The Evansville journal. (Evansville, Ind.) 1834-184?, 1846-02-26
THE BATTLE OF THE PARANA-
GALLANT DEFENCE OF THE
REPUBLICANS.

sdent of the Argentine Republic, Rosas, was
some time ago, IN consequence of domestic
instruction, expelled. Resas lent Oribe an
army of 10000 men, which he has beseigh-t
ed Montevideo for more than three years
and also fleet 10 blockade the town-which
fleet, however, the French and English cap
tured and sent into Montevideo The OBJ
iect of this war on the part of the Allied
Monarchies France, England and Brazil)
is 10 force an entrance into the interior of
the Argentine Republic by the River Pa
rama and its tributaries, which are navigable,
for about two thousand miles, 10 unite with
domestic insurgents in the interior and Gre
ate dissenions in the Republic with view
of The dismemberment of the Union or the
overthrow of the administration of President
Rosas, land thus open that part of South Amer
lea TO European colonization.
The Argentine guns were evidently very
light pieces Had they been equal TO those
Of the enemy, the fate Of The San Martin, af
ter receiving 100 shots, of the enemy, OF the
steamer Dolphin, with I07 in her hull, and
Of the Fulton with 104 in hers, would have
been sealed before noon-when the chains
were broken, and the three steamers, support
ed by two other vessels. flanked the bate
RES That is, the five vessels raked the fort
within muskei shot, without being exposed
10 return fire. And in this extraordinary
position, against these fearful odds, the Ar
longer. Noble, valiant men! Glorious Re-
publcans! We are proud of their heroic
deeds. American poets and orators have an
inspiring theme in the battle of the Parana.
The republican soldiers, who are said 10
have been blacks, were not Africans. The
natives, called Gouchus, are of the Cauca-
sian race, darker colored than our Indians,
and Of such great intelligence and indomit-
able valor, that they command distinguished
posts in American counties. They have
taught the allied Monarchsts, lesson in
"American intervening" which cannot fai
to have sa!utary influence.
/ THE BATTLE-Four batteries, mounting
% pieces of cannon, maintained hot and
saguinary battle for at least six hours witt
eleven French and English men of wal, three
of them steamers The bulletin did no
give the force ofthese vessels, but it is no
unreasonable 10 suppose that the eight sloop'
of war, briggs and schooners average ten guns
/ each, and the three steamers, we shall sal
eight, or even six; the total then would bt
i nnety-eght guns, or fory-nine for the broad
, side. The crews would probably average
100 men, making 100 in all. The troop
of Rosas are set down 5000, but this is onl
$ guess work and the cavalry on the shore arr
included. who contessedly took no part il
the engagement. ~Deducting 1000 for th
cavalry, and 500 for exaggeratien, we have
r 1900 as the number of actual .combatants
E 1900 men and % guns against 100 mel
: and 40 guns.
: The batteries appear to have been newl
2 constructed works, got up in haste 10 oppos
q the entrcnce of the allied forces into the Pa
: rama river on their way TO Corrientes.
does not appear that there was any fortifie
e town, or even any permanent military post
: at the confluence of the Parana and tn
: Uruguay. The troops of Rosas occupie
merely temporary defences, probably nohih
= more than field work, hastily thrown up fc
: the occasion. But admitting them TO hav
n been regularly constructed batteries, the
s. could not be very large, as the four noun
e ed only % peices OF cannon must have bee
f. well served for it is declared that two OF III
eleven vessels had no less than 2ll canno
,r in their bulls, and third was completed
IF riddled. 1t is aIledged that the Frence di'
e charged 1900 balls; the English fired prob;
e, bly, as many making 5000 in all:and it is &C
D. ded that the loss of The allies in killed an
wounded was 1913.
e Ii is pretended that the defenders of tn
e. batteries were all blacks, and that when the
of attempted 10 fly they were driven back at th
IS point Of the lance by the cavalry OF Rosas.-
e. The inference meant 10 be drawn ls,that the
a. fought unwillingly for Rosas. But how wa
te it known that the cavalry drove Them back
ID If this was seen fromthe ships, the cavall
10 must have been within reach OF The ship
ID guns; why were not Il e guns turned upon II
BY cavalry? Moreover, if The blacks fought u
lis willingly, why did they not turn their oN
as guns upon the cavalry, or a, least cease Fl
te ing upon the ships? They had this part
nj the game in their own hands. And we
en- told, moreover, that when the firing from Il
i'm batteries had ceased, and the allied troo
were landed, they were received with sha
Is FIRE Of musketry; an odd kind of WELDON
us from men who were fighting only on COZ
ity pulson, and who should rather have recel
We ed the landing troops with opened arms,
zee their deliverers.
it Aud after all, were there % guns in I
Ir batteries? The bulletin tells Us that
led were conveyed on board the ships and
lit rest thrown INTO The river "ouid .ne u
he ouerors be likely TO throw away l2pee
mn of cannon. if they were worth anything,w VIII
they had plenty of time TO remove them
For it is expressly said that the allied troo
!. remained on shore all the next day, wItho