The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1868-11-02
THE PARA0UAYAN WAR.

THE PARAoUAYAN WAR.
~~~~~-~-
s2istery Of the Fan or Observation-Disclosures
or the Scenes Of Action ON the Paraguay
River-Thls Years Campaign-HOw Lopez
Safely Transferred His Line Of Defence-An
Example Of His ssDeserter-Spy" System
The Women In the Ranks.
RIO JANEIRo Sept. 20. 1868
The undoubting hope Is now entertained mere
that the prompt termination OF THIS sansuinary
war must now speedily follow % matter
OF course By the termination OF this war, 1t
should be borne In mind, Brazllians mean neither
more nor less than the utter humiliation OF the
power OF Lopez and his expulsion from Paraguay.
No Brazilian seems to entertain now single serious
doubt that with the occupation OF Humaita by the
allied army the river Paraguay is and must remain
perfectly free far as the Province OF Matte Crosse
still held by the Paraguayans; that their iron-cads,
wooden gunboats and transports, steaming triumph
antly up and down the mighty stream and landing
their victorious host anywhere they choose-at AS
suncion-wil, by bold stroke, d Ia Sherman or R.
Napier, give the last coup de grace to the agonizng
tyranny OF Soano Lopez. But the Illusion win very
soon be dispeled and the disappointment to the
Brazlls and to the world in this respect VIII be
great indeed.
= As happen to have some acquaintance with Para
quay, its people and its government, am moved to
give word OF caution to that important class OF
merchants and nnanciers who, In Europe and
America, are connected with these countries; In so
FAR mean, either the end the continuation OF
thts-to the Brazlls at least-ruinous war may have
any direct or indirect bearing on their pecuniary
interests The predictions as to the na the infalli
BILE overthrow Of Lopez have been so often and so
confidently made even by the very highest allied
authorities that sensible people have already learned
TO know-very many at their own cost-what
such Brazilian Vaccinations are really worth.
Still, as Humaita has been looked upon,
not only here hut in Europe and America, as the
ultima thule, the Sebastopol the Richmond Of this
unhappy contest it would be but too natural to con-
clude that from Its capture by the allies or abandon
ment by the Paraguayans similar results must now
necessarily follow SO thought and still think many
observers, who knowing nothing about the Paraguay
and their present extraordinary cheftain Judge
ofths and its probable issue by ordinary rules OF
European warfare. And 80, perhaps it may have
been the case two years ago. But things In Para
quay have since then undergone a complete change.
The Brazilian accounts as to the way In which the
Paraguayans effected the evacuation OF Humata
must, Of course be received with caution Its sub
stance however, Is this:-That the whole of the
garrison stated to be four thousand, women and
children included, crossed over to the ChacO, to q
marrow peninsula lying right In front OF this fort
ress, on the 25th ult., when they were discovered,
and where up to the 30th, they had absolutely
fused to surrender, though surrounded on every
side by the whole allied land and water forces and
cessully against their assaants WhereuDon the Bra
lillian Commander-in-Chlef, Marquis de Caxias, had
the shell and grapeshot or their iron-cIads and
wooden gunb0atS, which encrcle the whole penn-
sg ar, sna IN due time and place give an account
make no secret Of its Paraguayan prOcivities and
origin, but which will, trust, be found no less de-
serving OF credit on that account unless 1t can be
shown that all reports as to this war not Brazilian
or CALLED" are founded on mendacity, venality or
error.
shall now endeavor to give general idea of the
relative positions occupied by the belligerents on
the allies on the I'd OF May last has been the ncessant
scene OF strife and boodshed, promising that in
by be some slight error: for though ACQUAINTED with
most of the localities shall have occasion to speak,
| have not my itinerary OF distances with me- and
/ give them from memory The 'Chaco,n'
as everybody knows, is an endless, marshy
and thlcky wooded plain lying on the west
s.pennsua" fronting this fortress, which averages
about three miles in Width the Paraguayans held the
sixty-eight FOUNDERS from Humata. Here and out OF
range OF tef guns the allied general Riyas posted
WITH t about eight men sn aad
above the siege Of the fortress was made complete
Rivas' forces occupied two strips OF land existing
about the middle Of this peninsula and facing the
northern and southern borders Of the river Para
quay. In the intervening space there was lake,
averaging one and quarter miles In width, which
was guarded by several armed boats from the fleet.
The Communications OF the allies between both these
points of the peninsula and the two divisions OF the
brazilian iron-cladS above and below Humaita were
kent IN by means OF this lake and tramway which
they had made across Tic strip ofland on the SOUTH
ern side on the rear OF this allied corps-on the ryu
let Guaicur1, running within about one thousand
yards distant-the Paraguayans had steathy
erected q small red0ubt and armed II with two guns,
and 1t was here that IN attempting to dislodse
them on the 1stn ult the allies were repulsed with
terrible loss This Guaicur1 lies within two miles
Of limbo another Paraguayan redoubt on the
"Chaco" armed with four slxty-eight Founders on
the river side which has always been In direct com.
muncation, by means OF a road made across the
"Chaco.n with Lopez's new line OF defence on the
river TebcuarL The distance between these posi-
tOns, In straight line, is about twenty-five miles.
ought to have mentioned that in front OF Rivas'
corps. midway and on the edge Of the lake, the
garrison OF Humaita had likewise unperceived by
the allies erected redoubt and armed 1t with several
light pieces and 1t is here that the last remnant OF
the garrison OF Humaita whatever its exact number
may be- retired the 9th ult., when the allies be-
came aware OF its dnal abandonment-thaf IL TO say,
noM Se sS the
between Humaita and limbo could easily be kept
through this lake and By q this last n and
opposite side by eudlng at night the vigilance OF
the Brazilian guard boats And such, indeed, was
actually the case, as the allies must ere 'nis nave
II an example were wanted Of what little can be
erected, In military point OF view, by relatively
most powerful force-this force being, besides,
greatly enhanced by the exhaustess abundance and
presumption and technical incapacIty, even when
opposed to a mere handful OF men badly armed and
worse provided for In every respect but commanded
by officers OF rare SKILL courage and unnnching
1rmness-such an example would be furnished by
this memorable siege.
In the month OF February last Marquis de Caxias,
commandernchie OF all the allied forces operating
by land and water against the Paraguayans, had up
wards OF $4,000 fighting men under his orders. Ills
Infantry was oil armed with percussion arms,
mostly MIME rifles his numerous and well mounted
cavalry, with Spencers carbines his field and siege
trains were overstocked with the best rined ord
nance which the European and American foundres
could furnish; Thirteen iron,clads, armed with as
heavy as $50 Armstrong rlned FOUNDERS; about
twenty wooden screw gunboats, and countless
steam transports were, likewise, under Caxas
command. All this formidable array had been
already investing and bombarding the enemy's posi-
tion for upwards OF "a year.
Solano Lopes had, at that time, only about sixteen
thousand lighting men under arms lie had no nuy ial
armed force OF any kind. His Infantry was partly
armed with flint matchlocks, the only MINES his
men had being those they had taken from the allies
Ale had, ut the tme no cavalry and his only efcient