THE EXPEDITION PROCEEDS—SURPRISE GUALEGUAYECHU— REACH
THE HERVIDERO—ACCOMPANIED BY AN ENGLISH AND A FRENCH
OFFICER—A LARGE ESTANCIA, AND ITS NUMEROUS HORSES AND
OTHER ANIMALS—I LEAVE THE VESSELS IN CHARGE OF ANZANI—GO
WITH THE MARTREROS—LA CRUZ AND MUNDELL—ATTACK ON THE
HERVIDERO—BATTLE OF ARROYO GRANDE.
The expedition then proceeded by the river, and arrived at a place on
its banks named Fray Bento, where the vessels cast anchor. About eight
miles below, on the opposite bank, in the Province of Entre Rios, is the
mouth of the River Gualeguayechu. The place is distant about six miles
from its mouth. That province belonged to the enemy. The expedition was
in want of horses for the operation; and good ones were to be found in
that region, as well as materials needed to make clothing for the
troops, and other necessary articles, with which the province was well
provided. An expedition was therefore formed, to obtain supplies. I went
up the river further, expressly for the purpose of preventing suspicion;
and then, in the night, the small vessels and boats embarked the Italian
Legionaries, and the cavalry with a few horses, and proceeded towards
the landing-place. At the mouth of the little river lived a family, and
it was known that several merchant vessels and a small war-vessel were
there, which it was necessary to surprise; and this was effected. The
troops were so successful, that they reached the very house of the
commandant of Gualeguayechu, while he was asleep in his bed. The Colonel
commandant of the country was named Villagra. All the authorities, with
the National Guards, were soon in our hands; and we garrisoned the
strongest places with Republican troops. The expedition then proceeded
to recruit horses and obtain other things of the most importance.
We obtained many excellent horses in Gualeguayechu, with articles
necessary to clothe the men, harnesses for the cavalry, and some money,
which was distributed among the sailors and soldiers. All the prisoners
were released at our departure. A party of the enemy's cavalry, in
garrison in the town, were found to be absent, on the arrival of the
expedition, and returned during our stay. Being seen by the sentinels, a
few of the best mounted and equipped of the cavalry were sent out, and
an encounter took place, in which the enemy were repulsed. This little
affair greatly encouraged the Republicans, especially as it took place
in view of all. We had one man badly wounded.
At the mouth of the river was a peninsula, formed by it and a small
stream, and there was the residence of the family before mentioned. The
infantry embarked in the small vessels in which they had sailed; the
cavalry marched by land to the peninsula, leading the horses they had
taken; and there they again remained. The labor of embarking and
disembarking horses was not new to them; and in a few days everything
was carried away—some to the island of the Biscaino, and some to the
other island in the upper part of the river, to serve in future
operations.
The expedition then proceeded into the interior, as far as Paysandù,
with the occurrence of little or nothing worthy of notice. In that city
was a large guard, and the enemy had constructed some batteries and sunk
a number of vessels, in different parts of the channel of the river, to
obstruct the passage. All obstacles were overcome; and a few shot in the
vessels, and a few wounded men, were the only consequences of a heavy
cannonade with the batteries. Two officers deserved my particular
notice: one a Frenchman, and the other an Englishman, who commanded two
small vessels of war of their nations, and accompanied me in almost the
whole of that expedition, although their instructions were not to fight.
The English Lieutenant was named Tench; and he remained but a short
time; the French officer was Hypolite Marier, commander of the schooner
L'Eclair. The latter was with me the whole time, and became very dear to
me, being an officer of great merit.
We reached Hervidero, formerly a most beautiful establishment, then
abandoned and deserted, but still very rich in animals, which were
highly valuable to the expedition all the time of our stay. That point
of the Uruguay was named Hervidero, from the Spanish word Hervir, which
means _to boil_; and indeed it looks like a boiling cauldron under all
circumstances, but especially when the river is low, abounding in
whirlpools formed by the numerous rocks lying under water, over which a
very rapid current pours all the year. The passage is very dangerous. A
very spacious house stands on an eminence, built with a terrace on the
roof, called Azotea, and overlooks all the left bank of the river.
