Page:Civilization and barbarism (1868).djvu/303

From Wikisource
Jump to navigation Jump to search
This page has been proofread, but needs to be validated.
ALDAO AND FACUNDO.
259

bittered by that horror of himself which was the only punishment he received in this world; for while his less criminal brother José was assassinated, he died a natural death, feared and obeyed to the last. But Providence works in secret and he will surely meet his deserts.

A new army commenced another campaign against General Paz. Aldao had filled up the vacancies in his company of auxiliaries, and Facundo had gathered an undisciplined crowd of four or five thousand men. Aldao was accompanied by Don José Santos Ortiz, who was intrusted with the mission of trying to induce Quiroga to join with Paz in carrying on the war with Buenos Ayres, and it seems that Quiroga came near accepting the propositi6n. Paz on his part sent Major Pawnero,[1] a young man whose intelligence equaled his bravery, to make proposals of peace to Quiroga. But Quiroga's pride urged him to wipe out the mortification of his defeat at Tablado. The battle of Laguna Larga taught Quiroga that his heavy cavalry charges could not be always relied upon; a simple maneuver of the infantry on the other side decided the victory, and Quiroga fled to Buenos Ayres, leaving on the field his infantry, artillery, and baggage. During the pursuit of the fugitives, a stout man whose weight had exhausted his horse, was overtaken and thrown down by a lance. A soldier was about to make an end of him, when he cried, "Do not kill me, it is important to the nation that I should be taken alive to General Paz. I am General Aldao."

An officer took charge of him as far as Cordova,

  1. Now candidate for the Vice-Presidency of the Republic, 1868. (Ed.)