OF THOSE WHO GO UNDER THE NAME OF SPANISH
SOLDIERS IN PARAGUAY.
Whenever I make mention of the Paraguayrian soldiers, do not imagine
that I am speaking of the regular disciplined troops, which are
quartered no where but on the shores of the Plata, to guard the cities
of Buenos-Ayres, and Monte-Video. The cavalry are often ordered out
against the southern savages, while the infantry are employed in ships
to hinder the contraband trade on the river Plata. In all the other
colonies throughout Paraguay, the colonists themselves take up arms,
whenever the hostile incursions of the savages are to be repelled, or
others made against them. The territory belonging to every city contains
some companies of undisciplined soldiery, each of which is commanded by
a master of the camp (_maestre de campo_,) and a chief captain of the
watch, (_sargento mayor_.) The commander-in-chief is the Vice-Governour,
who is likewise the head Judge. Moreover, there is in every city a
company of what are called _reformed captains_, whose business it is to
accompany the Vice-Governour, in every expedition, in the capacity of
life-guards. Many of these are merely honorary, never having discharged
the duties of captains, or even of soldiers. They purchase the title,
that they may be exempted from the burden of war, being only called out
to attend the Vice-Governour. All the rest are summoned to warlike
expeditions either by the Governour, or Vice-Governour. They receive
neither pay nor clothing from the King, and are obliged to furnish their
own arms, horses, and food, whenever, and as long as the military
commander thinks fit.
Every age and every country has found the soldiers of Spain abundantly
brave and active. To deny this would be to wrong that most noble and
glorious nation. That the Spanish name, therefore, may receive no
blemish from what I am going to write of the Paraguayrian soldiers, it
must be observed that all those who boast of a Spanish name in Paraguay,
are not in reality Spaniards. Amid such a diversity of nations, very
many are born of Moors, Indians, and a Spanish mother; of an Indian or
Moorish mother, and a Spanish father; or of a mixed race of them all. A
yellow or darkish complexion, a beardless chin, and a mat of woolly,
curling black hair, plainly denote very many to be of African or
American origin. The other European Spaniards born in Paraguay say, by
way of contempt, _O es del Inga, ò del Mandinga_, you are sprung either
from Indians or Negroes: for the King of Peru was formerly called the
Inga, or Inca, and Mandinga is a province of Negroland, beyond the river
Niger in Africa.
Of such various kinds of men are the military forces composed in
Paraguay. As most of them, though ennobled by a Spanish name, are very
far remote both from Spain and from Spanish intrepidity and love of
arms, what wonder if these unwarlike and beardless soldiers are
slaughtered by the savages like so many barrow-pigs? They are worthy
both of excuse and pity, for, besides being unprovided with proper arms,
they have no skill in handling them. Except the arts of swimming and
riding, they are entirely ignorant of the laws of war, and of military
discipline. Moreover, the Cordoban soldiers are unable even to swim. The
major part of them, when called out against the savages, for spears,
make use of the rude knotty stakes which the woods afford, and if to
these be added the remains of a broken dagger, or knife, then, indeed,
they think themselves as well armed as Mars or Hercules. None but the
richer sort have guns, which are generally very dear, sometimes not to
be purchased. I have often seen carbines sold at Buenos-Ayres for
five-and-twenty Spanish crowns, or fifty German florins a-piece. The
more distant the colonies are from the market of Buenos-Ayres, the
higher their price becomes; in the cities of St. Iago, Asumpcion,
Corrientes, &c. not very handsome guns have been sold for forty, or even
sixty crowns. If any part of the gun get out of order, you will rarely
find a smith to repair it: hence the guns which many of the soldiers
carry, are often in such a condition, that you would sooner obtain water
from a flint than a spark of fire from them. They are liable to be
spoiled in various ways; for, in long journeys, they get knocked against
trees and stones, or wetted by the rain, or injured in some way or
other, as the nights are always to be passed in the open air, often in
rainy weather; vast rivers and marshes to be swam across, and rugged
woods and rocks to be ridden over: in consequence of which the
fire-arms, from not being well taken care of, are frequently spoiled.
Add to this the frequent scarcity or damage of the various articles
required for loading and charging them, and that the flint very often
proves useless. Paraguay produces plenty of excellent flint, but you can
never meet with any one who knows how to split it properly, and fit it
for use. In our times even, whenever some hundreds of soldiers fiercely
approached the stations of the savages, either the steel was rusty and
would not explode, or the gunpowder so moist as to prevent its blazing,
so that very few were able to discharge their guns. I could fill pages
with facts of this kind, but will only relate two of the more recent
ones. A handful of Abipones were overrunning the territory of St. Iago.
