Chapter 10: Corrientes Summary

Franco proclaims the urgency of the war against Brazil, Argentina and the Banda Oriental in the newspaper. When Federico finds Maria Olivia dead on the floor, Rosaria wraps her body in the same newspaper. Paraguay seizes a disputed town, and Argentina officially declares war. A triple alliance is formed by treaty between Paraguay's enemies. They agree to fight together until Franco Lopez is out of power. They also agree to split all seized war material.

The entire Paraguayan fleet deploys to Riachuelto, just south of Corrientes, to capture the Brazilian fleet. The ill-conceived plan quickly deteriorates as the fifteen vessels arrive in daylight instead of darkness and are attacked by the waiting Brazilian ships, which are more maneuverable. The battle is over quickly. All of the Paraguayan fleet is lost or captured. The four men who escape and bravely make it...