Against all odds
Hold at all costs
Eventually a decisive victory was achieved over Curitiba, from where the encircled Brazilian forces retreated towards Desterro, and now completely surrounding them would be much simpler than before. Everything was being prepared to cut down even more the still numerically superior imperial army. Nevertheless, the casualties were growing up: countless thousands already gave their lives for the Riograndense Republic. Also, fortunately certain problems related to unfortunately needed budget cuts were over as well, and about time.
Over Santa Catarina, they at last achieved another victory in this 2nd War of the Farrapos as impressive as The Brazilian Slaughter in Mato Grosso during the 1st conflict, delivering devastating losses to the imperial forces. Yet, the war is very far from over, and they knew it.
The cut downs of military once done to secure a better budget were proven unwise, and now, despite the opening phase of the war in their favor, their standing army will be expanded to its fullest, and even then it will remain far outnumbered by the Brazilian military, which reinforcements were bound to arrive to the front at any time.
And when they did, the hopeful mood of the gauchos immediately died off. The massive Brazilian army marched towards Passo Fundo, and they knew they stood no chance against them were them to march there to attempt defending the province, specially as many of their brigades were right now understrength. Instead, every able-bodied man was summoned to rally at Porto Alegre, where they would, once the time comes, fight, and somehow, no matter how numberful the imperials are, they must win.
The successful occupation of Desterro was proven futile, Brazil still outrightly refusing a white peace and demanding unconditional surrender, which is completely out of question for the Republic. They can't just end in nothing after all their past victories, after all their past struggles. Bento Gonçalves, while Passo Fundo was about to fall into enemy hands, swore for his life he shall defend Porto Alegre to his last breath, as reinforcements were arriving to all the troops stationed in their capital, expecting the grim battle to come against the better preparing Brazilian forces.
Luckily, the resistance in Passo Fundo successfully bought enough time for enough brigades to be raised to negate the major numerical superiority of that Brazilian, but nevertheless, many of these were still fresh and undersupplied as they prepared themselves for a battle where any result other than victory will mean total defeat for Rio Grande do Sul. They had to hold Porto Alegre, they had to hold it at all costs, for they knew very well what was at stake. Even with the numerical imbalance temporarily corrected and the advantage of terrain, the Brazilian forces still had the upper hand because their army was made mostly of infantry, and in this new century, the kind of Cavalry Rio Grande do Sul packs is definitively much less capable than infantry in battle. Now, the most decisive battle of the entire war was coming.
A bold cavalry charge would prove itself decisive to turn the tide of the battle, allowing the less numberful Republican footsoldiers to emerge victorious and push back the massive infantry assault of Brazil, despite suffering heavy casualties in the process. Surrounding this now retreating army was not just important, but critical for Rio Grande do Sul to stand a chance, and thus, there was no time to celebrate this decisive victory, for the enemy army had to be routed as soon as possible, because they feared Brazil would eventually send even more armies south. Thus they marched towards Lajes in an attempt to crush the retreating enemy forces.
The counter-offensive was only not disastrous because, despite running out of supplies, will and ammunition due to how little morale was left after countless hours of battle, they inflicted greater casualties upon the enemies, and upon this failed battle the enemy again advanced towards Porto Alegre, this time having no more than six thousand retreating soldiers to defend her until the reinforcements could arrive. They cannot fail!
Facing a numerically superior army while exhausted, the defenders of Porto Alegre, during the first days of the battle, fought with great bravery as they hoped reinforcements would turn the tide of yet another desperate battle for survival. Although taking significant casualties, the royalists were clearly winning the battle and there was a doubt on whether they could hold long enough for the reinforcements to arrive or not, and if they didn't, then most strategists believed it would be all over for Rio Grande do Sul, and then there would be nothing left but a slow but certain defeat and capitulation.
It is over now. They were just too small to face a country as large as Brazil, all they gained was some time with their initial victory in the first of their wars, but now, there was nothing left. Some have futilely pledged to fight to death for the Republic, but, in the end, their sacrifices, the sacrifices of all those before them...
