The New York herald., 1870-05-12
SOUTH AEIERECA-
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Closing Scene OF the Para
gllayan War.
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Social and Political Affairs I'm
Brazil.
Prosperous Condition of Bolivia and
Troubles in Chile.
THE PARAGuAYAN WAR.

THE PARAGUAYAN WAR
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The Closing scenes-0mcial Reports fromsshc
bra lillian Comma nder--The Surprise and
Slaughter ON the Aauidaban-1ild Acc0aut
of the Butchery-NIassacre of the Para.
suayans-No Brazilians Killed-Lopex's
Family Prisoners.
RIO. .JATEIRo, April :, 1870.
On the alst OF March. in nay correspondence for
warded by the Patagonia, furnished translation OF
the only Official dispatches received up TO that time
relative 10 the closing of the Paraguayan war.
To-day. however, am enabled to send the official
report OF the brigadier general who executed the
operations which resulted inthe surprise and death
OF Lopez and with this reportthe Paraguayan war
passes from the province OF your correspondent to
The domain OF the historian.
When Lopez left his camp near Panadero, apna-
yently forced thence by the exhaustion oil the wild
oranges and palm trees upon which his followers
mainly subslsed, he abandoned all his sick and the
majority of the women. and hid away the heavy
cannon he had al river ford few miles off, And,
In regard to hidden cannon, some.twenty or thirty
are believed 10 have been buried ut Ascurra, and
many others at various places but the allies have
been able TO discover any OF them, SO well the
secrer has been kept.
On leaving Panadero Lopez continued his march
northward along the east side OF the mountains Of
Maracaju, the Brazilians call them. on Amambahy
rs they are known to the Paraguayans. He appears
TO have had about 1900 persons with him, twenty
small cannon and twenty or thirty Carts conveying
money, some food Tor Lopez and his train,
some arms and q little ammunition. His
draught oxen were feY and they were obliged
TO be sent backward and forward to bring
mp the carts and cannon. Lopez and his
immediate suite had their store ofluxuries but lived
chiefly on the milk OF some ,siXteencows belonging
to Mrs. Lynch, and the remainder Of his followers
had 10 fnd their food in the woods, supplemented
by q little beef whenever q steer broke down and
could not work. All who could not keep up were
left to their doom OF starvation and toward
the last oil who could not travel and hunt for food
An the woods were put to death, without exception
Soon after Lopez started from Papadero to march
nWthward the news reached General Camara, then
at the Paraguay, at Conception, remounting his
cavalry and re1tting. This general at once con-
ceived the idea that Lopez's aim was TO reach the
abandoned Brazilian village and fort OF Dourados,
In MatO Crosse, where some cattle could be got
Douiad lay about $50 miles to the north OF Pana-
dero and about $50 rr0m Conception. General Ca
mara with some 1900 cavalry, Infantry and
artillery, determined to set out with forced
marches along the diagonal to Dourados
while similar force, to set out later, was
to strike the bush road, which Lopez was NOV
ing along, and 10 keep close behind him, harassing
his rear but avoiding an engagement, SO that when
Lopez would reach Dourados both the Brazilian
corps would be close to him and could strike dec-
sive blow with superior numbers.
