Battle of Pirajá
 |
| Battle of Pirajá | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part of the Brazilian War of Independence | |||||||
| |||||||
| Belligerents | |||||||
 Empire of Brazil |
 Kingdom of Portugal | ||||||
| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
| Pedro Labatut | Madeira de Melo | ||||||
| Strength | |||||||
| 1,300[citation needed] | 3,200[citation needed] | ||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||
| 286 killed[citation needed] | 350 killed[citation needed] | ||||||
The Battle of Pirajá was part of the War of Independence of Brazil, and was fought in the province of Bahia on November 8, 1822.
Prelude
In command of the Portuguese forces in Bahia was Inácio Luís Madeira de Melo, who had been sent by Portugal to quell rumors of independence and political and administrative dissent. The French general Pierre Labatut, who had been appointed by the Prince Regent, Pedro I of Brazil, on July 3, 1822, as commander of the Peacemaker Army, took command of the Brazilian forces against Madeira de Melo.
Battle
Tobias Monteiro, in his A elaboração da Independência, records that a Major Barros Falcao, who led the Brazilian troops at one point, had ordered a retreat, but bugler Luis Lopes instead sounded the "cavalry, advance and behead". Such a move would have been impossible, since there was no Brazilian cavalry in the battle, but the Portuguese panicked and retreated, giving the advantage to the Brazilian troops, who attacked with renewed enthusiasm and won the battle.
Outcome and Aftermath
The battle was a decisive engagement between the Peacemaker Army and the Portuguese Legião Constitucional. The Brazilian victory consolidated the political and military defeat of the Portuguese in Bahia. Such factors would contribute to the independence of Bahia instigated on July 2, 1823, regarded by many researchers and commentators[who?] as a framework for the effective and practical independence of Brazil.