Mr. Washburn to Mr. Seward.
Sir: On the 24th of October I left Buenos Ayres for this place, or rather for Asuncion, on the United States sloop Shamokin, Pierce Crosby commander. We came along without any difficulty to the “Tres Bocas,” where we came to about 7 p. m., and were boarded by a Brazilian officer commanding a gunboat stationed at the mouth of the Paraguay to blockade it. He notified. Captain Crosby of the blockade, and that no vessel of a neutral nation would be allowed to go above the squadron. Captain Crosby replied that his orders were to take me to Paraguay, and without delay, and he wished to notify Admiral Tamandare of his instructions, and his purpose to carry them out. The officer then said he would take any communication from Captain Crosby to the admiral immediately. Captain Crosby accepted the offer, and the same night he sent off an officer, Acting Ensign R. C. J. Pendleton, with a letter to the admiral, and also a package that I had brought for him from the Brazilian minister resident at Buenos Ayres. The messenger returned at 3 a. m. the next morning, and brought word that the admiral said he had received no instructions from his government in regard to any passage up the river, but that his orders were to stop everybody from passing through the military lines. He said, however, he would visit us on board the Shamokin the next day at 10 a.m. At about that hour he came on a small gunboat from his flagship that was with the rest of the squadron lying some twenty miles further up the river. On first coining on board he appeared very much excited, and said he could not allow the Shamokin to [Page 614] pass, but he would permit me with a small Brazilian steamer to take myself and family and effects, under flag of truce, within the Paraguay lines, whence we could be transported to a Paraguay vessel, and thence go to our destination. I told him in reply that, at that stage, his offer could not be accepted; that eight months before I had asked to go through, and offered to go in any way that they might select, but that I had been detained till my government could be informed of my position; that my detention had been so protracted it had become a subject of great notoriety; and now the United States government having sent a vessel of war so far to take me to my post, it would not comport with its honor and dignity that it should turn back with its mission unfulfilled; Captain Crosby here told him that his orders were positive and not discretionary, and that he should go through, unless stopped by force. The admiral then said, that as it appeared from the letters of General Webb at Rio, and General Asboth at Buenos Ayres, (copies of which had been sent him,) as well as from the instructions of Admiral Godon, that the Brazilian government had engaged to withdraw all obstructions to my going to Asuncion, he should not resort to force to stop the Shamokin, but protest against her passage and let her go. This being settled the admiral then offered to facilitate our passage in every way in his power. He offered to give us a pilot above his lines, and to send off a letter from me to President Lopez, to tell him of our approach, and to request a pilot from him to take me through the obstructions which he had placed in the river. I accordingly wrote a letter to President Lopez, requesting him to furnish us a pilot, and if the obstructions in the river were such that they could not be removed, so as to render the passage of the Shamokin entirely safe, then he should suggest such other means of reaching Asuncion as would be most easy and expedient. The next day, at about 12 m., the officer who took the the letter, Acting Ensign Pendleton, returned, having been passed through to the Paraguay camp under a flag of truce. He there saw President Lopez, and was informed by him that the Shamokin could not get up through the sunken vessels and torpedoes without great risk, and saying that having passed within his line she would furnish me the means to reach Asuncion. He wrote me a letter to the same effect, and on the morning of the 5th Mr. Pendleton started to return, and as soon as he reached the Shamokin and make his report, matters having been all arranged with the admiral, we steamed up and passed the flagship about 4 o’clock, and soon after changed pilots, discharging the Brazilian, and taking on board a Paraguayan. The latter took us a tortuous course up under the guns of Curupaiti, above which place he said it was unsafe to go. So we disembarked there and found a coach which the President had sent to take us to this place, some two leagues above Curupaiti, where we found comfortable quarters awaiting us. This morning the steamer Igurey was put at my service to take us to the capital, and I was told by one of the President’s staff that he was unwell and not able to see me before I should go to Asuncion. I suspect that he is quite sick, and has been so for several days. Mr. Pendleton says he appeared unwell when he saw him, and the next morning when he expected to see him again, he was told he was sick, and the fact of his not seeing me renders it quite probable that he is seriously sick, for I have every reason to believe he was very anxious for my arrival, and doubtless must strongly desire to converse with me on the affairs of the war. As yet I can judge nothing of the relative strength of the belligerents, not having met anybody who would venture to tell me the true state of affairs. I do not know how soon I may be able to communicate with you again. Mr. Pendleton came up with me from the Shamokin, to take back my correspondence, and I propose to embark this evening for Asuncion. I shall do my best to get my correspondence through the lines, if I have anything important to communicate. I hope to be able to do something to mitigate the condition of foreigners in this country, and shall try and get permission for some of them to leave it. I believe that no one was ever so anxiously [Page 615] looked for in this country, both by natives and foreigners. They all hope more from me than I have any faith in being able to accomplish.
I trust I shall not be exceeding the limits of propriety if I allude in this despatch to the manner in which Commander Crosby has discharged his duties on his difficult voyage and delicate mission. I hardly can praise it too highly. It was confidently predicted in Buenos Ayres that the Shamokin would not be able to reach Paraguay, the river being so low and the currents in it so strong and variable. The steamer is probably the longest ever in the river Plate, and the most unwieldy and hard to steer. But so excellent was the discipline of the vessel, so ready and prompt every officer to his duty, so alert and well trained the men, that with the aid of the additional appliances which Captain Crosby had ingeniously arranged to aid her steering, we came from Buenos Ayres to Curupaiti without the least difficulty or unpleasant incident. I hope it may be consistent with the rules of the State Department to transmit this testimony of a faithful, vigilant, and meritorious officer to that of the Navy.
I have the honor to be, sir, your most obedient servant,
Hon. William H. Seward, Secretary of State, Washington, D. C.