João Manuel de Lima e Silva
João Manuel de Lima e Silva (2 March 1805 – 29 August 1837) was a Brazilian military officer and revolutionary leader, being the first general of the Riograndense Republic. Biography Early life The son of José Joaquim de Lima e Silva and Joana Maria da Fonseca Costa, João Manuel was born in Rio de Janeiro on 2 March 1805, being from a traditional military family. His father was a Portuguese marshal who arrived in Brazil in 1783 as captain of the Braganza Regiment. He was the brother of Francisco de Lima e Silva, and ; he was also the uncle of Luís Alves de Lima e Silva, later Duke of Caxias, despite being younger than his nephew. João Manuel joined the in Rio de Janeiro at the age of fifteen with the rank of alferes. From 1820 to 1821 he took the first year of the math course and the fifth year of the military course in 1822, graduating from the academy that same year with the rank of infantry lieutenant of the 1st Battalion of Fusiliers. Brazilian War of Independence After graduating, in 1822, João Manuel actively took part in the Brazilian War of Independence in Bahia as part