Bernardim Freire de Andrade

Bernardim Freire de Andrade (Lisbon, 18 February 1759 — Braga, 17 March 1809), was a Portuguese Army general officer who was assigned to command the forces of the Porto Junta in 1808 during the Peninsular War. The commander of the British invasion force, Sir Arthur Wellesley complained that it was difficult to cooperate with Freire. In March 1809, Freire commanded an army composed mostly of unruly militia which was opposed to Marshal Nicolas Soult's army of professional French soldiers. Freire understood that his poorly trained men stood little chance against the French but he was afraid to order a retreat because he feared for his life. When he tried to leave the army, he was arrested and put in the Braga jail. Soon afterward, a group of militiamen broke into the jail and murdered him. On 20 March, Soult's army attacked and inflicted terrible losses on the Portuguese in the Battle of Braga.