Then, in 16th of April of 1843, a group of civilians who thought the Riograndense Republic was not sufficiently free, which once tried to peacefully promote reforms towards the abolition of slavery, universal suffrage, freedom of press among other ideals, seeing the imminent defeat of their nation, rose to arms against the Brazilian forces occupying Porto Alegre despite knowing how small their chances were, as they were outnumbered and lacked proper military training for such a feat. Nevertheless, the Brazilian forces over the province, although victorious, were weary, and immediately every Riograndense army was ordered to rally to Porto Alegre as soon as possible, in the hopes this event, a revolution inside a revolution, would turn the tables and save their young country from defeat, but first, one of the larger armies of the Republic desperatedly tried to prevent a twelve-thousand strong army from regrouping with the Brazilian forces at Porto Alegre, as together they would be nearly invincible.
They were stopped just time, and now, in a very daring, and arguably suicidal move, three thousand men led by Bento Gonçalves sneaked into Porto Alegre, trying to bypass the battle between the Jacobin revolutionaries and the winning Brazilian forces. Somehow, they managed to reach the center of the city while the rebels and Brazilian forces continued their battle, with one side clearly victorious.
The occupation force was exhausted, but those who managed to sneak through them were vastly outnumbered to a point their odds of holding on long enough for reinforcements were near impossible. Nevertheless, these three thousand men fought with a great valor worthy of comparisons with the three hundred spartans, for this could be their last chance to prevent a crushing defeat and turn the tides of the war, and thus the Third Battle of Porto Alegre began, with the gauchos outnumbered at nearly 10:1 during the first day.
Even during this challenging and difficult war, philosophy evolved, with a gaucho philosopher developing a new kind of Neokantian ideal which has among its ideas a concept crudely briefed by the equation: Thesis + Antithesis = Synthesis. Now, if Brazil is the Thesis, as the first one to emerge and Rio Grande do Sul the Antithesis in opposition to near everything it represents, what could be the Synthesis?
Luckily, the military leadership of the Republic has improved considerably now. If only they had an economy strong enough to keep their military budget always high even during peacetime...
The defense of Porto Alegre by the three thousand gauchos was heroic, and even as the first reinforcements arrived, the odds remained against them, but they carried on, defining what would later be considered one of the most legendary battles ever fought in the history of the entire Latin America, "The Alamo" of Rio Grande do Sul so to speak, except they got no Kwanzania willing to intervene for their cause. They were on their own and thus the only outcome that could prevent a defeat that a few weeks ago seemed inevitable was to win this grueling battle.
Against all odds, not only they have won and secured Porto Alegre, despite vastly outnumbered, but they also have completely routed the army that attempted to occupy the city, delivering another devasting loss against the Brazilian army and guaranteeing the safety of their capital. However, their problems were very far from over, and where ironically the traitors saved the Republic, now they could as easily doom it to defeat, for were these rebels to occupy the country, they would completely ruin the odds of victory of the Republic to then later be easily crushed by Brazil. Reforms will come when the time is right, and now these Jacobins must be dealt with.
However, Brazil continues to refuse peace despite all the devastating casualties they suffered so far. Thus the Riograndense Republic chooses to ignore the Jacobins for now and instead try to make the empire pay an even higher price in blood for their tyranny until the chaos, popular discontent and devastation convince them to accept peace.
Their arrogance endless, they refused peace even after suffering another devastating defeat. After this, despite pressued by the threat of the Jacobins at home, Bento Gonçalves spoke clearly of how it is imperative for them to march and occupy Rio de Janeiro itself to make the point Brazil lost this war clearer, and as quickly as possible.
As they spreaded to begin occupations over Brazil, a small force advanced to meet Bento Gonçalves as his small force defiantly upon the very gates of the capital of Brazil. From near total defeat to this they have marched, and they never gave up, they never surrendered, no matter the odds.
Some people began to claim Brazil is secretly using biological weapons to crush the Republic, because seriously, two Spanish Flu pandemics in less than five years? Now, there were also some German immigrants who had another idea even more far-fetched: that the Ashkenazi minority in Rio Grande do Sul is part of a huge Jewish cabal of "Elders of Zion" and they are secretly trying to create a super disease only Jews are immune to with the goal of wiping the "goyim dregs" from the planet. The arguably good thing about censorship of press is that tabloids and other questionable publications defending such claims as true cannot spread. What is next, claims that Rio Grande do Sul is a puppet of the Bavarian Illuminati?
