The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1868-07-24
AN ARMY OF AMAzONS IN PARAGUAY.
Prssid eat Lopez and his "Petticoat Re-
serVe.D
The London Times says:

ueob Lopez AAu ht 'EoSAOOus NS~
The London Times says:
IAN army of four thousand female combatants
actually in The field must be achno wledged to be
ssomewhat novel incident in the worlds history.
Yet there TO be little doubt that this strange
phenomenon is now being exhibited on the
banks of the Paraguay river. President Lopez
has been for the last three years draining his
little republis OF nearly the whole male pop
ulatIon. He has now fallen back on his Petit
coat Reserve The names OF the commanding
off GERS at the head OF these female divisions
Mrs. Brigadier General Eliza Lynch, Mrs.
Lieu eDant- Colonel Ferreira, Mrs. Captain Her
rero-aIe already known, together with the
positions their respective corps occupy near
Villa Rica and the Tebicuary Ford. The Brazil
Ian and Argentine journals which acqualnt US
with these strange particulars cry out ShAmeP
and declare that General Lopez is scanda-
lizng the civilized world. They OF. course,
take it for granted that young glfls and
mothers of families are pressed into service in
Paraguay against their will; that Lopez Is carry
ing on hostllties by such desperate measures
a. the most reckless consumers of chair q canon
say Frederick III or Napoleon I-would hardly,
in their utmost straits, have dreamt of re-
sorting TO. And, indeed, whatever place
some of the relormers of our day may feel
disposed to ASSIGN to woman in the Coun,
of us in old Europe agree to dispense
with her presence in the field of battle. The
exploits OF Joan OF AIc against the English at
Orleans, those of Jeanne Hachette against the
Burgnndians at Beauvais, or those of CaIerina
EeguraDaeganst the Turks at Nice, are held
out for the admiration, but not for the imita-
ton OF our wives and daughters. They are
isolated deeds Of herOism, and, with whatever
color the superstitious reverence of after ages
may have painted them, they were prompted
by such uanscCndent feelings as it would be
impossible tor sober modern strategy to reckon
upon. 1t was not might OF arm or weight of
sword that those amaZOns brought into the
field; they stood up in the throng like super
human apparitions, encouraging their men,
al S m
sharngit with them; and it was precisely the
contrast between their puny physical strength
and their great moral courage which gave them
their ascendency. 1t was the 'aith and gallantry
with which man was inspired that constituted
the womSl's miracle.
but it is otherwise in those wild regions of
the Plate. 1t is q red Indian race that General
Lopez has under his orders; the admlXture of
Indigenous blood observable in all Spanish
American colonies is particularly strong in
Paraguay, in that inland community which the
Jesuits originally organized and disciplined out
of their Indian converts, which subsequently
Dr. Francia and his successors shut up against
all foreign intercourse. The description we
have read of the savage fortitude with which the
Paraguayan soldiers refuse quarter when writh-
ing Oh the ground in the last pangs of death,
does not belong to the ordinary European
warfare. Much must be allowed for the
peculiaTities OF that untamed savage nature.
| The whole of Paraguay has. stood the Or
| deal OF its present unequal struggle with
| the uDfinching endurance Of a wild Indian at
| the stake, and the women have already shared
the hardships and the dangers of the campaign
digging trenches, lading and unlading vessels
| and doing duty as couriers and messengers-to
| such an extent that their coming forward in
| second liue on the field at the present moment
| and bearing their own share of the brunt of bat
| tie, may seem scarcely an aggravation of their
| lot We do not know, however, how Tar the
enemies of Paraguay may be entitled to taunt
| General Lopez with barbarism for employing
| the desperate resources to which they drive
| him. Whatever may have been the causes
| uh nj llu IN
| draw the sword, there seems to be no
| doubt that its adversares are now determined
| 10 carry on the war Ito the bitter end" The
| Emperor of Brazil, in the speech by which he
| opened the GeneI al Assembly on the 9th of last
| month, declared his determination not to desist
from hostilites till the honor Of his empire be
| completely avenged His Majesty had but
lately, as he informed us, declined with thanks
| the gracious tender of mediation OF the Gov
| ernment of the United States, anxious for the
| re.establishment OF peace. Whatever may be
| the disposition OF the Emperor himself, there
| is large and influential party in Brazil which
| will hear of no other terms with Paraguay than
| the expulsion OF Lopez and the annihilatlon OF
| the inland republic. No other course than re.
| sistance is thus left to the Paraguayaus; and we
| cannot conceive how one man at the head OF
| the Government could command such Unlimited
sacrifices both OF lite and property from women
| as well as from men as Lopez has hitherto
obtained, If the instinct of self-immOlation
were not strong at the heart of the whole pOpu.
latioD, if the determination to do or die did not
/
meanest Parsguayan as from that OF the Chiel
whom his enemies designate as the 'cruel and
| coWardly Lopez Whatever share of the blame
with respect 10 this wretched war. may fall
upon the Paraguayan dictator, it is evident thai
| he is fighting tor existence, and hitherto fight
ing 10 ood purpose. What the fortune of arms
and still more the hckIeuess of the allies o.
Brazil, the Argentines and Uruguayaus
may produce, it is difficult to foresee
| but what is quite sure is that, after the
most decisive defeat, his enemies car
i'll pose ON him no worse terms than they are
| willing to grant him now. 1t is natural that he
| should DEFY them TO do their utmost, aud with
| all the advantages the allies boast of having
| obtained lately, there seems little chance O.
| either the position of Humaita or OF Tebiouary
being forced, so long AS there are mer, O
women, TO line their bastlons. 1t Is upon Brazi
and its allies that diplomacy may still exercise
all the pressure it can bring to bear. The lossc
OF Brazil, both in meA and money, exceed al
the resources OF that vast but disorganized anC
more than half bankrupt empire. 1t is hdrro "
ing to read the description OF the mortality
endured by the BIa Iazilian army in It's late cam
paign. We DO not know how many victim
10 the cholera must go to fill up th,
measure of revenge due 10 the outraged homo
of Brazil; we do not know how low tn
| funds of the empire must fall, how high tn
price of gold must rise. before the war party q
Rio Janeiro are BROUGHT to declare that the
| have had enough All we can say is that wa
in which thousands of women are sent to b
, | butcheTed should not be allowed to proceed !
| Christian country, ii the good Offices OF .
| Chrstendom could possibly prevent 1t. Th
Emperor OF BraZl has rejected the mediation {
the United States. But why is 1t that th
| Cabinet at Washington has been allowed to at
. alone In this busneBsf And how can we
laf ipiF Of all AZ 4