Accordingly General Camara marched northward
towards the Paraguayan fort OF Bella Vista, on the
frontier, occupied by o Brazilian brigade, placed
there to guard the Apa country which he purposed
to unite with his, and take on to Dourados. How
ever, when not far from Bella Vista, he got word
from the commander there that Lopez had not con-
tlnued on she road to Dourados, but had left it aud
md to
ground In the middle OF the mountains,
0n the south side OF the Aqudaban, just
rom i existed one running ws Wes. fGani ana
north to DSurados, which for long distance was
bush Alter d or sx1y miles ns ne M SSs
road divided, one fork going to D0urad0s and the
other TO Panadero The other outlet lea in the oppo
site direction. Canlara then changed his plans; lie
ordered the brigade at Bella Vista TO march with all
speed to Dourados, ges into the track there ana
hurry down TO occupy the fork OF the road and
the Outlet at that side, while he himself marched
with forced marches to shut up the outlet at the
other side to the northwest OF the Aqudaban north
OF which river Camara then was On this march
Canara learned from deserter that his march from
Conception was totally unknown to Lopez and that
he believed himself free from attack for some time
Canara then determined to push on with a small
body in the hope Of surprising Lopez before he anti
cpated any danger. Three days march brought him
10 the. mouth or the outlet and Lopez was shut
up at that side. Ia front Of Lopez was the Aquda-
At the first river four cannon were planted to defend
1he crossing at the ford leading TO the camp at the
Taquara ford were two cannon and about twelve
men as an outpost. Some Brazilian cavalry sue
Gee led in crossing the Taquara during the night and
at daybreak charged on the outpost securing the
cannon before they could be fired.
An ambush placed In the bush road between Lo
peZs camp and the captured outpost secured an
officer who gave valuable Information. One or two
men OF q party escaped the ambush and hurried
back 10 Lopez Canara hasened TO attack; his
Infantry deployed upon the bank Of the Aquidaban
anu opened the artillery on the other side; the
cavalry and infantry charged across the river cap
tured The cannon, routed force arriving too late to
reinforce the defence and with the lancers IN 'front.'
debouched upon the open ground where Lopezs tents
were pitched and force OF about four hundred
men drawn UP in column, himself az the head
According 10 instructions the lancers divided and
swept round past'the column to occupy the mouth OF
the bush road and close the trap and While the Bra
ziian carbneers Spencer carbines) formed as they
emerged from the road from the ford TO the camp
the commander VI the attacking troops, with his
staff and few cavalry, charged 70 engage the
and dangerous act; but the carbineers came on in
line, enveoped the column, pouring their terrible
fire INTO 1t, and especially on the part where Lopez
was, The starved and poorly armed Paraguayans
could do nothing against such fire. The slaughter
was frightful, and in few minutes it was saure
Qtt peW. Lopez, with his staff and few of his body
guard, made for the bush, followed by the party
OF Brazllan officers and cavalry VINO had devoted
themselves to his pursuit. In his flight he was
wounded by corporal OF cavalry, and his protectors
were cut down almost to man. When he reached
the stream beyond which was the thicket he threw
himself from his horse, waded it, but was SO ex-
hausted that he fell half fainting on the opposite
bank. There the Brazilian general summoned him
ordered him to be disarmed, which was scarcely
done when Lopez died. Near by shallow grave
was dug for him; but on Mrs. Lynch being brought
back with the body Of their son, Colonel Francisco
Lopez, who was slain while commanding an escort
protecting Mrs. Lynchs flight, and whom she and
her daughters and son had taken up aud washed
they dug deep grave, with the aid OF the lids Of
cigar boxes, and deposited Lopezs body at the bot
tom aud above him that OF the son. Thus. at least
the obsequies OF the father and the son were done
by loving hands.
The fight, II fight 1t could be called where the vic
Tors ioss was only seven wounded men from the first
TO the last OF the contacts OF the day. completely
decsive as besides large number Killed, 2l9 prf-
soners ana sixteen cannon were taken. Very few Of
e force Oh Lopez could have escaped for the matted
busl Al one direction and The PERCEPTIONS hills in
Inc otner winch bounded the plain almost fenced It,
and the carbine and the lance did the work OF de.
structicn Well Escape by the rear. bush road was
mpossibe Tor the force sent round from Bella Vista
by way OF Dourados TO occupy its end had BY extra.
ordinary marches entered II the same day and an
outpost with Two cannon was routed and the cannon
takeD.
II the engagement with the starved and miserably
armed force OF Lopez was not OF nature to confer
mllch honor on the well feJ and snlendIdlv All