Papers Relating to Foreign Affairs, Accompanying the Annual Message of the President to the Second Session of the Thirty-ninth Congress

[Extract.]

Mr. Lidgerwood to Mr. Seward.

No. 19.]

Legation of the United States, Rio de Janeiro, August 1, 1866.

Sir: In my despatch dated May 4, No. 12, I mentioned that the Barao de Porto Alegre had crossed the river Parana about 200 miles above the Passo de la Patria.

The information as to the crossing of the river was erroneous, and, though not of importance, I mention it that it may be corrected.

Upon the 24th of May, 1866, an attack was made by the Paraguayans upon the allied forces intrenched in front of their fortifications at Tuyuty, near the Passo de la Patria, the official report of which I herewith enclose.

Several attacks by the Paraguayans have since been made; all were repulsed with but little loss to either belligerent.

The encampment of the allies is upon marshy ground, surrounded by swamps, and sickness has been reducing their numbers more rapidly than their battles.

General Osorio, (now Barao de Herval,) commander-in-chief of the Brazilian army, has, by sickness, been obliged to withdraw, and General Polydoro has been sent from Rio de Janeiro to take his place at the head of the army of the empire.

Part of the troops of Barao de Porto Alegre have already joined the main body of the allies; the remainder will join when means of transportation shall be furnished to them. The want of cattle, indeed, is at present a serious difficulty with the whole allied army; it is said that it will require the whole of the Barao de Porto Alegre’s division to make the main body as strong, numerically, at the Passo de la Patria as it was prior to having been decimated by disease. The Barao’s division numbers about 14,000 effective men, fresh and with little sickness among them.

All attacks, since the occupation of the Paraguayan soil by the allied forces, have been made by the Paraguayans.

The iron-clads, now numbering some eight or nine, have as yet done but little, comparatively nothing, in fact, and the delay had lately caused much opposition to those intrusted with the management of the war. If a simultaneous attack by the allied fleet and army be made, and by many expected soon, and it is properly directed, it should be successful.

I have the honor to inform you that rumors are afloat that the present cabinet has tendered its resignation, and that his Majesty the Emperor has accepted it, and appointed the Senator Zacharias de Goes and Vasconcellos to organize a new one. On receiving official advice of the fact, and list of the new ministers, I shall have the honor of forwarding the same to you. * * *

I have the honor to be, sir, your most obedient servant,

WILLIAM VAN VLECK LIDGERWOOD. Chargé d’ Affaires.

Hon. William H. Seward, Secretary of State, Washington, D. C.

[Translated from the Journal do Commercio of 13th July, 1866.]

Copy of the official report of the assault of the 24th May, 1866, of the Paraguayan forces upon the allied army encamped at Tuyuty.

[Order of the day, No. 156.]

On the 24th May, 1866, between the hours of eleven of the morning and twelve m., the army of our enemy adventured an assault upon our lines with the greater part of their forces, sallying from their intrenchments, favored by the woods and numerous groups of trees which masked their movements, so that their intentions were not perceived until their full force was upon us; and having previously most ably combined the action of the three arms so as to produce the greatest effect simultaneously on what they had considered to be our most vulnerable point, they precipitated themselves upon our centre, our right, and our left, and at full speed fell pell-mell upon our troops, calculating that by rapidity of movement our fire would be less fatal to them; this headlong speed, however, proved only the more fatal to them, as it turned out, for they were received by an army of cool and well disciplined troops.

On the extreme right was the Argentine contingent, in the centre was the Oriental division, with the 1st division of mounted artillery, backed by the 3d division, and later on, by the 1st. On the extreme left were the 2d, 4th, 5th divisions and the light brigade.

The fight became general along the whole line, heaving, twisting, advancing, and retreating, now one part giving way, reforming again, and back into the melee, until half past four in the afternoon, when the enemy turned and abandoned the contest, leaving the allies masters of the field, and sought the shelter of their fortifications; there remained on the field of battle 3,000 killed, 200 mortally wounded, and 421 prisoners of the Paraguayans. The wounded were sent to the hospitals. Our troops had captured, further, four mortars with their munitions, two flags, one standard, ten chests of war, nine trumpets, great quantities of ammunition, infantry armament, and stacks of rockets. Our loss being twenty-nine officers and three hundred and eighty-four privates killed; one hundred and ninety-three officers and one thousand nine hundred privates wounded and bruised.

BARAO DE HERVAL.