Year: 1870




Death OF Lopez-Fhe Pan aguayan Chiefs Inst
AsUNCIoN May 15.-The Brazilian General
Camara, who commanded at the rout and death
of Lopez, has written letter to an Argentine
paper, of which the following are extracts =


1t is hard, very hard, for honorable soldiers,
who have fought for years to bring back to these
countries that peace which had been disturbed
by the tyranny of despot to see themselves
confounded with the sanguinary followers of the
barbarian whose hands were still wet with the
blood of our heroic prisoners, butchered by him
when the hazard of war had forced them to sur
render themselves, dying rather than yield. 1t
is hard, very hard, especially when this desDot
fell not in an ambuscade, but in loyal fight,
defending himself with the valor which, will
do him this justice-honored his death and be-
lied his life


Marshal Lopez was not, could not be assassi-
mated, nor was he executed. 1t is false! He
was not, nor could he be, at the hands of my
distinguished companions in arms, and still less
at mine. General Lopez was surprised in day
time by an accident which was as fortunate as
it might have been unfortunate to us. had the
good fortune to see my dispositions so rapidly
and ably carried out that their execution al
lowed no defect to be seen.


Lopez, that excessively cautious and distrust-
full man, whose prudence omitted no means of
precaution or of vigilance, was surrounded and
assaulted in his camp even before he could sus-
pect that we had captured his outposts.. He saw
us only when, after bursting through his grape,
the dashing lancers OF the intrepid Colonel
Silva Tavares, the brave carbineers of the
valiant Martinez Marquis Xavier and others,
and the few but gallant bayonets of the distin-
guished Major Peixoto issued out on the smooth
plain upon the very guards of his camp. Thus
it was that the dictator hazarded his person, he
having no time to flee; and when, ordering his
brave soldiery to charge, and, waving his sword
around, he turned and tried to save himself by
flight it was too late, for he had been recog-
nized, and the pursuit of him was therefore
ferce.


Major Simeon de Oliveira and another officer
= whom you know well personally, omitted these
details through modesty; but justice exaets that
here and everywhere / proclaim that to them
especially was due the tragic end of that ultra
praised leader When he fled they pursued him
with some mounted riaemen. When Lopez left
his horse to enter the wood they alighted also
and fired almost without stoppage, and it was
their balls which closed the life of Marshal
Lopez, wounding him mortally in two places.
Major Simeon de Oliveira could not verify the
efficacy of that steady ana persistent fire, as
when / came up ordered him to aid at another
point; thus was among the first who, on coming
to the bank of the Aquidibaniqui saw Lopez
fallen and almost lifeless on the other side.


Near Lopez were two officers who died sword
in hand, defending him to the last, and some
one other, who succeeding in escaping perhaps
to surrender later. The former, / ascertained
afterwards, were Majors Estiogarribia and Var
gas, who were shot by the rinemen who came
after me to the bank, and who fired on seeing
me wading across, alone and on foot, to be re-
ceived, not as a liberator but as an implacable
and rancorous enemy. owe it to my honor as
soldier, to my name and my country, / owe il
to history and to my conscience, to declare
truthfully that Marshal Lopez died fairly and in
tull possession OF his senses. When L stopped to
take the drawn sword from his hand he made q
movement to wound me, and replied with firm
and arrogant II die sword in hand for my coun
try" then ordered soldier of the Ninth bat
TALON to disarm him, and it was in the struggle
with him he expired, without receiving a fur
ther wound.