Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1846-02-27

HsS lie I0u0WLHk dIuCIS WoS th ~
last week, but was crowded out. We give
il to-day for the benefit of those OF our rea-
ders who have not heard or seen any &C.
count of the battle between the British and
French souadrons and the natives OF the
ATgentnes:
raR WAR OF THE PARANA.
The shin Courier, Capt. Wolfe, arrived at
Nav York on Saturday from Rio Janerio,
whence she sailed on the 29th of December.
We are indebted to the New York Herald o.
the 9th inst. for the news by this arrival.
6 The U. S. frigate Congress, Commodore
Stockton, arrived at Rio onsthe Goth Deem
Dor, fifty days from Norfolk. The U. s. ship
Plymouth, Commodore Henry the frigate
Rirltan, Captain Gregory and brig Balm
bridge. Commander S. Pennington, were ale
so at Rio.
The advices from Buenos Ayres are to the
l4th December. The official account of the
battle of the Parana, rendered to the Argen-
tine Government, states as follows:
On the 10Th, the enemy prepared to attack.
and on the goth, at O'clock in the morning,
the whole squadron maneuvred skilfully be-
fore the batteries. First in line were four
brigs of war, one English and three French
in the centre, the steamers Fulton, Gorgon
and Firebrand, and in the rear Two corvettes
and two briggs.
At half past 8, A NJ, the General being at
the head of the forces Of the batteries, the ma
tionaI HYMN of the Argentine Confederation
was sung, the drums rolled, and the combat
commenced.
The enemy made his attack with gallant
intIepidty, with force of lib eannons, of
the caIibre of "a, 80, 46, o. and 80 Founders,
sustaining, without the intermission of sim
gle instant, we'll directed, quick and deslrnc-
tive FIRE ofhis whole line on the front and flank
Of ouI batteries.
To this brisk attack the batteries opposed
the vigorous FIRE Of IS pieces of the caIlbre Of
4, 8, 10, IL, 16, Is and 81, and the Argen-
tine soldiers their heroic breasts on the es-
pianades. They, and the first among them the
General. disputed the dangers Of the fight and
the honor of sustaining the dignity Of the Ar
gentine flag. After hours Of bloody fight,
conrageously sustained on both sides, the over
powering FIRE of the enemy silenced our guns,
destroyed the parapets. and our artillery men
fred their last cartridges, all our ammunition
being thus consumed.
The forces then proceeded to land, and after
some more hard fighting effected their object
and the Argentine forces retreated.
AS to the loss, the report acknowledges but
$50 killed and 100 wounded on the side Of the
Afgentines. For The other side, it says:
The enemies have suffered great loss in kill
led. They were seen continually throwing
from their vessels the dead bodies, which
were floating down the waters of the Parana !;
this number of their casualties is estimated to
exceed double that Of ours. Three of their
vessels were put horS du combat, and the re-
Dainder have suffered considerable damages
in their spars, sails and hulks.
From the Buenos .4yres Packet, Dec. 13.
THE BATTLE OF PARANA.
HNothing in an official shape from The Anglo
French commanders in the Parana, with re-
spect to the Battle of Obligado, has yet come
to hand, but the Monlevideo journals, not
withstandlng their habitua mendacity, afford
evidence enough that there was nothing exag-
Grated in the report Of the Argentine General.
II is acknowledged that the fire lasted nine
hours, and that several vessels Of the combin"
ed feet were literally riddled with shot, in
GLIDING the purloined Argentine brig San
Martin, under French colors, the British brig
antine Dolphin, and the French steamer Full
ton. And though great anxiety is evinced to
make light of the loss suffered by the ''alIies,"
from the number Of officers allowed to have
been killed, and the wounded known to have
been landed at Montevideo, Martin Garcia
and Colonia, it is evident that it must have
been very severe. Be this as it may, it is
clear that the resistance opposed by the bate
Ies of Obligado against such overwhelming
odds, was in the highest degree heroic, with
such as neither England nor France singiy ever
met with before since the last general peace.
1t is also indnbtable, that had the Argentine
Government employed the means at its dis.
posal-had the cannon been OF larger cali
bre-or even had the ammunition held out
the result would have been far more disastrous
to the combined squadron, if even i. escaped
the ignominy of defeat"
There was evidently hard fighting, and
the glory is by no means on the side of the
assalants. Nor does the Argentine Govern.
ment show any symptoms Of submission,
Armed forces brislIed Oh the banks of the Pa
rama, ready to renew the struggle on the first
opportunity. The hostile feet was making
its way up the river amid difficulties and dan.
gers, and If the same spirit continues to ami.
mate the republicans, it is very likely never
TO get back again.
In the-aI.icle we copied yesterday, the pur-
pose of this English and French invasion was
explained to be, to open free commercial in
tercourse with the Republic of Paraguay, sit
uated high up&he river, and having no othel
outlet. 1t iSanown that this State was origi
nally part of the Argentine Confederacy. L
is still claimed as such, It's independence new
er having been acknowledged. This circum
atance compIicates the affair, as it serves a:
the pratext for very severe decree issued BY
the Argentine Government, declaring all the
merchant ships of whatever nation, that have
accompanied The hostile fleet with intent tt
take advantage of the opening of the trade o
Paraguay, liable to seizure and conhscation
and their officers and men TO the treatment o