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'Luís Alves de Lima e Silva', 'Duke of Caxias' (
August 25,
1803–
May 7,
1880),a.k.a. ''The Peacemaker (O Pacificador)'' was a Brazilian military leader, nobleman and statesman. In more than one occasion, he served as
Prime Minister of the Brazilian Empire. Considered one of the most important heroes in
Brazilian military history, Caxias fought in the
Argentina-Brazil War, the
War of Tatters, and, most notably, in the
War of Triple Alliance. He was the only non-royal Brazilian to receive the honorary title of
Duke (the others being the Duchesses of Goiás and Ceara, illegitimate daughters of Emperor Pedro I), and the only Duke to be created in the reign of Emperor Pedro II.
Caxias entered the military while in adolescence, and rapidly rose to the ranks of general and baron, subsequently becoming marshal, marquis, senator, and aide-de-camp of the emperor. He was twice Minister of War and also President of the Council, exerting great political influence as a conservative leader. Caxias was superseded by the Count d'Eu after the capture of
Asunción, and received the title of duke in 1869.
[1]
The Brazilian holiday ''
Dia do Soldado'' (
Portuguese, "Day of the Soldier"), celebrated on his birthday,
August 25, and the cities of
Duque de Caxias and
Caxias do Sul are named in his honor.
Military life
The Duke of Caxias in military dress
In 1818, at 15 years of age, he enrolled at the ''Academia Real Militar'' (Royal Military Academy), where he was eventually promoted to a
Lieutenant, and in 1821, served in the first artillery battalion, an elite unite of the Imperial army.
The return of the royal family eventually resulted in the establishment of the
Brazilian Empire. After
Dom Pedro I proclaimed the independence, he organized an ''Imperial Guarda de Honra e o Batalhão do Imperador'' — an Imperial guard integrated by eighty military soldiers, considered to be the elite in athletic and tactical skills. Caxias' fathe received the newly created flag of the Empire from the hands of the Emperor himself, on
10 November,
1822 in the Imperial Chapel.
On
3 June 1823, the young soldier saw his first military action, when the Emperor's Battalion was sent to
Bahia, to crush a
pacifist movement against Brazil's independence led by
General Madeira de Melo. After returning from this campaign, he received the most prized title of his life as ''Veterano da Independência'' — veteran of independence.
In 1825, he participated in the
Argentina-Brazil War, where he fought in the
Pampas region with the Emperor's Battalion. His bravery and competence as a commander eventually lead to promotion as a
Major. In 1833, he married the sixteen-year-old Ana Luísa de Loreto Carneiro Viana.
In 1837, he was promoted to the rank of
Lieutenant Colonel, and was chosen "his administrative skills and disciplined spirit," as he pacified a revolt in the
Maranhão region known as the ''
Balaiada''.
On
2 December 1839, he was promoted to
Colonel, and by a Imperial Charter, nominated as president of
Maranhão, and general commander of the military, with the responsibility of taming the post-revolutionary civilians under one rule.
In 1841, Caxias was promoted to the position of a
Brigadier General, unanimously invested with the Arms of the Court, and later given the tile of Baron of Caxias, mostly for his efficacy in subjugating the conflict in Maranhão.
Battle in War of the Tatters.
In May of 1842, following an uprising known as the
War of Tatters from the Southern states by the Liberal Party, Dom Pedro II called on Caxias to pacify the region. He was later named commander in chief of operational forces, and vice president of the state. After having accomplished several feats in the mission after a little over a month, the government, fearing a rebellion in
Minas Gerais, diverted his activities there nominating him to restore peace to that region — which he did by the beginning of September.
On
30 July 1842, he was given a field commission as Marshal because of his "relevant services in the provinces of São Paulo and Minas Gerais", although he hadn't reached the age of 40. Also that year, he was given a title as commander in chief of the Army, and the presidency of the province of
Rio Grande do Sul.
The
War of the Tatters still lingered in the south. More than six presidents of the province and generals had commanded the counter-revolutionary forces unsuccessfully. Thus, he was given operational command of the
Rio Grande do Sul state. Caxias is remembered for his humility after capturing 10 commanders of the revolutionary forces at
Santa Luzia, eventually freeing them. On
1 March,
1845, the
War of Tatters ended, and Caxias was given the title ''Marechal Barão de Caxias'' (Baron-Marshal of Caxias), later being promoted to
Count. He was also proclaimed the "Pacifier of Brazil" and assumed a the role of a senator in the
Rio Grande do Sul province.
In the year 1851, he was made the commander of the ''Exército do Sul'' (Army of the South), and prepared to quell an uprising of gauchos in the southern frontiers of Brazil. After negotiating with the Uruguayan president,
Manuel Oribe, he was able to lower the tensions around the border.
In 1852, he was declared a
Lieutenant General and
Marquis. By 1862, he was made marechal-do-exército — "Marshal of the Army", and resumed the senatorship in 1863.