Thirty soldiers were sent to observe their motions, but being suddenly
attacked by the savages, who had lain in wait for them, were every one
miserably slain. They had passed the night in the open air, and as the
guns were very badly taken care of, the copious dew so moistened the
gunpowder, that Vesuvius itself would not have been able to kindle it.
This slaughter was effected by twenty Abiponian youths. Two hundred
soldiers, headed by Fulgentio de Yegros, attacked the hordes of the
Tobas. I was astonished to hear the captains, on their return from this
expedition, lamenting that at the very moment of the savages' assault,
they had found their muskets unmanageable, and quite useless, either
from rust or wet. They had spent greatest part of the night in a field,
amongst trees dropping with plenteous dew, that at day-break they might
steal unobserved to the enemy's station.
It is well known to us, and can be surprizing to no one, that the
undisciplined, and temporary soldiers of Paraguay, are accustomed
neither to the keeping, nor handling of weapons. They have been employed
all their lives in different arts and occupations. Unless a man be
previously instructed in military discipline, who can expect him to
prove a proper soldier in the camp? Many go out against the savages who
are soldiers and Spaniards in name only. If any of the colonists, more
respectable by birth and fortune, and better furnished with arms and
skill to use them, are summoned to attend an expedition, they usually
hire very bad substitutes. Others, that they may not be separated from
their families, and exposed to the weapons of the enemy, bribe the
captains to pass them over; in consequence of which, those who are worst
provided with arms, and most ignorant of the military art, principally
feel the burden of the war, and are sent to oppose the savages, to the
great detriment of the province, and disgrace of the Spanish name.
Because the lower orders are poor, they are ordered to fight, while the
more opulent are left at home to take care of their estates: and as they
are forced out to the service again and again, and obliged to spend many
months from home, they grow daily poorer and poorer, and, together with
their families, are overwhelmed with misery.
If the head of the expedition ever furnish them with guns, they
generally return them, at the end of it, entirely spoiled, without
having killed so much as a gnat. Two hundred excellent guns, each
furnished with a bayonet, were procured on one occasion at the public
expense, from the city of Asumpcion. In less than three years, out of
the two hundred there only remained six, and those in such a condition
that they could be made no possible use of. The bayonets were either
lost or broken, having been used on the journey either for roasting
meat, or chopping wood. The Viceroy of Cordoba, suspecting the savage
Pampas of hostile designs, went out as far as the river Tercero. Having
collected soldiers in the country he gave them six portions of
gunpowder, intended for so many charges, wrapped up in paper. One of
these heroes immediately stuffed all the six portions into his gun, and
perceiving that the tube was not filled to the top complained to his
captain that he had not gunpowder enough given him, for that the barrel
of his gun was not filled. Another thrust three charges into his gun,
and as the paper in which they were wrapped obstructed the touch-hole,
found it was not possible to fire it: the mistake of this martial
Dametas afforded his fellow-soldiers a subject for hearty laughter. Many
of them, being unprovided with a pouch, take very bad care of their
charges of gunpowder, which are wrapped in paper; for they tear and wet
them, and often scatter them on the ground. The greater number of them
carry gunpowder in a horn, and bullets, or pieces of lead, in a bag.
Instead of paper for ramming down the powder and ball, some use cotton,
others moss, tow, or any thing they can lay their hands upon. Many to
this purpose apply the wool out of their horse-cloths. As all these
necessary articles are kept in so many different places, it is
incredible how much time is consumed in loading a gun. As, to all this
delay, but very little dexterity in aiming is added, the consequence is
that the European fire-arms are now as much despised by the Abipones as
they were formerly dreaded. These innocuous soldiers think they have
performed a great feat if, for a wonder, they see their gun smoking, and
hear the report, though they have not hurt a hair of one of the enemies'
heads. I have no sort of doubt that the Paraguayrian soldiers would
perform better with a sword and spear than with a gun. If they ever do
any execution amongst the savages, it is owing to iron, not to lead.
Why then, it may be asked, are not these ignorant peasants instructed in
the handling of arms? This has long been vainly desired by all good men.
