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South America

Cevallos Expedition of 1762

Soon after Spain’s declaration of war against Portugal on March 9th, 1761, the Spanish had sent order out to their colonies with instructions to prepare and commence hostile actions against Portuguese and British interests and territories.

Late among these included orders to the Governor of Buenos Aires, Pedro Antonio Cevallos, to prepare for a campaign to take the disputed Colonia del Sacramento and Portuguese territories beyond the Guapore River. The orders from Spain did not arrive in Buenos Aires until late September. It would still take three more months for forces to be prepared and recruited and a transport fleet to arrive. It was not until January of 1762 that the expedition crossed the Rio de la Plata and landed in the Portuguese territory.

On January 2nd, Nearly 3,000 Spanish troops and 1200 Indians besieged Colonia del Sacramento, which had only about 400 ill-prepared Portuguese defenders. After a month of siege, the Portuguese Governor, Vicente da Silva, capitulated the city on February 2nd.

After taking Colonia del Sacrmento, Cevellos marched his army further east to take Fort Santa Teresa on July 1st, and Fort San Miguel a few days afterwards on July 7th.

Cevellos continued on to conquer Rio Grande do Sul after the captures of Fort Jesus, Maria, Jose de Rio Grande, and Sao Jose de Norte over July and August culminating in the capture of Porto Alegre on August 27th.