War of the Triple Alliance
Caxias leading in the Battle of
Itororó.
In 1864, the ambitions of the Paraguayan president,
Francisco Solano Lopez culminated in the
War of Triple Alliance, in which Brazil, Argentina and Uruguay aligned themselves against landlocked Paraguay. Caxias was nominated commander in chief of Imperial forces, in 1866, and is, effectively, ''marechal-do-exército'' (Marshal of the Army). One notable fact is that Caxias utilized air reconnaissance, as he chartered air balloons to monitor military operations on either side of combat.
The military career of Caxias reached its apex in the battles of the campaign. For example, his creating roads in the Gran Chaco, allowing the Brazilian forces to execute a famous march across the Paraguayan Chaco, which his been immortalized in military literature. On the same hand, his leadership reached levels of excellence, as shown in his loyalty to his men crossing a stream to fight in the
Battle of Itororó, saying "follow me Brazilians!." He captured the capital of Paraguay,
Asunción, on
1 January 1869. For his campaigns in Paraguay, he received the title of
Duke of Caxias.
After military career
In 1875, for the third time, he was named the Minister of War and president of the Council of Ministers.
Caxias would still participate in other distinct moments of Brazilian history, such ''Questão Religiosa'' - "Religious issue," As he was already advanced in age, he retired to his birth place, in the province of
Rio de Janeiro, in the Santa Monica ranch.
Death
The Duke of Caxias died on
7 May 1880, at 8:30 p.m
On the next day, a train arrived carrying the Duke's corpse, dressed in a modest uniform, and bearing only two of his numerous medals — those of ''General da campanha do Paraguai'' (General of the Paraguay campaign) and that of ''Mérito Militar'' (Military merit).
His final wishes were thus fulfilled after his death, including his wish for a simple funeral, his coffin carried by soldiers from his unit, and his body not being embalmed.
At the burial, the literary magnate, the Viscount of Taunay, who had been a major in the Army, said:
: "six soldiers have carried him; but, gentlemen, these soldiers who surround the glorious hollow and the voice that raises to speak in name of them, are the body and the spirit of all the Brazilian Army. They almost represent the last spell of an everlasting recognition that we military of north and south of this vast Empire, came to give to our old Marshal, who guided us as General, as protector, as father during forty years; soldiers and orator, humble all in our spheres, very small for the proper value, but great for the raised homage and the sincerity of pain ".
Soldier’s Day
Commemorative photo of Caxias from the Brazilian government.
On
25 August 1923, Caxias' birthday was declared ''O dia do soldado'' (Soldier’s Day), in homage to his military service to the
Brazilian Army. The Army also justified such tribute as he "became one of the greatest Brazilians of all time, giving his nation over 60 years of exception service as a politician and public administrator… as a soldier of social peace, and the integrity of the sovereignty of the Brazilian Empire…
Since 1931, the cadets at the Brazilian military academy of ''Agulhas Negras'', carry a copy of the ''Sword of Caxias'', a relic at the Instituto Histórico e Geográfico Brasileiro. In 1961, he was honored as the "patron of the Brazilian army."
Medals and decorations
Nobility titles
★ Baron in 1841.
★ Viscount in 1843.
★ Count in 1845.
★ Marquis in 1852.
★ Duke,
23 March 1869.
Other titles
★ Honorary member of the Instituto Histórico e Geográfico Brasileiro.
★ President do Institut d’Afrique.
★ Honorary member of the Instituto Politécnico do Brasileiro.
★ Honorary member of the Sociedade dos Veteranos da Independência da Bahia.
★ Honorary member of the Instituto Literário Luisense.
Decorations
★ Cavaleiro da Imperial Ordem do Cruzeiro.
★ Medalha de Ouro da Independência.
★ Comendador da
Ordem Militar de São Bento de Aviz.
★ Cavaleiro da Imperial Ordem da Rosa.
★ Grã-Cruz da Ordem Militar de São Bento de Aviz.
★ Medalha de Ouro da Campanha do Uruguai
★ Grã-Cruz efetivo da Imperial Ordem da Rosa
★ Medalha de Ouro Comemorativa da Rendição de Uruguaiana.
★ Grã-Cruz da Imperial Ordem do Cruzeiro
★ Grã-Cruz da Imperial Ordem de D. Pedro I
★ Medalha do Mérito Militar
★ Medalha Comemorativa do término da Guerra do Paraguai.
Military campaigns as Army marshall
First rule
★
Argentina-Brazil War, 1825
Regency period
★
Balaiada (Maranhão), 1841
★
Revolution of São Paulo, 1842
★
Revolution of Minas Gerais, 1842
Second Rule
★
War of the Tatters, 1835 a 1845
References
1. Duke of Caxias, from ''famousamericans.net''. Retrieved July 6, 2006.
2. Dia do Soldado from the Army website. Retrieved July 5, 2006.
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