNING OF THE ALLIED CAMP AT TUYUTI 221 CHAPTER XVHI. LOPEZ CONCENTRATE8 HIS FORCES AT PASO PUCU, AND ESTABLISHES A CAMP AND BATTERY AT TJMBÓ—MITRE LEAVES THE COMMAND IN THE HANDS OF CAXIAS—DEATH OF GENERAL FLORES 238 CHAPTER XIX. THE IRONCLADS PASS HUMAIT—CAPTURE OF CIERVA REDOUfiT— EVACUATION AND BOMBARDMENT OF ASUNCION—ATTACK ON IRONCLADS BY CANOES—LOPEZ RETREATS TO THE CHACO— ATTACK ON THE PARAGUAYAN LINES AT ESPINILLO AND SAUCE— EVACUATION OF THE SAME BY THE PARAGUAYANS 246 CHAPTER XX. THE MARCH THROUGH THE CHACO—BATTERIES AT FORTIN—LOPEZ ESTABLISHES HIMSELF ON THE TEBICUARY—EVACUATION OF MATTO-GROSSO 256 a X CONTENTS. CHAPTER XXI. THE SIEGE OF HUMAITÁ. PAGB HUMAITÁ INVESTED—OPPOSITION BY THE PARAGUAYANS IN THE CHACO—ATTACK ON THE IRONCLADS AT TAYÍ—ATTACK ON HUMAITÁ—BATTLE OF ÃCÃYUASÁ—EVACUATION OF HUMAITÁ— HARD FIGHTING IN THE CHACO—SURRENDER OF THE REMAINDER OF THE EX-GARRISON OF HUMAITÁ—EVACUATION OF THE CHACO 269 CHAPTER XXII. LOPEZ ABANDONS THE TEBICUARY, AND FORTIFIES HIMSELF AT ANGOSTURA AND PIKYSYRY—THE ALLIES ESTABLISH THEM- SELVES AT PALMAS 278 CHAPTER XXIH. THE ALLIES PREPARE FOR ACTIVE OPERATIONS—ROAD THROUGH THE CHACO — THE IRONCLADS PASS ANGOSTURA—NEUTRAL VESSELS OF WAR—LOPEZ FORMS A RESERVE FORCE 285 CHAPTER XXIV. THE END OF THE "WAR. THE BRAZILIANS LAND AT SAN" ANTÔNIO—BATTLES OF YTORORÓ AND OF AVAY—CAPTURE OF THE TRENCHES AT PIKYSYRY— SEVEN DAYS' FIGHTING AT ITÁ YVATÉ, RESULTING IN THE DEFEAT OF LOPEZ, THE DESTRUCTION OF HIS ARMY, AND THE CAPITULATION OF ANGOSTURA 293 CHAPTER XXV. CONCERNING THE ALLEGED CONSPIRACY, AND THE ATROCITIES OF LOPEZ 318 CHAPTER XXVI. PERSONAL CHARACTER OF LOPEZ 326 CHAPTER XX VH. ENGINEERING NOTES 331 APPENDIX 337-347 LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS. ~- Frontispiece. PORTHAIT OF LOPEZ WITH AUTOGRAPH. PLATE I. MAP OF THK COTJNTRY IN THK VlCINITY OF PASO LA PÁTRIA, ILLUSTRATING THE CAMPAION IN PABAHUAY IP TO JULY 18, 1866. „ II. MAP OF THK ENVIRONS OF HUMAITÁ, ILLUSTRATING THE CAMPAION FROM JTJLY 18, 1866, TO THE FALL OF HTJMAITÁ. ,, III. MAP OF THE PARAOUAYAN POSITION AT TEBICUARY. IV. MAP OF PIXYSYRY AND ITS VlCINITY. „ V. PROFILES OF PARAOUAYAN FORTIFICATIONS, AND THK BOOM AT FORTIN. ,, VI. PllOFILES OF BATTKRIES AT ANGOSTURA. ' „ VII. PlAN OF LEFT BATTERY AT ANGOSTURA. - ,,VIII. MAP SHOWING THK POSITION OF THE COUNTRIKS NAMKB IN THIS WORK. THE WAR IN PARAGUAY CHAPTER L GENERAL NOTICE OF THE BELLIGERENT POWERS, AND SKETCH OF THE HISTORY OF PARAGUAY UP TO THE COMMENCEMENT OF THE WAR. PARAGUAY*, the Argentine Confederation, the Banda Oriental, and Brazil, are four States in South America, which, from their topographical position, are obliged to hold a certain amount of intercourse, which each of them would gladly dispense with, as their inhabitaDts cordially dislike each other. The first three are peopled by a mixture of Spaniards with the aboriginal races, and the fourth by a mixture of Portuguese with the same, and with negrões. Brazil has, since she was first colonised by the Portu­ guese, been chiefly engaged in the slave-trade, and in the cultivation by slave-labour of produce for exportation to Europe. She has had no foreign wars, excepting a few skirmishes with her neighbours, always carried on abroad, and a few small and weak revolutions have been quickly put down by a free Government, by bribery, and not by fighting. The number of negrões imported, and the degrading influences to which they have been subjected * Paraguay: Pará, the sea; gua, pertaining to; y (pronounced ü), rivef or water. Literally, ' the river pertaining to the sea.' B 2 THE WAR IN PARAGUAY. as slaves, have lowered the Brazilians (as a race) very far in the scale of humanity. The Argentines and Orientais (as the inhabitants of the Banda Oriental are called) are very similar races— fine men and women—showing very little of the Indian, excepting the Gaúchos and the Correntinos, who have much more Indian than Spanish blood.