The endeavours of many persons to this effect have constantly proved
unavailing. There are none able to teach, and none willing to learn the
arts of war. Whilst I was in Paraguay, Francisco Gonzalez, lieutenant of
the horse, with other military commanders, was sent by the King's order
from Spain to Buenos-Ayres to instruct the people of that land in
military discipline; but none were willing to become his scholars. The
richer Spaniards, who reside in the more respectable cities and
colonies, generally shun the hardships of the militia, and the rest are
scattered up and down the distant estates, where they employ themselves
in the breeding of cattle. It is a difficult matter for persons so many
leagues apart, and separated by rivers, woods, and an immense tract of
plain country, to be collected into one place, for the purpose of being
instructed in the arts of war. The first time many will attend the
military school, attracted by the novelty of the European horsemen, more
than by the desire of learning. The next day, when their curiosity is
satisfied, you will reckon far fewer, the next scarce ten. Should they
be ordered to attend in the King's name, even if the command were
accompanied with threats, it would be of no avail. They would all excuse
their absence on some account or other. One would adduce illness as a
pretext; another would accuse the weather, another would allege the
necessity of a journey or business that admits of no delay. Others would
frowardly say they did not choose to come. This my friend Gonzalez
found, when, much against his will, he was passing his time unemployed
in the city of Buenos-Ayres.
Why, you will say, did not regular troops from Spain keep watch in the
colonies to repress the savages? I should not approve of this either. A
whole army would scarce suffice to such an extensive province, and,
divided into so many parts, what could it effect against a multitude of
enemies? The soldiers would indeed be superior to the Americans in the
skilful management of fire-arms, but very far inferior in the arts of
swimming and riding, and in tolerance of fatigue, heat, hunger, and
thirst. Incumbered with tents, waggons, boats, or pontoons, which they
could not dispense with, they would be unable to pursue the flying
horsemen of the savages, still less to reach their hordes, which are
sometimes two hundred leagues distant from the cities. Certain it is
that the Spanish dragoons appointed to guard the city of Buenos-Ayres
were very unwilling to go out against the southern savages, from whom
they oftener gained wounds than victory. Every one knows that the
regiment of foot sent as supplies to the city of Sta. Fè, when it was
almost destroyed by the Abipones and Mocobios, were of no service
whatever, as the savages always cunningly evaded a stationary fight with
them. I do not deny that, under Pizarro and Cortez, the Europeans slew,
routed, and subjugated innumerable Indians, but not equestrian Indians.
Were these same heroes to return at this day to fight the Abipones,
Mocobios, Tobas, and other equestrian people of Paraguay, I should augur
them more trouble and less glory. Those first Spaniards who entered
America, mounted on horses, emitting lightning from their swords, and
thunder from their fire-arms, and furnished with whiskers, appeared to
the beardless, unarmed Americans, a new race of men, exempted from
death, whom they either avoided by flight, or, if that were
impracticable, conciliated by submission. The savages, who now make war
against the Spaniards, daily see how possible it is for them both to be
conquered, and to die, and can make use of iron spears, and swift
horses, to elude attacks, or make them themselves.
Taught by long experience in the affairs of Paraguay, I declare it as my
opinion, that the Americans, were they instructed in the arts of war,
and furnished with arms, and all the necessary apparatus, by reason of
their natural abilities for riding, swimming, and enduring the hardships
of weather and of warfare, would be of more service against the
incursions of the savages than any European soldiers. In every part of
Paraguay you may see youths truly Spaniards in origin, name, and
disposition; intelligent, agile, intrepid, remarkable for strength and
stature, and astonishingly dexterous in horsemanship; of such were one
company formed in every territory, commanded by able captains, and
furnished with a regular stipend, I think that the Indians, when foes,
might easily be induced to embrace the friendship of the Spaniards, and
when friends, kept in their duty; and thus the colonies would be freed
from their afflictions. But if, on urgent danger, a regiment were formed
out of four or five of these companies, none of the savage hordes,
however numerous, would be invincible to them, were a leader of tried
valour and experience at the head of the expedition. About fifty
horsemen of this description, supported at the public expense by the
city of Sta. Fè, and called Blandenges, have shown much conduct on many
occasions. A troop of these horsemen might watch in each of the Spanish
colonies, and be easily supported, partly out of the royal treasury,
partly at the expense of the more opulent Spaniards, whom it chiefly
interests to preserve the security of the estates and of commerce from
the incursions of the savages.