Brazil - Farrapos Rebellion - 1835-1844
The southern section of Brazil, the State of Rio Grande do Sul, and its inhabitants are worthy of special study, as they have always held a unique position in the history of Brazil. Despite its relatively small extent, this region, named from an inlet which the first navigators mistook, as they had mistaken the Bay of Rio, for a great river, is one of the best adapted, by its natural resources, to constitute an independent State. It has often, in fact, played an independent part, and its position as a border land towards the Spanish domain gave it too much importance under the Portuguese rule to be granted as a fief, like so many other provinces of Brazil.
But, although it had consequently always been governed directly by the crown, its inhabitants were the principals in a conflict or period of contention which unhappily drenched Brazil in blood for many years during the "War of the Farrapos," which, however, ended honorably for both parties. Rio Grande do Sul was settled in the early days by the colonists from the Azores, who were sent there by the secretary of John V., Dr. Alexandre de Gusmao. The history of Rio Grande is filled with heroic deeds, and in all the military and political events of the nation Rio Grande lias played a leading ro1e.
Rio Grande in itself was but small, its resources but few. Don Gonzales was President of the Republic of Rio Grande, which he had organized and set up against the authority of the Emperor of Brazil. Tall, slight, and active, Bento Gonzales rode with inimitable grace and ease, although he was more than sixty years of R(ie. He was brave, generous, and temperate, and singularly devoid of all ambition of a personal character. "With so many natural and acquired gifts," said Garibaldi, "Bento Gonzales was the idol of his fellow-citizens, and with so many gifts, strange to say, ho was always unlucky in the field, which makes me think that chance does much more than genius to determine the events of war and the fortune of heroes."
The city of Porto Alegre, or Joyous Haven, the capital of the province of Rio Grande do Sul, is built on a bold promontory jutting into the Rio da Aldéia or Gravatahi, one of the five rivers which unite close to it, and form the Lagoa ViamSo, or as it also called, the River Guayba. It suffered considerably from the rebellion of Colonel Bento Goncalvez in the year 1835, who was endeavoring to imitate the ambitious doings of the neighboring generals of Montevideo and Buenos-Ayres, and establish an independent republic.
The rebels or Farrapos — that is "the Ragged ones" — as they were called, spread confusion, ruin, and bloodshed for several years over this fair land. They were enthusiastic in hailing the proclamation of independence. Then feeling the yoke of Rio as much as they had before felt that of Lisbon, they attempted to set up for themselves, and a fierce civil war was waged for nine years (1835—44) between the farrapos (republicans) and the caramurus (monarchists).
It has been said above that some of the wounded were shot by their comrades, to save them from the pain of a lingering death. This was frequently done in wars of the Republics of South America, when it was found that the simple means of curing wounds that the combatants were able to put in practice, without the aid of a surgeon, were insufficient to save the wounded man's life. In such cases as these it was a common thing for the sufferer to call his most intimate friend to his side and beg him to put an end to his agonies by blowing his brains out. If it was found, after due examination had been made, that nothing could save him, his comrade was obliged to perform this last sad duty for his friend. The Italy which Garibaldi left in 1836, in a condition always bordering on revolution, yet always upheld by the Austrian power, which was ever ready to assist each petty prince in his tyranny by putting down his insurrections for him. Arriving at Rio Janeiro he found many of his fellow-countrymen, exiles like himself for political intrigues, and with their assistance he was enabled to purchase a small trading vessel with which to start in life as a trader. Yet Garibaldi, like his father, never prospered as a trader. After nine months of this somewhat monotonous work, Garibaldi entered the service of the patriotic Don Gonzales, President of the Republic of Rio Grande.
This was the heroic period in the history of Rio Grande, associated with the name of the great guerilla chief, Garibaldi. It required all the resources of the vast empire of Brazil to wrest the little "republic" of Rio Grande from the band of adventurers led by this famous captain. When Garibaldi arrived at Piratinim, the whole of the country was in the hands of the Republicans, with the exception of three towns — Porto Alegre, the capital of the province, San Jose do Norte, a small town on the northern shore of the Lake dos Patos, and the fortified town of Rio Grande, on the channel of communication between the lake and the ocean. This gave the Imperialists the control of the lake, and rendered it next to impossible for the Republicans to undertake any expedition by sea.
Garibaldi was impatient to commence active operations. It was arranged that Garibaldi should repair at once to Camacua to superintend the completion of two small sloops that were building on the banks of the river of that name, to operate against the vessels of the Imperialists in the Lake dos Patos. With this small navy, Garibaldi and his followers entered the Lake dos Patos to contend against the Brazilian ships of war in those waters, which were upwards of thirty in number, including a steamboat. There was, however, one advantage that Garibaldi's vessels possessed over those of the Brazilians, for, as they drew but little water, they could run for safety into the shallows.
The victory which Garibaldi gained over the Brazilian forces added greatly to his prestige, and inspired his men with the utmost confidence in him. The boldness and resolute courage with which the attack had been met prevented the assailants from renewing operations on that part of the coast for a considerable period, and Donna Anna celebrated the success by a brilliant flic at her estancia, at which the whole of the Republican forces under the command of Garibaldi were honored and welcome guests.
The Brazilian government finally prevailed — that is, being unable to subdue the rebellion; it bribed its chiefs, loaded them with honors and wealth, and peace was re-established.
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