Military planification Portuguese conquest of the Banda Oriental

1 military planification

1.1 portuguese preparations
1.2 portuguese forces
1.3 plan of artigas

military planification
portuguese preparations

the portuguese army had between 10,000 , 12,000 men, including armed , disciplined european veterans of napoleonic wars , local brazilian troops. effective intelligence service, allowed them determine accurately main steps of artigas, , watchful care of every detail, 30 doctors in health service. first transports arrived in rio de janeiro, @ end of march next year. rest of division made end of march 1816. division commanded general carlos federico lecor. may 13, 1816, birthday of new king, john vi observed praise , wonder new invasion troops.

the plan of operations behaved offensively, invading banda oriental , area of argentine mesopotamia. instructions of majesty king john vi general lecor, signed marquis de aguilar, june 4, 1816 particularly illustrative understanding motives , purposes of portuguese action in platine territories. respect artigas, prevented lecor although portuguese force had strength beat him, advisable negotiate him if possible, under conditions military body dissolved, move reside in rio de janeiro or place majesty allowed, deliver weapons, receive salary similar portuguese infantry colonels , allowed sell possessions , goods. officers , troops, admitted in portuguese army, under discretion.

finally, recommended keep scrit neutrality government of buenos aires, , in case of being asked deny intention of moving other side of rio de la plata. day after these instructions issued - on june 5, 1816 - john vi appointed lecor governor , captain general of montevideo.

portuguese forces

the preparation of lusitanian invasion had begun in mid-1815. prince regent had informed court of madrid, royal volunteer division sent lisbon brazil, represented elite corps of invasion, commanded lecor. british william carr beresford, made marshal of portuguese army, acted advisor. division composed of 2 brigades, commanded brigadiers jorge de avillez zuzarte , francisco homem de magalhães pizarro, consisting each of 2 battalions of caçadores (light infantry), 8 companies, 3 squadrons of cavalry , artillery park, total of 4,831 pieces. division of royal volunteers had 6,000 men in total. lecor decided modify order of operations, despite detailed instructions, fearing climate. in santa catarina traded land troops porto alegre, arranging new plan captain general of rio grande, marquis of alegrete. according it, lecor himself @ head of royal volunteers, march along route of atlantic coast, in direction of maldonado , montevideo. royal volunteer division called south column or lecor division, , had protected , flanked naval squadron commanded count of viana.

after division of general bernardo silveira invaded cerro largo, taking aim paysandú , mission protect right flank of lecor 2,000 men of royal volunteer cavalry , 800 riograndense militias. lieutenant colonel abreu, 650 men come reinforce colonel chagas in eastern missions, aiming advance on eastern missions , province of misiones. meanwhile, jardim ensure greater communication between these 2 chiefs , monitor native minuanes , charrúas in santa ana , haedo. finally, large reserve, commanded lieutenant general javier joaquin curado stayed @ ibirapuiá chico, able come support of of other contingents. consisted of 2,000 men , 11 pieces of artillery.

plan of artigas

artigas learned in first half of january 1816 lusitanian intentions. suspected several letters had intercepted. on january 11 gave instructions andres guazurary, prevent entry of portuguese territory. left instructions withdraw candelaria, sending observation force paraguay, settle in santo tomé , watch movements of paraguay , portugal. there near la cruz, yapeyú , other places in danger of being invaded. similar instructions sent other authorities 2 days later.

artigas took many provisions upcoming conflict, pace intensified in following months. cavalry corps organized , distributed in strategic steps guards, , requised weapons , ammunition gunpowder sent purificación.

artigas had counter-offensive plan: go uruguay river , invade populations near ibicuy river, taking war brazil, , cutting armies reinforcements. created military units of cívicos , libertos