The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1866-10-22
Ncwspaper Accounts Of the Battle.
fErnm The ANGLO Brazilian Times

Ne;sSp e. Fl srr Satile'
The from tho scat OF war tells OF advance
made against the positions Of the Paraguayans upon the
Paraguay These tho fort OF Curupay and another
called Curuzu two miles lower down and almost opposite
the little island Of Pamar This latter formed tho adj
vance work OF Curupaty and consisted OF large redoub
with parapetted wall of earth about twenty feet high
solidly ructed mounted with eight pound
or, two thirtytwos and ten smaller cannon, and
rounded with ditch nine ieet wide and six aud half
OF the ships aud making land attack very difficult and
dang roua
For these operations General the Baron de Porto
Alegre's army, consisting chiefly Of dsmounted Rio
Grande cavalry, with two pieces OF cannon numbering
In all 1886 men, were embarked in eight transport
steamers, and squadron OF six iron clads and seven
wooden vessels were detailed TO lombard and cannonade
the enemys works and protect the landing OF
Alta NJ. Of the LIST of September the vessels got
underway and moved slowly up the winding channel
which was believed to be thckly srewed with torpedoes
AZ the se OF Palmar the wooden vessels anchored and
the proceeded higher up to attack the battery
o. Curuzu The fire against this post commenced
about midday and kept up until evening, apparently
with good effect the fire OF tho Paraguayans snckened
ana hnay ceased before night came
A. this combat the fon-cad Rio dc Janeiro which was
the most advanced vesse received two sixty-eight-
pound shots in port hole Of her casemate which dis
ao,ed cannon, wounded nine men and killed two.
iron cads passed up through the sockade OF sunken
vessels and anchored within about twelve hundred
OF the fort OF Curupaiy with which II maintained a
heavy Are until night In this cannonado the Lima
Barros and particularly the Bahia suffered considerable
damage from the heavy cannon on the bu one OF them
In the meantime while the fire or the squadron
searched the woods aud engaged the batteries the trans
ports brought about haifpnst one point below
Curuzu tho troops disembarked with rapidty and
supported by the fire Of the squadron able take
position on the bank and repc the enemy in the ad
vance.
Al two disaster occurred to the iron.clad Rio de
Jancro. which In OF her evoutons struck upon
torpedoes and sunk almost Immediately with her com
mand6r Lieutenant Slvado sixty -four OF the crew per-
shing either In the vessel or from the grape tho Parn
guayans 'nhumanlv shOwerod on them while swimming
from the laundering vessel
Next morning at daybrcak the enomy opened a heavy
fire on tho ships and the Brazilian forces Shore
which was warmly replied to, and at seven A. NJ. the
drum was beaten for tho assault TO effect which the
attacking forces had to march through narrow paths
swept by the enemys ro and surrounded by the woods
which either denay or purposeiy had been set on
fire. llng the air with sutocating and binding smoke
This was done a. rapidly possible In columns Of
tack, and line OF battle being formed In front OF the
enemys works tho stormlng parties rushed to the
sau aided by the Are OF the OF army and
as faS as possible by the fire OF Of the ships
OF whose grape ortunaiey caused losses to their own
countrymen The rwcnty-DInth lof Bahial and tho
1hrtyfonrh of Para the first TO reach tho work,
'who Jumping into tho ditch and using each others
backs for ladders scaled the wall and notwithstanding
the exploding OF mine just they entered drove the
Paraguayans from their guns and a few minutes were
in possession those Of the Paraguayans who were not
bayonetted fleeing In disorder towards Curupalty
posed TO the grape Of the ships and the fire OF the
pursuing troops company OF whom followed
almost to the ditch OF Cnrupaity Nine pieces
o. cannon, arms, munitions, etc, and three
this short affair OF and hair hour nearly two
hundred killed and eight hundred wounded that OF tho
Parnguayans who had about three thousand engaged,
being supposed much greater IL officially that
over sevon hundred OF their dead were buried by the
Bazilians after the capture Of the redoub'.
Immediately after this took place the Baron de Porto
Allegro established hs camp In the vicinity. terrifying
his pos ton and resting u on the Of Curuzu a
base whence further operations could be effected against
Curupay, or even against the flank OF tho encmy's
army, who however appeared to be actively engaged
in throwing up other defensive works to cover himself
that side.
Tho programme OF the proceedings understood TO
have contemplated the attack Curupaity Immediately
after the capture OF Curuzn but the last
an alteration and nothing further had been done up
the 7h, except some firing between the squadron and
Curupaity and guerilla fire between tho Paraguayans and
the Baron's advance During the third strong cavalry
reconnaissance made By General Flores occupy
tho Paraguayans and divert them from tho defence or
their right
General Flores was about 10 return 10 Montevdeo