War of the Farrapos in Brazil 1835-1845

Republican objectives were apparent in the War of the Farrapos (ragamuffins), also known as the Farroupilha Rebellion, in Rio Grande do Sul and Santa Catarina. The uprising began as a tax revolt on September 20, 1835, with the deposing of the president of the Brazilian province of Rio Grande do Sul (Antônio Rodrigues Braga) by republican forces led by Bento Gonçalves. The rebellion was led by landowners, strongly influenced by the Freemasons, who were dissatisfied with the regency government, economic problems in the cattle industry, and particularly what they saw as Rio de Janeiro's attempts to exert excessive control over the remote southern provinces of the empire. Imperial forces attempted to restore the provincial government by force. Fighting spread throughout the province. After the rebel victory at Seival (September 10, 1836), the independent Republic of the Rio Grande (also known as the Piratini Republic) was proclaimed on September 11, 1836, with Bento Gonçalves as President. Guiseppe Garibaldi, in Brazil at this time, helped and supported the farroupilha movement. In 1839, the farroupilha movement spread to the province of Santa Catarina; the city of Laguna was captured by rebel forces on July 22, 1839. Shortly afterward, they proclaimed the creation of the independent Juliana Republic in Santa Catarina. Imperial forces recaptured Laguna on November 15, 1839 and abolished the republic. In 1842 Marshal Luis Alves de Lime e Silva, later Duque de Caxias (and the hero of the Brazilian Army) took command of imperial forces fighting the rebellion. About half of the military strength of Brazil (12,000 troops) was concentrated against the forces of the Republic of the Rio Grande then numbering about 3500 men. The defeat at Ponche Verde (May 26, 1843) marked the beginning of the end of the rebel cause. By 1844, republican forces, under the leadership of David Canabarro, were considering making peace but the future of the freed black slaves constituted a serious obstacle to a settlement. Although Caxias achieved some significant victories, he did not manage to induce the farroupilas to sign a peace treaty until Uruguayan forces threatened to intervene from the south. The generous terms of the Peace of Ponche Verde, signed on February 25, 1845, resulted in lasting peace in region. Although precise numbers of casualties are uncertain, about 3400 are estimated to have died in the ten year rebellion; the farroupilas suffered about twice as many casualties as the imperial forces.

References

Brazil - A Country Study; History of Rio Grande Do Sul; Rio Grande Republic; Brazilian Calendar - Monarchy in Brazil; Brazil; História da Revolução Farroupilha.

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