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Updated: June 12, 2025
On the 3rd of April, we put to sea with a squadron of four ships only, viz. the Pedro Primiero, Captain Crosbie, Piranga, Captain Jowett, Maria de Gloria, Captain Beaurepaire, and Liberal, Captain Garcaõ two others which accompanied us, viz. the Guarani, Captain de Coito, and Real, Captain de Castro, were intended as fireships.
July 19th. Went on board the Pedro Primiero to pay advance. July 26th. Went to the Pedro, with the Admiral and Lieutenant Blake, to pay advance from the prize-money. In the evening the Emperor called and announced to the Admiral that he was to sail on Sunday next. July 31st. On board the Pedro paying seamen as before. Soldiers came on board. August 2nd. Emperor came alongside. Admiral embarked.
In consequence of the directions from His Imperial Majesty, communicated through Your Excellency, to equip the Pedro Primiero, Carolina, and Maria de Gloria, with all possible despatch, and to hold them in readiness to proceed on service, I ordered a commissioned officer to visit the different rendezvous which the seamen frequent, and endeavour to prevail on them to re-enter assuring them that the continuance of their services was the best means whereby to obtain their rewards for captures made during the late campaign.
The first act of the new Government was to address a congratulatory letter to His Imperial Majesty, explaining that they should long before have espoused the Imperial cause, but from fear of the Portuguese troops. The following is an extract from this letter: What was our joy when unexpectedly we saw the Pedro Primiero summoning our port. Oh, 26th of July, 1823!
In still further proof, however, of the real existence of the evils in question, I may just observe that since the return of the Pedro Primiero, that ship has been kept in constant disorder by the delay in commencing and the idle and negligent mode of executing even the trifling alterations in the channels, which were necessary to enable the rigging to be set up, and which, after the lapse of upwards of five months, is now scarcely finished, though it might have been accomplished in forty-eight hours.
Captain Garcaõ being a seaman and well able to judge as to the sailing qualities of the Pedro Primiero, was easily impressed with this story, and returned to the city with intelligence of an irresistible force about to disembark for its reduction.
Having entered the Brazilian service, however, Lord Cochrane applied himself to his work with characteristic energy and success. He hoisted his flag on board the Pedro Primiero on the 21st of March, and put to sea on the 3rd of April.
The enemy being greatly annoyed at our perseverance in following, and still more so at the loss of so many of the convoy on the morning of the 4th, gave chase to the flagship with the whole squadron, endeavouring to hem her in, and at one time we were pursued so closely inshore, that there was some danger of getting embayed, but the handling and superior sailing qualities of the Pedro Primiero enabled her to out-manoeuvre them and get clear.
Heavy weather having now set in compelled the flagship to run to Bahia for safety, the outer road of Pernambuco being at this season exceedingly dangerous from the coralline nature of the bottom, as was practically proved by the fact that the Pedro Primiero lost every anchor but one, so that to remain was certain destruction, and there was no alternative but to make for Bahia to procure anchors.
As this is the only instance within my knowledge of a military force surrendering itself and the province which it defended, to a stratagem of this nature, I shall append the documents by which a result so desirable was effected. To Don Agostinho Antonia de Faria, the commandant, I wrote as follows: Pedro Primiero, July 26, 1823.
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