THE PROVINCE OF CORRIENTES CALLS GENERAL PAZ FROM
MONTEVIDEO—ALLIANCE WITH PARAGUAY—I GO TO SALTO WITH THE
FLOTILLA, TO RELIEVE IT FROM A SIEGE—WITH LA CRUZ AND
MUNDELL, ATTACK LAVALLEJA—RETURN TO SALTO.
The Province of Corrientes, after the battle of Arroyo Grande, had
fallen again under the dominion of Rosas: but the admirable resistance
of Montevideo, and some other favorable circumstances, called the people
again to independence; and Madariaga and the principal authorities in
that revolution had invited General Paz from Montevideo, to take command
of the army. That old and virtuous chief, by his own fame and capacity,
induced Paraguay to make an offensive and defensive alliance; and that
state collected at Corrientes a respectable contingent for the army.
Things thus proceeded wonderfully well for that part of the country; and
not the least important object was the opening of communications with
those interior provinces, to collect in the Department of Salto the
Oriental emigrants who were in Corrientes and Brazil. I then sent from
the Hervidero a _balenera_, on a mission to General Paz: but, being
observed and pursued by the enemy, the men in it were obliged to abandon
the boat, and take refuge in the woods. I was obliged to repeat the same
thing three times; when at length a brave officer of the Italians,
Giacomo Casella, taking advantage of a strong flood in the river,
succeeded in overcoming every obstacle, and arrived in the Province of
Corrientes. During the same flood I arrived at Salto with the flotilla.
The city was governed by Lavalleja, who attacked the Hervidero with a
force of about three hundred men, infantry and cavalry. He had been
engaged for some days in making the inhabitants evacuate the town; and
for them and his troops he formed a camp on the left bank of the Capebi,
at the distance of twenty-one miles from Salto.
The Republicans took the town, without any resistance, and designed to
make some fortifications. That point being occupied, they remained
there, but, of course, besieged on the land-side, as the enemy were
superior in cavalry. One of the principal inconveniences which they
suffered was the want of meat, all the animals having been driven away.
But that evil did not last long.
Mundell, having collected about a hundred and fifty men, drove back a
corps of the enemy who were pressing upon him, and arrived safe at
Salto. From that moment the Republicans began to make sorties, and to
bring in animals enough for the subsistence of the troops. With
Mundell's horsemen, and those of Juan de la Cruz, we were able to take
the field; and one fine day we went to seek Lavalleja in his own camp.
Some deserters from the enemy had given me exact information of his
position and the number of his forces; and I determined to attack him.
One evening I drew out two hundred of the cavalry and a hundred of the
Italian Legionaries, and moved from Salto, intending to surprise the
enemy before daybreak. My guides were the deserters; and, although they
were acquainted with the country, yet, as there were no roads leading in
the direction they took, they got astray, and daylight found us at the
distance of three miles from the camp we were seeking. Perhaps it was
not prudent to attack an enemy at least equal in force, entrenched, and
in their own camp, and which might receive reinforcements, which they
had asked for, at any moment; but to turn back would not only have been
disgraceful, but would have had a very bad effect on the feelings of the
new troops. I was a little troubled by the idea of retreating, and
determined to attack. I reached an eminence where the enemy had an
advance post. They retired on my approach. I could then see their camp,
and observed several groups returning towards it, from various
directions. They were detachments which had been sent out in the night
to different points, to observe the Republicans, the enemy having heard
of our setting out. I then immediately gave orders to Mundell, who had
the vanguard, to press on a strong body of cavalry, to prevent their
concentration.
The enemy did the same, to repel that movement and protect their troops.
Mundell, with great bravery, succeeded, and drove and dispersed several
of their detachments; but he advanced too far, in the warmth of the
pursuit, so that his troops soon found themselves surrounded by the
enemy, who, recovering from their first fright, came upon them with
their lances, threatening to separate them from the main body, which,
although at a distance, was approaching for a battle. In the meantime,
seeing all this, I at first designed to have the whole little force of
the Republicans proceed in a mass, and give a decisive blow. I therefore
hastened the march of the infantry, forming the rear guard and reserve,
with the cavalry of Juan de la Cruz: but seeing the position of Mundell,
which admitted no delay, I left the infantry behind under the command of
Marrocchetti, and pressed forward the reserve of cavalry in échellons.
The first échellon, commanded by Gallegas, pushed on, and somewhat
restored the resistance of the cavalry. The charge of Juan de la Cruz
drove the enemy back; and they retired towards their camp. I had ordered
the échellons of the reserve to charge in a compact mass, so that
Mundell and his men, who had fought bravely, might recover their order
in a moment. Our troops then moved on towards the enemy's camp, in order
of battle,—the infantry in the centre by platoons, and under orders not
to fire a shot; Mundell on the right, and Juan de la Cruz on the left;
while a small échellon of cavalry formed a reserve.
The enemy's cavalry, after the first encounter, had formed again behind
the infantry, who were covered by a line of carts; but the firmness and
resolution of the Republicans, now marching on in a close body and in
silence, intimidated them so much that they made but little resistance.
In a moment the action was over; or, rather, it was not a fight, but a
complete discomfiture and precipitate flight towards the pass of the
river. On reaching that point some of the boldest endeavored to make a
stand; and they might have been able, but it would have been a very
arduous task; although the Republican cavalry had halted: for the
Legionaries, at the command of "Cartridges on the neck!" threw
themselves into the water with the greatest fury, and there was no more
resistance.
The victory was now complete. All the infantry of the enemy were in the
power of the conquerors, and some of the cavalry, with all the families
of the Salto, who had been dragged from their homes, and a train
containing various objects of merchandize, consisting of thirty-four
loaded wagons. Above all, we had captured a great number of horses,
which were the most valuable of all things in our existing
circumstances. A brass cannon, made in Florence, some ages past, by a
certain Cenni, fell into our hands. It was the same piece which had been
fired upon us at the Hervidero; and being dismounted on that occasion,
was undergoing repair in the enemy's camp. After the action, which
lasted only a few hours, we collected everything useful, and set off on
our return. Our progress to Salto was quite a triumphal march. The
population poured blessings on us from their own houses, to which they
had been restored by our means; and the victory acquired for the army a
reputation which was well merited, proving that all the three classes of
troops were able to keep the field.
Our celerity was of much importance; for, as has already been mentioned,
the enemy were in expectation of a strong reinforcement; and that was
the entire force of General Urquiza, which had just before been
victorious at India Muerta, and was then on the march for Corrientes, to
fight the army of that province. Vergara, who had the vanguard of it,
came in sight of Salto the day after our return, and captured a few of
our horses, which were dispersed in the neighboring pastures. Being in
the presence of those forces, which seemed to overwhelm us, we made
every exertion to resist it.
A battery, marked out by Anzani, in the centre of the city, made a
progress that was quite astonishing. Both soldiers and people worked at
it, such houses as were adapted to defence were fortified, and every man
had a post assigned him. Several cannon were levelled from the boats,
and preparations were made to supply the battery. At that time arrived
Colonel Baez, with about sixty cavalry. Urquiza soon after presented
himself, who had assured his friends that he would cross the Uruguay at
Salto, with the assistance of the Republican flotilla, which he expected
to capture. But his prediction was not fulfilled. The attack by the
enemy was simultaneous with his appearance.
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