First Cevallos expedition facts for kids
Quick facts for kids First Cevallos expedition |
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| Part of the Fantastic War and the Anglo-Spanish War | |||||||
 A painting of the Anglo-Portuguese bombardment of Colonia del Sacramento |
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| Belligerents | |||||||
 Spain |
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| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
| Antonio de Cevallos |
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| Strength | |||||||
| 1 frigate 1 merchantman 3 dispatch boats 12 gunboats 15 troopships 2,700 soldiers |
1 ship of the line 2 frigates 2 troopships 5 store ships 2,886 soldiers |
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| Casualties and losses | |||||||
| 12 killed 200 wounded |
373 killed 40 wounded 2,660 captured 1 ship of the line destroyed |
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The First Cevallos Expedition was a series of important military actions by Spain in South America. It happened during a big conflict called the Fantastic War. This expedition was led by Pedro Antonio de Cevallos, who was the governor of Buenos Aires.
His forces captured a Portuguese town called Colónia do Sacramento. They also successfully defended it when British and Portuguese forces tried to take it back. All fighting in this area ended with the signing of the Treaty of Paris in 1763.
Contents
Why the Expedition Happened
In 1762, Spain joined the Seven Years' War (1756–1763). They sided with France as part of an agreement called the Family Compact. This alliance was partly because France wanted Spain to join the war. Spain's King Charles III of Spain also worried about his colonies in America. He feared that France might make a peace deal with Great Britain alone.
On August 15, 1761, Spain and France signed the Family Compact. This agreement would start after Spain's annual treasure fleet returned home. This was a signal to the British that Spain planned to enter the war.
In December 1761, Spain put economic rules on British trade. They ordered British goods to be seized and British merchants to leave. Because of this, Britain declared war on Spain on January 4, 1762.
In March 1762, a Spanish ship arrived in South America. It told Governor Pedro Antonio de Cevallos about the upcoming war. It also shared Spain's plans to declare war on Portugal.
Cevallos spent months secretly getting ready for an attack. He planned to target Portuguese settlements in the region. By July 27, the Portuguese in Colónia do Sacramento knew about his plans. They started preparing to defend against a Spanish invasion.
The Expedition Begins
On September 3, 1762, a Spanish fleet led by Cevallos sailed from Buenos Aires. The fleet included a 26-gun frigate, a merchant ship, three dispatch boats, 12 gunboats, and 15 troopships. These ships carried 2,700 soldiers.
At the same time, a large group of 113 wagons with siege equipment traveled by land from Montevideo. They were going to help the fleet. On September 7, the Spanish fleet arrived near Colónia do Sacramento. It took a week for the soldiers to get off the ships. Cevallos waited for final permission from Madrid before attacking. This permission arrived on September 28.
Meanwhile, the Portuguese soldiers in Colónia do Sacramento were ready. Their group included 400 regular soldiers, 40 cavalry, and 32 artillery gunners. They also had 230 local soldiers and the crews of ten small ships. On September 24, a group of 10 ships from Rio de Janeiro arrived. This group brought 65 more soldiers and many supplies and weapons.
Siege of Colónia do Sacramento
By October 1, 1762, the Spanish army was about one and a half miles from Colónia do Sacramento. They announced their plan to attack the Portuguese town. They also began setting up their camp for the siege.
On October 5, the Portuguese defenders started firing their cannons at the Spanish. The Spanish fired back with their own cannons. On October 6, the Spanish demanded that the town surrender. The Portuguese quickly refused. The Spanish ships kept a loose blockade around the town. This allowed Portuguese ships to continue bringing supplies to the soldiers inside.
On October 11, Spanish cannons began firing at the city walls. They used heavy cannons that fired large cannonballs. Mortars also dropped bombs behind the Portuguese defenses. By October 20, the bombardment had made two holes in the city walls.
A week later, Cevallos started talking with the Portuguese commander, Vicente da Silva da Fonseca. The commander was wounded. Instead of attacking the walls directly, they discussed a surrender. By October 30, both sides agreed to the terms. Three days later, 2,355 Portuguese soldiers and sailors marched out of the town. They left with full military honors. About 1,600 civilians also left.
The Spanish had 12 soldiers killed and 200 wounded during the siege. They captured 87 cannons and 26 ships in the harbor. Most of these ships were British merchant vessels.
River Plate Battle
On November 2, 1762, a British and Portuguese force arrived in Rio de Janeiro. The British part included two privateer ships, the Lord Clive and the Ambuscade. These ships had been bought from the British Navy by investors.
While stopping in Lisbon, a Portuguese fleet joined them. This fleet had two troopships and five supply ships. They carried 500 soldiers. This expedition hoped to attack Spanish settlements on the River Plate. They wanted to do this before the Spanish there knew about the war. They had sailed for Brazil on August 3, 1762.
On November 21, the British and Portuguese force arrived at the River Plate. They were joined by a Portuguese warship called the Glória. The British commander decided not to attack. He found out that the Spanish already knew about the war. He then ordered his fleet to sail to Colónia do Sacramento. They hoped to take back the captured town.
On January 6, 1763, the British and Portuguese warships anchored near Colónia do Sacramento. They began to fire at the town's defenses. The Portuguese troopships and supply ships waited further out at sea. After three hours of firing, the Spanish fired back. Their shots caused a fire on the Lord Clive. The fire spread to the ship's powder storage, which exploded. The ship was destroyed, and 272 crew members died. The damaged Ambuscade had 40 crew members killed and 105 wounded. This defeated force then sailed back to Rio de Janeiro.
More Spanish Actions
In January 1763, Cevallos finished fixing up Colónia do Sacramento. He then led two groups of soldiers to sweep through the area of modern-day Uruguay. They attacked other Portuguese outposts.
The Portuguese fort of Santa Tereza had only 150 soldiers. It was quickly captured on February 19. Soon after, the Spanish moved to attack the fort of San Miguel. The fort's soldiers tried to attack the Spanish outside, but they failed. This resulted in 305 Portuguese soldiers becoming prisoners of war. The fort was then captured.
Because of these attacks, the Portuguese governor ordered the village of Rio Grande to be left empty. The Spanish occupied the settlement on April 24. There, Cevallos learned that the Treaty of Paris had been signed. This treaty said that all fighting between the warring countries should stop by April 8. Because of this, Cevallos ended his military actions. This brought an end to the fighting in the region.
What Happened Next
The expedition's success was good news for Spain. The war had not gone well for Spain in other places. For example, they had a failed attack on Portugal. They also lost major battles in Havana and Manila.
Historian Manuel Fernández Álvarez noted that the conquest of Colónia do Sacramento was a positive point for Spain. However, it did not change the final peace agreements.
King Charles III of Spain was happy about the victory. He said it brought "joy for the honour of my troops."
Under the Treaty of Paris, Colónia do Sacramento was given back to Portugal. However, other places captured by Cevallos, like Santa Tereza and San Miguel, stayed under Spanish control. The Portuguese did not want to lose these places. They started raiding Spanish-held areas. These actions eventually led to an undeclared war between Spain and Portugal from 1776 to 1777.
During this later conflict, Cevallos captured Colónia do Sacramento again. It was then permanently given to Spain as part of the First Treaty of San Ildefonso.
Also
- Second Cevallos expedition
See also
In Spanish: Primera expedición de Cevallos a Río Grande para niños
