Democratic enquirer. [volume] (M'arthur, Vinton County, Ohio) 1867-1873, 1868-10-08
THE rIGHTINa in PARAauAY.
Attack ON BraailIan Boat s-Captare Of
Hum alta.

Attack ON Braxillan Boat ts-Captare Of
Humaita.
The Anglo Brazilian Times has several
accounts OF the fighting on the Paraguay
river, and on land, preceding the capture
Of the Fortress OF Humaita, showing the
most determined energy and bravery on
both sides. Concerning the boat attack ut
midnight ON the 9th of July, one writer
says;
1.-THE Paraguayans had twenty canoes
fastened together in pairs, each boat with
twelve men and an officer in it. and
they came from the River Bermejo, edging
along the island of MonteVita and coming
out behind q great collection of aquatic
plants, which lay not far from the leading
vessel, the Baroso which, with the
Rio Grande, lay above Tayi As
soon as they came, beyond these
plants the officers on duty on the
Barroso received them and called the men
to quarters, SO that by the time the boats
got alongside the forward part of the yes
sci the crew were able to keep up severe
musketry fire from the inside and top Of
the caseinate, and as soon as q sufficient
number had got ON deck the two forward
guns of the casemate were discharged,
loaded with grape, into them, causing great
destruction. The Paraguayans fred revolt
vers, and they also attempted to throw in
side the battery asphyating and intlam-
matory grenades, but without success, and
then, finding they could effect nothing for
ward, the boats were dropped astern, but
were repulsed in like manner by the fire Of
-. 1.eN.la,., AToa,,k;O,a tha xyacoal had
gathered way sternwards, by the work
ing of her screw, and the Paraguayan
boats were all upset or filled with water.
Some of the Paraguayans then jumped in
TO two boats belonging to the Baroso, and
padded off to the monitor Rio Grande,
and the rest we're destroyed by the crew oi
the Borroso, who sailed out and slew all
that were clinging to the upset or water.
logged boats. About the same time the
monitor Rio Grande was boarded by the
remaining Paraguayans, The Rio Grande
was then within reach of the fire from
Tayi, whose musketry showered upon the
swimming Paraguayans. Thirteen boats
were captured and the others sunk Seven
Paraguayans were made prisoners on board
| the two vessels
Concerning the capture of Humaita or
account written from Passo Poem says;
"On the evening of the 18th July, 0soriC
with 10000 men attacked the part Of the
works of Humaita, known as the triangle
The two battalions forming the vanguard
got close to one of the redoubts without
opposition, but when within short range
received q terrible fire of grape and mus
| - &l,~au, khaFn fr,tn 1iqnr1ar
The other battalions were then brought NJ
to their support and the redoubt was car
ried with the bayonet, but with considers
BILE loss. That he then sent word to the
Marquis de Caxias that he held redoubI
and wanted all the reserves at once to ena'
BILE him to hold it and pursue the advan
tage gained; but Caxias ordered him tc
retreat, That ON this order being given,
the troops fell into confusion. and in theil
retiral were swept by grape, falling dead in
hundreds, and that 0sorio, who had two
horses killed under him and lost most Of
his staff, was unable to control them in theil
retreat. Two battalions were almost en-
tirely destroyed in less than forty minutes,
and the writer says the BRAZILIAN loss was
at least one thousand men, most of them
killed Another writer says the Paraguay
an missiles flew as thick as a handful oi
grain; that one battalion, the 4th Of the
line, lost 81 officers out of 28, and nearly
all the privates. He estimates the Brazil
ian loss at 300 killed and 500 wounded. An
other says 1,019 privates and over $50 Off
GERS were killed andwounded The bitches,
at part attacked, are said to be of extraor-
dinary depth and width, and the abattis to
have been 20 feet high. The iron-clad Lii
ma Banos, engaged the batteries OF Humai-
ia at the same time.
A shell exploded close to one Of the gun
ports of the forward turret, instantly caus-
ing the death of two men, wounding or
bruising seven more and setting fire to the
mattress lining of the turret. Beside this
she was struck with fifteen shot. A new
Paraguayan battery Of two guns opened
upon the allied position in the ChacO, and
thus placing it between two fires, that Of
the battery and that of Humaita, the Mar
quis de Caxias ordered Gen. Riyas to attack
upon the 18th and dismantle the new
work. By General Celly Obes's dispatch
to General Mitre it appears that the
battery lay beyond deep stream
and that the ground was almost
flooded. Col Martinez was ordered to ad-
vance and reconnoitre the ground with the
Rioja battalion, forty or fifty skirmishers
and two Brazilian battalions, with instruc-
tons not to pass the bridge which the Par
aguayans had on the stream. Rivas with
the main forces, had not started when he
received word from Martinez that he had
killed forty or fifty Paraguayans, and had
learned from prisoners that the Paraguay
ans were in force. Rivas sent word that
he was coming, but before he had mounted
received information that Martinez had ad-
vanced, Orders were sent to him to re-
tire; but when Riyas arrived he found
the vanguard had already been routed
and pursued Checking the pur-
suit, he obtained reinforcements of two
battalions, and drove the Paraguayans over
the bridge after a severe fight. The losses
of the allies were severe, being stated in
the dispatch at $50 killed and wounded
Many of the Riojan battalion threw them
selves into the river, and some were
picked up, together with their flag, by the
gunboats Martinez and Campos, and were
either killed or prisoners. Another state
ment makes the loss 500 Gen. Rivas'
dispatch states the loss to have been as fol-
lows: Argentines, "a killed and 224 wound
ed; Brazilians, 60 killed and 208 wounded.