614 



PAKAGUAY. 



of Angostura, Captain Augusto Netto de Men- 

 donga, commander of the iron-clad Mariz e 

 Barros, was killed by a splinter which struck 

 his head. On the morning of the 21st, how- 

 ever, the three Brazilian army corps prepared 

 to attempt the assault of the Paraguayan po- 

 sitions, and orders had been sent to the squad- 

 ron and to the forces, principally Argentines, 

 left in the camp at Palmas, to cooperate as far 

 as possible. The Paraguayans were posted in 

 their intrenchrnents on the hills called Lomas 

 Valentinas, about nine miles from Villeta, and 

 among the works connecting the Lomas with 

 Angostura, which lies on the river Paraguay 

 at a distance of six miles from Lomas Valenti- 

 nas. About 50 cannon were mounted in the 

 various works, and some 7,000 Paraguayans 

 were ready to defend them against the assail- 

 ants, who numbered only 15,000 to 18,000 

 men after the heavy losses in the previous 

 fights. On the 21st the fighting commenced, 

 and a division of Brazilian troops assaulted the 

 lines of Pequisiri, uniting Angostura with 

 Lomas Yalentinas, and forced them, cutting off 

 the communication between those two works, 

 and capturing 30 cannon. At the same time a 

 column of cavabry encircled the Paraguayan 

 right at Lomas *v alentinas, and, falling upon 

 Potreiro Marmore, captured 3,000 head of fat 

 cattle. In the afternoon a reconnoissance in 

 force was made on the heights of Lomas 

 Valentinas, where the Paraguayans were in- 

 trenched on the summit of a high and extensive 

 hill. By 6 P. M. the Brazilians succeeded in 

 overpowering the defence at the first line, and 

 in 'crossing the ditch, but the terrain, being 

 covered with groves of wood and with huts, 

 rendered it impossible for the cavalry to pro- 

 ceed. It was determined to maintain the po- 

 sition reached, and all through the night con- 

 tinued fighting went on in the endeavors of 

 the Paraguayans to recover it. However, after 

 severe fighting, the Brazilians succeeded in 

 their purpose, and captured 14 cannon, includ- 

 ing the 32-pounder Whitworth, and two others 

 captured at Tuyuti. During the same night 

 also, 650 head of cattle were cut off while 

 leaving the Paraguayan camp. From the 22d 

 to the 26th bombardments of Angostura and 

 Lomas Valentinas were kept up, and the Ar- 

 gentine, the Uruguayan, and Brazilian forces 

 left at Palmas were brought to headquarters, 

 their cannon coming afterward. On the 24th 

 Lopez was summoned to surrender, to prevent 

 unnecessary effusion of blood, but his reply 

 was, that he and all his troops were deter- 

 mined to defend the cause of Paraguay to the 

 last. On the morning of the 27th, all the cannon 

 and rockets of the allied armies opened upon 

 Lomas Valentinas. Marshal Caxias, with 6,000 

 Brazilians and Argentines, marched at day- 

 break to attack the rear, while Generals Gelly y 

 Obes and Castro seconded the attempt by attack- 

 ing the 'front. A storm of missiles was rained 

 on Lomas Valentinas, and all the allied troops 

 advanced against its works. Ground was 



gained on all sides, and the chief redoubt in the 

 rear was carried, the enemy retreating into his 

 last defence, leaving 14 cannon, large quanti- 

 ties of food, powder, and other munitions, arms, 

 etc., together with the personal baggage of 

 Lopez. Lopez, however, escaped toward Cer- 

 ro Leon, with Mrs. Lynch, General Resquin, 

 and a small escort of cavalry. Among the 

 many who came in and surrendered were Dr. 

 William Stuart (English), and Colonel Cister 

 (Hungarian), who brought his family with him. 

 Colonel Ernesto Augusto da Cunha Mattos, of 

 artillery, taken prisoner at Tuyuti on Novem- 

 ber 3, 1867, succeeded in making his escape 

 and rejoining the Brazilian forces. On the 

 28th a summons to surrender within 12 hours 

 was sent to the Paraguayans in Angostura, 

 but the flag was refused reception. Orders 

 were then given for an assault next morning. 

 As, however, a flag of truce came out of An- 

 gostura, advantage was taken to send a sum- 

 mons to surrender by 4 p. M., and by noon a re- 

 ply came that the commandants wished to send 

 five officers to verify whether Lopez had been 

 driven from his position. This was granted, 

 and the commissioners were escorted through 

 the camps, hospitals, and works. At 5 A. M. 

 next morning (30th) a reply came offering to 

 yield, and at 11 A. M. the garrison marched out 

 with the honors of war and stacked arms at 

 the appointed place, the officers retaining their 

 swords upon parole not to serve in the present 

 war. Lieutenant-Colonels Lucas Carillo and 

 George Thompson (English) were respectively 

 first and second in command of the garrison, 

 which numbered 1,200 men, exclusive of 800 

 wounded and sick, and women. A Brazilian 

 corps occupied Asuncion on the 2d of January, 

 1869, finding it deserted, and on the 5th the 

 main body of the Brazilian forces entered it 

 also, the Argentines being left in charge of 

 Angostura. All the Paraguayan wounded and 

 non-combatants had been transported to Asun- 

 cion, and many families were returning thither 

 and to Villeta ; but the Marquis de Caxias pur- 

 posed holding Asuncion as a fortress for the 

 present. A naval expedition set out from 

 Asuncion on the 4th of January, 1869, for 

 Matto-Grosso, to expel any Paraguayans still 

 in the province, and, if practicable, prevent the 

 possible flight of Lopez to Bolivia. Vessels 

 were also searching the lakes and rivers along 

 the Paraguay, to capture or destroy the six 

 Paraguayan steamers remaining of Lopez's flo- 

 tilla. Of Lopez himself nothing, was known 

 since his escape after the rout at Lomas Val- 

 entinas, except that he had passed through 

 Cerro Leon with a small escort. At Cerro 

 Leon no garrison was found by the Brazilian 

 cavalry corps in pursuit, only a large number 

 of wounded, and many families from Villeta, 

 Asuncion, and the country round about them. 

 General McMahon, the United States minister, 

 was reported to be resolved on supporting 

 Lopez, and on establishing the seat of the 

 American Legation wherever Lopez's head- 



