The Norfolk post. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 1865-1866, 1865-10-21
THE WAR I'm SOUTH AMERICA.

interesting news from the seat OF war IN
South America. A terrific battle had
been fought between the allies and the
Paraguayans, in which the small army
of the latter was defeated or rather ex-
Terminated, for the determined troops
fought on with q devotion and heroism
unparalleled in the history of modern
warfare, preferring death to surrender,
although offered humane terms. If the
reports of the two commanding Generals
of the allied forces be worthy Of belief,
and we see nc reason to doubt their
truth, no such bravery has been shown
by troops during this century as was ex-
hibited on the bloody field OF fatay'
No such fighting has been lone In our
| own long and sufficiently heroic struggle
| on either side, and we will have to yield
| to South American cousins the palm
| of being the "bravest of the brave, II
can no longer boast, as many OF our Jour
nails were wont during the struggle, that
the ".world never saw such fighting as
orr men did, These Spanish Ameri-
can nut us to the blush in their devo-
ton and in their spirit of determination
to die rather than to yield, no matter
| what the odds or the advantages.
This war, as our readers are no doubt
| aware. is waged between the Brazilians,
| the most powerful South American
country, and her allies, the Uraguayans
| and the Argentine Confederation,
| against Paraguay, a small but compact
| Republic on the south side of the Platte
| river, This river is the cause of discord
| between the nations. The Allies hold
| the northern banks, while Paraguay is
| in possession of the southern, and has
| for wears prevented its free navigation,
| and pursued the exclusive policy towards
| all nations adopted by the japanese, and
| which it so blindly persisted in until
| forced to recede from it by the European
| and American combination of threaten
ed war. The United States, during Mr..
| Buchanan's administration, were com
PEELED to send q large fleet to the Para
guayan waters, in order to enforce re-
spect to treaty stipulations with this
country; and it appears now from the
way this people fight, we would have
found no second Mexico in Paraguay
and our small force would in all proba
bility have been beaten back dismayed
The free navigation of this contested
, river, the great outlet of rich agric I'll
tural valley, is the prize contended TO
by the Allies, and in order to gain thi!
and guarantee it, nothing short of the
absorption of the Republic which holds
the southern bank will be effectual. II
is the same as if the States west of the
Mississippi river were to conspire to pre-
vent the free use of that mighty stream
or establish forts to command its navi'
cation and hold control of it. This il
the whole question in a nutshell, ant
) our people can therefore see how impor
ltant it is to the allies that they shout
succeed in their efforts, and not only
{ them, but to all civilized nations, VIII
can feel but little sympathy for a petit
;, Republic that thus persists in derogatin
= to itself the right to obstruct the CON
merce of the world. Still all must ad
mire their pluck and patriotism; an
they will, inevitably, come in for a fu
! share of that kind ofchivalric sympath,
which is always extended to the weal
/, %contending heroically againstthe strong
!, The allies must, however, succeed; TO
+, they have right on their side, and tn
! heaviest batallions.
|, But we did not propose to enter int
details regarding the cause of quarrel, Q
to discuss its merits but merely t
: state facts, and pay a tribute to the gal
lantry of these South Americans, WHIT
we contend, if the facts be as stated, hav
, shown themselves to be the best soldier
in the world, and even we of the Nortl
N ern portion of the continent must loo
to our laurels. The South American
are as distinct and different from tn
mongrel Mexicans or Central American
lie as are the people of the United States
L, occupying as they do about the sam
I. geographical position, and a simils
t. climate with us, they have nothing i
e. common with the eflete and degrade
o., mixed populations of the tropics-col
lie sequently we ought not to be surprise
J. that they have shown the superior cha
acteristics of the superior race fro,
:, which they sprung. They come fro
old Spain-a nation that boasts the be
Is blood of Europe, and in none of tt
', qualities that distinguished her chi
- airy in the "Iong ago" have her peor
degenerated, even though they have /
y come poor. They are still proud, thouI
ID impoverished through the mis-gover
- mentofthe non-learning and non-forg'
! ting Bourbons. Unlike the inhabitar
of Mexico and Central America, t
RI South Americans have not destroy
n. their manhood by mixing their bio
ht with an inferior or a degraded RAJ
he We must therefore remember that I'll
he terrible battle was fought between IN
ak of the same race, and of pure blood, a
ice who are the descendants of those gala