Mr. Washburn to Mr. Seward.
Sir: The prospect of peace seems as remote as ever. The two contending armies are where they were at the date of my last despatch, and the allies, if anything, have lost prestige in the meanwhile. They have also lost two of their best generals; one of them, General Netto, died in this city some three weeks ago. He was the richest and most influential man in the province of Rio Grande, and, it is believed, was the real author of the war, since it was at his instigation that the Emperor of Brazil was induced to take sides with General [Page 587] Flores in the late civil war in Uraguay that resulted in the overthrow of the legal government of that republic. Since then General Osorio, from the same province of Rio Grande, and who had achieved more reputation as a soldier than any other in this war, has left the army and returned to his home. The reason alleged for this is that his health had failed, but it is thought by many that political reasons have led to his recall. Both he and General Netto were notorious republicans, and have formerly been in favor of separating from the empire and setting up a republican form of government, either alone, or united with the Banda Oriental. The fact that he was very popular with the army, together with his known political ideas, have perhaps been the cause of the very general belief that he was superseded against his will. Marshal Polydor, a veteran officer in the Brazilian service, has taken his place. He is said to be an able man but he has not the prestige with the troops that Osorio had, and he has done nothing yet to inspire confidence in his superior capacity. On the contrary, since he assumed the command of the Brazilians the military operations have been very disastrous for the allies. The two armies, since the battle of the 24th of May, have been fronting each other, not being more than a league and a half apart. There is only one narrow strip of hard ground between the two encampments, on both sides of which the ground is swampy, and on one side covered with a thick growth of wood or jungle Across this neck of land the Paraguayans have erected strong batteries, on which they have mounted guns of so much heavier calibre than any possessed by the allies that they have been enabled to annoy their enemies continually, being, themselves, at a safe distance from the artillery of the allies. On their right they were continually extending their batteries, and about the time that Polydor took command it was found they were erecting a battery that would enable them to flank the allies on the left. Polydor at once determined that they must be driven from this position, and, it is said against the advice and opinion of the commander-in-chief, President Mitre, sent a battalion to take it. This battalion was all destroyed, but, being supported by two divisions, the place was carried at last, and immediately afterwards several others of the more advanced batteries. But they were unable to hold them, and, having neither horses, oxen, nor mules, they were unable to move the guns, and, having spiked them, left them to be retaken. The uncompleted battery, however, they were able to hold, and retain it yet. But the loss of life was very great; how great I am unable to say, no official account having yet been published. The estimate of killed and wounded is from four to eight thousand. The battle here is not regarded as a success, and I have always found that even a drawn battle is here regarded as a great victory.
I dare not predict anything as regards the probable duration of the war. The prolonged inaction of the squadron under command of Admiral Tamandare has confounded all my previous calculations. Ever since the taking of Fort Itapiru it has been lying idle and useless. The most of the vessels composing it are in the Paraguay river, just above the “Tres Bocas,” but none of them have ever ventured up high enough to be of any service or render any assistance to the army in its efforts to take Curupaiti and Humayta. The most it has accomplished has been to fish up some torpedoes placed in the river by the Paraguayans. These torpedoes, though so imperfectly made as to be quite harmless—the powder in them being found all wet—seem, nevertheless, to have been sufficiently formidable to paralyze the fleet, without the co-operation of which it hardly seems possible that the allies can take Humayta with the armies they have now in the field. Whether Brazil will be able to send sufficient re-enforcements to ultimately take the place I have no means of judging, but even if she can, it must take months for them to arrive, and it is far from certain that before they reach here the whole allied forces now in Paraguay may not be driven [Page 588] out of the country. Unless, therefore, the fleet takes part in the war I see little prospect of its termination for months to come.
The great want of the allies is cavalry, and horses for their artillery. Confined as they are upon a narrow strip of land between the Paraguay camp and the Parana and Paraguay rivers, the horses they have hitherto passed over have nearly all died of starvation. They are now making great efforts to supply this deficiency, having sent a large number of transports below to bring up horses, together with the corn and hay necessary to keep them in condition some weeks after they are landed on Paraguay soil. The long-expected army of Baron Porto Alegre will give them, it is said, some eight thousand or more good horses. A part of this army has already arrived at Paso de la Patria, so that if the present allied army is ever to make a general attack it will be in better condition for it within the next thirty days than it ever can be afterwards.
The latest reports I have heard in regard to the condition of the Paraguay army are that they are confident of final success, and are preparing to defeat the advance of the allies at every point. During the time the latter have been lying idle they have been making their present position as strong as possible; at the same time they have been raising heavy batteries at a point some twenty miles higher up the river, at a place called “Villa del Pilar.” To this point it is supposed Lopez is prepared to fall back should he find himself unable to maintain himself at Humayta. The endurance and courage shown by the Paraguayans is something wonderful. Whether it will avail them anything more than their own annihilation will probably depend on the state of the Brazilian exchequer. The “last ditch” is no figure of speech with them.
I am, sir, very truly, your obedient servant,
Hon. William H. Seward, Secretary of State, Washington, D. C.