The drafted peasants were called back, then mobilized again at Porto Alegre to hold the city against the traitors, as Passo Fundo already fell to these vile jacobins, who think beheading those who disagree with their views is a proper way of promoting DEMOCRACY rather than Islam. This left a much smaller army to occupy Brazil and keep their armies distracted.
The Jacobins failed at Porto Alegre, while isolated Brazilian forces continued to be hunted down.
Were them "victorious" against the legitimate Republic, they would not last even a day against the Brazilian armies. They did their part, involuntarily, to help Rio Grande do Sul turn the tide of the war during their finest hour, but apparently they are as willing to fight to the end for their misguided radicalism as those loyal to the Republic are, and thus they will have what their death wish concluded as soon as peace with Brazil can be achieved.
In September 2nd 1843, rumors were spreading of a new revolutionary movement in Brazil with the goal of violently overthrowing the monarchy growing stronger than ever after the tears of hundreds of thousands of orphans left to such misery for the cause of the ego of a self-proclaimed emperor, and that they planned to lauch a massive insurrection during the Brazilian independence day in the same week, while the Riograndense forces were preparing to march towards Rio De Janeiro itself, their occupations of adjacent territories nearly concluded. Only then, at last, the Brazilian government was willing to sign a white peace. Proceeding with the war was not wise for obvious reasons, including the diminishing financial reserves of the Republic due to the drain of a fully mobilized army on the coffers.
And thus after more than one year of a devastating conflict, marked by seemingly impossible victories and unremitting courage in face of the superiority of Brazilian forces, thanks to a second legendary and victorious War of the Farrapos, from where the tales of the brave stand of three thousand men led by Bento Gonçalves who sneaked into the middle of a battle between Jacobins and the vast Brazilian army shall never be forgotten, as never will all the heroes who fought incredibly and gave their lives for the Republic, there was peace again...
At least regarding foreign enemies, because Rio Grande do Sul now had a civil war against Jacobins to fight, and thus more sacrifices were yet to happen, and more blood will be shed again for the continued survival and integrity of the Republic.
Although they should actually be shunned for having no honor and cowering when they were called to help Rio Grande do Sul defend their sovereignty, having such alliances might be useful to buy some time and prevent a Third War of the Farrapos from happening as soon as the truce with Brazil is over.
The traitors took over all of the western regions of the country,, and they were resolute on their next step. Without thought they marched against Porto Alegre, wanting to overthrow the existing government and establish a LIBERAL government on Rio Grande do Sul by force. Typically liberal...
They were all crushed, save a few, as finally, to help a little in putting a definite end to these traitors, the army of the Riograndense Republic was vastly improved by recent advances in its organizational structure and tactical doctrines that increased its professional nature.
Considering how likely it is for more wars to be fought, the decision to modernize firearms, which is about time considering how outdated flintlock rifles are, is taken. It is obvious that to ensure Rio Grande do Sul never again ends hanging on a thin thread over a razor edge as it did during the temporary fall of Porto Alegre, their army must be kept in the state-of-art, and Brazil, being even less literate, and not interested at doing the same massive investments Rio Grande do Sul is doing over education, plus lacking the same degree of plurality a DEMOCRACY will naturally have, is bound to become more and more backwards with time, and this may, eventually, combined with growing immigration, allow the Republic to, once the next war comes, end with a result far more favorable from the war than just another white peace delaying the inevitable next war.
January 22nd, 1844. It was only in this day that the country could have a collective breath of relief. The Brazilian Slaughtered to a point they were forced to give up their ambitions, the Jacobins crushed, yet their desires not, for it were not their ends that placed them at odds with the Republic, but their means, because eventually all of reforms they killed and died for shall happen anyway, and now finally there is peace again, at least for some years. The Second War of the Farrapos was even more dramatic and devastating than the first one, and was considered by many not only another conflict against all odds, but their finest hour, and the greatest military victory of Latin American history for them, while also, the greatest military disaster of Latin American history for Brazil. Like some say, freedom is not free, but these two wars have proven that the gauchos are ready to do whatever it takes to ensure their continued freedom, and that most importantly, they are capable of such, even outnumbered, even when all hope seems lost and capitulation is knocking on the door, they have never surrendered, and never will.
TO BE CONTINUED.