João Manuel Mena Barreto was a Brazilian Brigadier throughout the Uruguayan War and Paraguayan War. He was known for his service at the Battle of São Borja, rescuing the civilian populace from the Paraguayan forces before getting killed at the Battle of Piribebuy.
João Manuel Mena Barreto | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | January 24, 1824 Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil |
| Died | August 12, 1869 (aged 45) Piribebuy, Cordillera, Paraguay |
| Allegiance |  Brazil |
| Branch |  Imperial Brazilian Army |
| Years of service | 1824 – 1869 |
| Rank | Brigadier |
| Battles / wars | |
| Spouse(s) |
Maria Balbina Palmeiro da Fontoura
(m. 1849) |
Biography
editHe was the legitimate son of João de Deus Mena Barreto, Viscount of São Gabriel and Maria Joaquina de Almeida. He married Maria Balbina Palmeiro da Fontoura, on August 27, 1849.[1]
He participated in the Uruguayan War, being promoted to colonel, by merit, on February 18, 1865 after the Siege of Paysandú.[2]
He was then to Paraguay in the first half of 1865 as the commander of the 1st Battalion of Volunteers for the Homeland, as he was informed of the invasion of Rio Grande do Sul[2] near São Borja. The Paraguayans' decision to only take São Borja after crossing the river with only five thousand men and was caused by the impression that the soldiers were a vanguard of the Imperial Brazilian Army. Colonel João Manuel took advantage of this to effect, at night, the strategic withdrawal of all the families from São Borja and was praised for this.
He later took part in the Siege of Uruguaiana, shortly after taking command of a brigade stationed at São Gabriel.[2]
He was later called to court, where he commanded the 1st Guard Regiment. He did not stay long as he wished to return to combat and was promoted to Brigadier in 1867.[2] In November and December of the same year he excelled in combat, later fighting in battles of Avay and Lomas Valentinas.
He was then transferred to command of the 1st Cavalry Division, but was wounded by a bullet in the Battle of Piribebuy, dying on August 12, 1869.[2][3] His death infuriated the Brazilian commander Count of Eu, who ordered the beheading of Colonel Pablo Caballero and the political chief of the village, Patrício Marecos.[4]
Awards
edit- Medal of the Oriental State Campaign (1851 - 1852)
- Order of Christ, knight (1858)
- Order of São Bento de Aviz, knight (1860)
- Order of the Cruzeiro, knight (1860)
- Order of the Cruzeiro, officer ( 1865 )
- Order of the Rose ( 1869 )
Foreign Awards
edit
References
edit- ^ "Pequena biografia do Brigadeiro João Manoel Menna Barreto, Patrono do 2.° Regimento de Cavalaria Mecanizado". 2.° Regimento de Cavalaria Mecanizado - Exército Brasileiro. Retrieved January 30, 2021.
- ^ a b c d e Aquiles Porto Alegre (1917). Homens Illustres do Rio Grande do Sul. Porto Alegre: Livraria Selbach.
- ^ "BRIGADEIRO JOÃO MANOEL MENNA BARRETO "PATRONO DO 2º R C Mec"". 2º RC Mecanizado. Retrieved November 29, 2018.
- ^ DORATIOTO, Francisco. Maldita Guerra. São Paulo: Companhia das Letras, 2002.
Bibliography
edit- MENNA BARRETO, João de Deus Noronha. Os Menna Barreto. Seis Gerações de Soldados. Rio de Janeiro: Laemmert, 1950.
- MENNA BARRETO,Oswaldo Bittencourt. Família Menna Barreto 200 Anos. Santa Maria: Cedigraf, 2003.