LEANDRO GOMEZS HEAD-QUARTERS, PAYSANDU. THE TURRET FORT, PAYSANDU. THE WAR IN SOUTH AMERICA. NOTWITHSTANDING the intensity of interest with which we await the developments of our own civil war, we can not be indifferent to the more distant conflict in which Brazil is engaged against the South American Republics of Paraguay and Uruguay. The cause of this will be best under- stood by a brief retrospect of the last two years. During that time Uruguay, which touches the southern border of Brazil, and is wedged in, as it were, between her and the Argentine Republic, has been distracted by rebellion. The revolution, head ed by Flores, has been gaining headway, the government of Uruguay being too weak to oppose an adequate resistance. Paraguay, which is just north of Uruguay, has awaited with interest the development of the revolution, throwing her influence against Flores and his party. Brazil, whose government is imperial, hoped for the destruction of the Republic. She complained that her citizens were imperiled by the situation in Uruguay, and threatened interference. There upon President Lopez, of Paraguay, declared to the Brazilian government that he should consider the invasion of Uruguay by Brazilian troops a cause of war. Brazil, however, persisted in her interference. On the 16th of October, 1864, she blockaded the ports of Uruguay. One of those most strictly blockaded was Paysandu. On the 6th of December the Brazilian squadron co-operated with the army of Flores in an attack upon this town. During that day seven hundred bombs were thrown into the place from four Brazilian gun boats, while Flores with three thousand men attacked by land. The town was defended by Leandro Gomez most gallantly. Gomez had in his command a force not quite one-third as strong as that engaged in the attack. Paysandu resisted every open attack, but the rebels and invaders ultimately succeeded in taking the place. Paysandu was formerly a very thriving town on the River Uruguay ; it is now, however, little better than a heap of ruins, and in the possession of the Brazilians. Leandro Gomez was murdered by the victors, and his body shamefully mutilated. We give on this page some illustrations, engraved from photographs, representing the ruins of Paysandu. One of these represents the Comandancia Militar, or Gomezs head quarters. Only the front wall is standing, and it is so battered by cannon shot that we can only recognize it was once a house by the grated windows. Another represents the Turret Fort, whence the heroic garrison made its last stand. This work was almost entirely destroyed. From Paysandu it is expected that Flores and his Brazilian Allies will move down the river and lay siege to Montevideo, the capital of Uruguay, situated on the Rio de la Plata. We give below a view of this place. It is situated on a gentle devation, at the extremity of a small peninsula.
Posted on: Sun, 05 Oct 2014 20:06:41 +0000
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