Battle of Pirajá

The Battle of Pirajá was a battle that ocurred during the Brazilian War of Independence, on the province (now state) of Bahia on November 8, 1822.

It was a deisive battle between the peacemaker army and the portuguese forces. The brazilian victory consolidated the defeat of the portuguese in both military and political terms. Such factors would contribute to the independence of Bahia on July 2, 1822, and later, the independence of the whole Brazil in Setember 7 of the same year.

The commander of the portuguese forces in Bahia was Inácio Luís Madeira de Melo, sent by portugal to supress the rumours of independence and the politico-administrative dissidence. The french general Pedro Labout was named by the prince-regent Dom Pedro I, in July 3, 1822, as commander of the peacemaker army, that would assume the command of the brazilian forces that would battle the of forces of Madeira de Melo, at Bahia.

A curious fact about this battle is a narrative told by Tobias Monteiro in his book "A elaboração da independência" (the elaboration of the independence) about a episode where Major Barros Falcão, that commanded the brazilian troops at certain point of the battle, gave the order of retreat, but the trumpeter Luís Lopes, by his own, made the sound to "Cavalry, advance and behead". The portuguese, frightened by such movement (that was impossible, as the brazilians didn't had cavalry at that battle), panicked and retreated, giving the momentum to the brazilian troops, that attacked with renewed morale and won the battle.