URQUIZA BESIEGES US IN SALTO, WITH ALL HIS FORCES—OUR
DEFENCES INCOMPLETE—A SUDDEN ATTACK—REPULSED
SORTIES—BOLD OPERATION ON THE OPPOSITE BANK OF THE
RIVER—SURPRISING FEATS OF THE HORSEMEN—THEIR HABITS.
On the east of Salto was a hill, distant a musket shot from the first
houses; and it commanded the whole town. The Republicans had not
fortified it, for the want of sufficient force, as it would be
necessary, if occupied, to establish a line of fortifications
proportioned to the number of disposable troops. As might have been
expected, Urquiza took possession of the hill, and placed on it six
pieces of artillery. At the same time he sent forward his infantry, at
quick step, against the Republican right. Just at that moment two pieces
had been placed in the battery: but there was yet neither platform nor
parapet; and the enemy, after giving their fire, threw themselves upon
the ground, which was not even consolidated. The Republican right was
really the most vulnerable, as the enemy could reach it under cover, in
the hollow of a valley. And this they did; so that the defenders saw
them appear suddenly, and without warning, from that concealment.
Immediately the right wing fled, and those occupying the houses
retreated towards the river.
I was then at the battery; and, in disposing of my troops, had reserved
a company of the Italian Legion at that point. I immediately made
one-half of that company charge the enemy; and after them sent the
second half to do the same. And that duty was executed with so much
courage, that the assailants were, in their turn, put to a precipitate
flight. The company of Italians which performed that service was under
the command of Captain Carone, and its lieutenants were Ramorino and
Zaccarello.
The enemy were discouraged by their unsuccessful attempt, which
prevented them from making any decisive attack, and all their operations
were reduced to a cannonade. In that kind of fighting, although the
enemy had come upon the Republicans when ill-prepared, from the want of
time, yet we were able to maintain a respectable attitude. I had landed
the cannon from the vessels, under the orders of their officers, viz.,
Scozini, Cogliolo, and José Maria, all of them brave and skilful men; so
that the enemy's artillery, although superior in numbers and position,
was pretty well opposed, and obliged to be occasionally brought under
cover of the hill. The enemy left several men dead, while the
Republicans had only a few wounded. The latter, however, lost the
greater part of their oxen, which were in a corral, or inclosure; and,
as they were wild, as soon as the gate was opened, they poured out, like
a torrent, and spread all over the country.
For three days Urquiza continued his attempts; but every day found the
besieged better prepared. Not a moment was lost during the night. Five
pieces of cannon were placed in the battery, the platform was finished,
the parapet, and the "Santa Barbara," or mine for blowing up. A
proclamation was circulated at that time, signed by Colonel Baez and
myself, condemning to death any one who might leave his post; and the
smaller vessels were forbidden to come near the bank of the river, while
all which were there were made to draw off.
At the same time the enemy, seeing that they were gaining nothing,
adopted a system of blockade, and shut up the city on the land side, in
the closest manner. But in that undertaking also they were frustrated;
for we were masters of the river, and could bring in all necessary
supplies of provisions by that water. During the eighteen days which the
siege continued, we were not idle, having to bring in hay for the cattle
and horses continually; and, as the enemy had formed a circular chain of
posts around us, we took advantage of moments of inattention, to attack,
and often with advantage. At length Urquiza became weary, and perhaps
was called away to other parts of the Uruguay, by more pressing affairs.
He withdrew, and marched off, to cross the river above Salto.
The two divisions of Lamas and Vergara now remained to continue the
siege, with about seven hundred cavalry: but from that time the enemy
were unable to keep it closely, for the Republicans made sorties now and
then, sometimes bringing in oxen or wild horses, and that kept our
cavalry in a pretty good condition, who had lost almost all their
horses, in consequence of the strictness of the siege. It is to be
observed, that the horses of that part of the country are not accustomed
to eat anything but grass, being pastured in the open fields; and
therefore but few are fed with hay and grain.
In those days an operation was performed by the Republicans, of a
superior kind. Garzon, who had been at Concordia, opposite Salto, had
marched, to unite with Urquiza, for Corrientes, under the orders of the
latter General; but a cavalry corps of observation remained at
Concordia. The sentinels of that body were visible from Salto, and their
_cavalcade_, or troop of horses, went every day to the river's bank to
feed, (probably finding better pasture,) and at night returned. A plan
was formed to capture those animals; and one day about twenty men
prepared, naked, and with nothing but their sabres; while a company of
Legionaries, divided among the vessels of the flotilla, waited, ready to
embark in the boats. About mid-day, when the sun shone hottest, the
enemy's sentinels were lying on the ground, having made a shelter of
their ponchos, and were fast asleep. The river, at the place where it
was to be crossed, was only about five hundred paces wide, and not
guarded. The appointed signal was given, and the cavalry soldiers
marched from behind their coverts on the shore, and threw themselves
into the water, while the Legionaries leaped into the boats; and, when
the sentinels awoke, they heard the bullets of their active assailants
whistling about their ears; and the amphibious centaurs pursued them
along the hill.
Only the brave South American cavalry are capable of performing such an
enterprise. Being excellent swimmers, both men and horses, they can
cross a river several miles wide, the men holding by the tails of their
animals, or by their manes, and carrying their arms and baggage in their
_pelottas_, which are made of the _curona_, a piece of leather, which
forms a part of the harness.
Some of the cavalry remained on the hill, watching the enemy, while the
others collected their horses which were scattered about the pasture,
and led them to the shore, where they hurried them into the water, and
got most of them over to the other side. Some of the enemy, who
resisted, were bound and carried across by the vessels. In the meantime
the Legionaries exchanged a few shots with the enemy, who were
increasing their numbers, but did not feel strong enough to charge them.
Thus, in a few hours, more than a hundred horses were obtained by the
Republicans, without having a single man wounded.
That affair was a very singular and curious one, and performed in full
view from Salto. The horses of Entre Rios are generally esteemed; and,
for good reasons, that capture excited a desire to attack the besiegers.
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