Around it was a multitude of _Ranchos_, or barracks, with roofs of
straw, which attested the great number of slaves possessed by the
masters in more quiet times. When I first approached the house, I found
herds of the _Ganado manso_, or domestic oxen, near the deserted
habitations, in search of their exiled masters; and with them a
_majada_, or flock of sheep, amounting to about forty thousand, while
the _ganado cuero_ or _alzado_,—that is, the wild cattle,—of about the
same number, were scattered over the fields. Besides these there were
innumerable horses, ginetes and Poledres, chiefly wild, and many
quadrupeds of various kinds. These few lines may give some idea of the
aspect of that kind of immense estates in South America, called
_Estancias_.
The Hervidero, however, a _Saladero_, or place for salting meat for
exportation, as well as for preparing hides, tallow, and, in short,
everything furnished by the animals slaughtered in their country. The
depth of the river did not permit them to take any other in larger
vessels. Anzani, with the infantry, lodged in the establishment,
occupying it in a military manner. The measures taken were very useful
in repressing an unexpected attack, arranged between the enemies of
Entre Rios, under the command of General Garzon, and those of the
Oriental State, under Colonel Lavalleja. That was undertaken while I was
not at the Hervidero.
And, in the first place, as for the reason of my absence. Among the
cares of Juan de la Cruz, was that of sending some of his martreros to
inform the others, who were scattered along the left bank of the river,
and those of the Gueguay, who were quite numerous. A certain Magellano,
and one José Dominguez were among the most famous of them all. They were
then in the neighborhood of the Gueguay. José Mundell had come to that
country when a child, and had become identified with the inhabitants and
accustomed to their habits. He had a present of an estancia, one of the
best in that part of the country. Mundell was one of those privileged
persons, who seem to have come into the world to govern all around them.
With nothing extraordinary in his physical nature, he was strong and
active, "a free cavalier," and of a most generous disposition; he had
gained the hearts of all, on whom he bestowed benefits whenever they
were in want, thus securing their love and tempering their natures. He
was above all things adventurous. It may be added that Mundell, although
he had spent the most of his life in the desert, had, from his own
taste, cultivated his mind and acquired by study more than an ordinary
share of information. He had never taken any part in political affairs,
beyond those connected with the choice of men for the Presidency, etc.
But when the foreigners, under the orders of Ourives, invaded the
territory of the Republic, he regarded indifference as a crime, and
threw himself into the ranks of the defenders. With the influence which
he had acquired among his brave neighbors, he soon collected several
hundred men, and then sent me word that he was going to join me with
them. The bold fellows, commanded by Juan de la Cruz, had brought in
that news to the Hervidero; and I immediately resolved to meet with
Mundell in the Arroyo Malo, about thirty miles below the Salto, or
Falls. On the first night after my departure the attack was made on the
Hervidero. Hearing the cannon and musketry while I was near Arroyo Malo,
I was thrown into the greatest anxiety, as was very natural; but I
confided much in the capacity of Anzani, whom I had left in charge of
everything.
The attack on the Hervidero had been conceived and planned in such a
manner that, if the execution had corresponded, its results must have
been fatal. Garzon, whose forces were not fewer than two thousand men,
most of them infantry, was to have approached the right bank of the
river, while Lavalleja was to attack the Hervidero. In order that they
might strike at the same moment, they had placed two fireships in the
Yuy, a small river of Entre Rios, a few miles above, intended, if not to
burn the flotilla, at least to occupy the sailors, and render it
impossible for them to give any assistance by land. The courage and
coolness of Anzani, and the bravery of the troops, rendered all the
efforts of the active enemy unavailing. Garzon effected nothing by his
steady fire of musketry, because it was too distant, and the side of the
river's bank was commanded by the cannon of the flotilla, which opened
upon it. The fireships, being abandoned to the current, passed at a
distance from the vessels, and were destroyed by their guns. Lavalleja
pressed his troops against the brave Legionaries in vain, they being
intrenched in the buildings, and terrifying the enemy with their silence
and proud resistance.
Anzani had given orders that not a musket should be fired, until the
enemy were near enough to have their clothes burnt by the powder; and
this plan succeeded well, for, supposing the houses to have been
evacuated, they advanced without apprehension: but a general discharge
of musketry, when close at hand, from all quarters, put them immediately
to flight, making it impossible to rally again.
Having arranged with Mundell about his entering Salto when occupied by
the Republicans, I returned to the Hervidero. I received notice, about
that time, from Colonel Baez, who was making arrangements to join me
with some men. The only vessel of the enemy stationed in the Yuy
deserted to us, with a portion of the crew.
Thus everything smiled on the expedition.
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