Occupation of Porto Santo by the Constitutional troops
Original title: Ocupação do Porto Santo pelas Tropas Constitucionais
Account of the occupation of Porto Santo by Liberal (constitutional) forces from Terceira between April and May 1832, during the civil war, followed by the brief reassertion of Miguelist rule and the final acclamation of D. Maria II in 1834.
Occupation, departure and Miguelist return
On 4 April 1832 Porto Santo (‘holy harbour’) was occupied by a constitutional force of 60 artillerymen, who had arrived from the island of Terceira aboard the war brig Conde de Vila Flor and the war schooner Terceira. The force was commanded by Captain Bento José de Oliveira, who at once had Queen Maria II proclaimed on the island. On the 7th of the same month the frigate D. Maria II, returning from the blockade of Madeira, reached Porto Santo. On board were Admiral Sartorius, the future prefect (prefeito) Luís da Silva Mousinho de Albuquerque, the dean of Funchal Cathedral (the Sé) (Sé do Funchal), Januário Vicente Camacho, and other constitutionalists. The occupation lasted until 5 May, when the said force and the others who had landed on the island left for the Azores.
In addition to the force of 60 men already mentioned, 104 volunteers embarked who had fled the island of Madeira to enlist in the constitutional army.
While the expedition remained on Porto Santo, several ships were captured, and their cargo was used to supply the inhabitants. These were already suffering some hunger, both because the island’s harvest the previous year had been poor and because the blockade made it impossible for provisions to come from Madeira.
Complete calm reigned on Porto Santo throughout the occupation, thanks to the discipline of the troops and the vigilance of Mousinho de Albuquerque and the officers under his command.
On 29 May, after the constitutional troops had left, the yacht Bomfim arrived at Porto Santo from Madeira. On board were the juiz de fora (crown-appointed judge from outside the district) Esperança Freire, the inspector of the Arsenal José Joaquim de Amorim, the engineer Pegado and a detachment of 30 soldiers of the 7th Caçadores (Portuguese light infantry) and the 8th Infantry, commanded by Second Lieutenant António Pedro de Azevedo. The acclamation (aclamação, formal public proclamation of a new king) of Miguel I took place at once, and all of them returned to Madeira that same night.
Maria II was proclaimed again on the island of Porto Santo on 7 June 1834.
In this article
Time
Years mentioned · 02-
A constitutional force of 60 artillerymen from Terceira occupied Porto Santo and proclaimed D. Maria II, joined on 7 April by Admiral Sartorius and Mousinho de Albuquerque; it left for the Azores with 104 Madeiran volunteers in May.
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A Miguelist party from Madeira proclaimed D. Miguel on Porto Santo and returned the same night.
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D. Maria II was again proclaimed queen on Porto Santo.
Place
Places mentioned · 05
Abroad
- Azores
Portugal. Destination of the departing constitutional force in May 1832.
The Azores, an Atlantic archipelago that shares plant species with Madeira. The Elucidário records settlement there by Madeiran families such as the Bettencourts, the 1801 ban on Azorean wines in Madeira, and imports of Azorean tobacco. It also notes that Azorean farmers were brought to Madeira to teach maize-growing methods.
- Funchal
Seat of the cathedral whose dean joined the Liberals.
The capital of the archipelago and seat of the principal captaincy, where settlement began; it was made a vila c.1451–52. Its bay, the widest in the archipelago, lies between Ponta do Garajau and Ponta da Cruz and offers sheltered anchorage, though its harbour had never been studied oceanographically. The Elucidário discusses it as a health resort with climate data and records the January 1906 disturbances, the Danish prince's visit in May 1846 and recent volcanic cones in the area.
- Porto Santo
Island occupied by constitutional troops in 1832.
An island of the archipelago, settled alongside Madeira and forming one of the three captaincies. It has always constituted a single parish, dedicated to Nossa Senhora da Piedade, whose church was repeatedly sacked. The Elucidário records the Moorish pirate raid of 1617, its own Misericórdia and a rainwater channel built on this drought-prone island.
- Terceira
Portugal. Azorean island, Liberal base from which the occupying force came.
An Azorean island that served as the Liberal base where D. Pedro's expedition assembled and from which the force occupying Porto Santo came. Nicolau Pita was banished there, João Bettencourt de Vasconcellos was executed there and Acursio Garcia Ramos was born there.
People
People mentioned · 10- António Pedro de Azevedo1814–1889
Ensign commanding the 30-man Miguelist detachment sent to Porto Santo in May 1832.
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Artillery captain who commanded the constitutional force occupying Porto Santo in 1832 and had D. Maria II proclaimed there.
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Admiral of the Liberal fleet aboard the frigate D. Maria II, returning from the blockade of Madeira, who called at Porto Santo in April 1832.
- Januário Vicente Camacho1792–1872
Dean of Funchal Cathedral and constitutionalist who came to Porto Santo aboard the frigate D. Maria II in 1832.
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Inspector of the arsenal (Trem) in the Miguelist party that visited Porto Santo on 29 May 1832.
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Future Liberal prefect who landed on Porto Santo in 1832 and maintained order during the occupation.
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Juiz de fora who came from Madeira in May 1832 to proclaim D. Miguel on Porto Santo.
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Liberal queen of Portugal proclaimed on Porto Santo in 1832 and again in 1834.
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Absolutist king proclaimed on Porto Santo on 29 May 1832 after the Liberals left.
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Engineer in the Miguelist party that visited Porto Santo on 29 May 1832.