The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1869-01-23
FIRST EDITION
The War in Paraguay-Fall Of
Villeta-A Bloody Engage
ment-The New Ameri-
can Minister.

The New York TriJunes correspondence from
Buenos Ayres (Dec. 17) is TO the following
elect
The most important event of the past month
has been the capture of the Paraguayan strong
hold of Vlleta by the allies, news OF which
event was received here few days ago. From
the accounts that have come to hand this sue
cess has been dearly won. The possession OF
Villeta was not gained by a single battle, but
by series of sangunary fights extending over
period of siX days. On the 9th of December the
allies passed over 10 the left bank of the
Paraguay and commenced their advance
upon Villeta; but early on the morning OF
the 9th they were attacked by a force of 6000
Paraguayans under the immediate command
OF Lopez himself and q NOR ierous engagement
ensued, in which both sides suffered heavy
losses. On the most moderate calculation. the
total killed amounted to 3OOO and the losses in
Brazilian officers were very considerable.
Caxias had one horse killed under him, and
another wounded; General Machado was killed.
Argolo dangerously wounded besides six
colonels and about sixty officers placed hoTS
de combat. The Paraguayans were eventually
repulsed. Lopez retiring within the fortitca
! tions with the main body of his forces. The
next day there was another sharp fight with
a portion OF the Paraguayan army. On the 9th
CaXias ordered general advance on the
heights OF Villeta, when another bloody battle
took place, the BTazilians losing 600 men
baysonet. tSTssn ieO On the ' 18th % Caxias again ain
pushed on TO place called Ivaby an ugly pass
a little beyond Vlleta, where the Paraguayaus
had made a stand. The Brazilian cavalry,
flushed with victury, charged in splendid style,
look the pass, with the guns mounted, and thus
cOmpletedthe capture OF Nllleta. and freed the
road to AngOstura. An official telegram from
Marshal CaXlas states that in this last tight 10
pieces of artillery and 500 prisoners, among
them many staff officers, were captured by the
Allies. Other adviCes are TO the effect that the
enemy's loss, on the whole, is 600O men i'll
killed and wounded, and that not a man OF
those who gaTrlsoned Villeta escaped, except
Lopez and his body.guard. But this must be
taken with reserve. Lopez is believed to have
retreated towards Luque, in the interior. II
was expected that the Allies would move upon
the fortress of Angostura on the 18th OF Deem
ber. With the fall of that place the river Will
be open to navigation and with the assistance
Of the iron. clads there will be no difficulty in
occupying Asuncion. The news OF the victories
was received here with great popular Tejoicings,
and it Is generally believed that the war draws
to an end; but there are not few who fear
that these sanguine anticpaions of its speedy
termination are doomed to be disappointed.
Angostura being place or great natural ad-
vantages for defense, and beng strongly torti-
fed, tidings of the result of the meditated
attack upon ii are awaited with much anxiety.
Marshal CaXias has addressed a despatch to
the Brazilian Minister of Foreign Affairs rela-
tive to the correspondence which eX-Min!ster
Washburn caused to be published, treating of
the alleged conspiracy against Lopez and the
acts OF violence said to have been committed by
with that affair. The Marshal denies that the
letters quoted by the Paraguayan ministers,
Berges and CaraVeras, were written by him, and
says that in his opinion such depositons as ale
given in the CORES pCndence duplicating him
in the alleged conspiracy were either never
made, or that they were eXtorted from the de-
ponents by means OF the most barbarons cruelty
and tortures. He adds that upon his arrival at
the theatre of war he saw that the Allies could
not possibly obtain advantages IN the conflict to
which they were pledged, unless by means of
arms, and that although in any other country
be would not have hesitated to promote reac.
tion among the people against the enemy he
was all along convinced it would be useless to
max e such an attempt in Paraguay.
General Mcmahon, the eWly-accredited
United States Minister to Paraguay, after spend
ing short time in this city, left for Assume on,
in company with the American Admiral on the
23d ult. 1t is rumored that he is expected to
return here this week, which leads to the sup.
position that he has not been successful in his
mission. Mastecman and Bliss are reported
alive ard well.