Carlos Frederico Lecor, Viscount of Laguna
Encyclopedia
Carlos Frederico Lecor was a Portuguese general and politician. He was the first Baron of Laguna
, in Portugal, and later ascended to Viscount of Laguna, in Brazil.
He was most notably the only non-British General to have commanded one of the anglo-Portuguese divisions of Wellington
's Peninsular Army (the seventh, in late 1813), as well as having commanded the Portuguese forces who invaded the Banda Oriental del Uruguay (Eastern Bank of Uruguay) in 1816.
His last name is sometimes written as Lecór or Le Cor. The latter is very common in English sources of the 19th century. Most Spanish sources give him as Carlos Federico Lecor.
, in Lisbon. He had French ascendency by his father, and German, Dutch and Spanish ascendency by his mother.
He was born into merchant families, and, as the older son of five, was destined to pursue a commercial career. Instead, having moved to Faro
in the decade of 1770, he would eventually enlist in the Portuguese Army, as a Pé de Castelo (Castle Guard) in 1793, as a gunner, at the unusual age of 29.
Having been placed at the Fortress of Santo António da Barra, in Tavira
, he rose to the rank of Sargeant. He was then made an adjutant to the military commander of Portimão
, presumably at officer level. In 1794, he became first lieutenant in the Artillery
Regiment of Algarve, as second in command to the ninth company of gunners.
In 1795 and 1796, he was part of the artillery complement of the Nau Príncipe da Beira, the flagship of a fleet escorting commercial ships to Salvador
, in Brazil.
Upon returning to Lisbon, he was promoted to Captain in the Light Troops Legion, an experimental unit of the Portuguese Army, eventually becoming the aide-de-camp
to General Marquis of Alorna
. In this capacity he was promoted to Major (1802) and Lieutenant-Colonel (1805).
, and having personally informed the Prince-Regent, future King John VI
.
As Lecor didn't want to serve in the Légion Portugaise, formed out of the remnants of the dismantled Portuguese Army to serve Napoleon, he fled to Plymouth
, England, hoping to embark to Brazil, but on hearing the news of the Portuguese uprisings of June 1808, he participates in the creation of the Loyal Lusitanian Legion
, a military unit created by the Portuguese exiles in England. He then returns to Portugal, with colonel Robert Wilson
. Despite being originally made responsible for the recruitment of a second battalion of the Legion, he is made colonel of the 23rd Infantry Regiment, in Almeida
, in December 1808.
Between 1809 and 1813, Lecor acts as commander of several units in the Portuguese Army, mainly brigade
-level, and as military commander of the Beira Baixa region, based in Castelo Branco
. He is promoted to Brigadier General
on May 8, 1811. For a brief period in 1811, he commands the Portuguese Brigade of the Allied 7th Division. He participates in the Bussaco campaign, as well as the Torres Vedras
lines, under general Rowland Hill
.
On the eve of the Vitoria
Campaign, in 1813, Lecor is placed again at the command of the Portuguese Brigade (later numbered sixth) of the seventh Division of the Anglo-Portuguese Army, under the command of Lord Dalhousie
. He is promoted to Major General
(Marechal de Campo) on June 4, 1813. He then goes on to fight in the Battle of Sorauren
, as brigade commander and the Battle of Nivelle
, as acting commander of the 7th Division. He is then placed as the commander of the Portuguese Division, where he is till the end of the war, participating at the Battle of the Nive
, on its last day, also called the Battle of St. Pierre.
In June, 1815, he is promoted to Lieutenant General
and appointed commander of the Prince's Royal Voluntary Division (Divisão de Voluntário Reais do Príncipe) a unit to be sent for service in Brazil, made up mostly of peninsular veterans.
In 1816 he led the successful Luso-Brazilian invasion
against the Liga Federal
of José Gervasio Artigas
, who had liberated the Banda Oriental
(present-day Uruguay) from Spanish rule the year before.
He personally ruled the newly conquered Cisplatina Province, until the Argentina-Brazil War
of 1825-1828. During this war, he succeeded in defending Montevideo against an Argentine-Uruguayan siege, but when Uruguay became independent in the peace treaty, he had to return to Brazil.
Laguna, Santa Catarina
Laguna is a Brazilian city located in the southern state of Santa Catarina, 120 kilometers south of the state's capital, Florianópolis, and north east of Porto Alegre. Its coordinates are 28.48/28°28'57" S and the longitude is 48.779/48°46'51" W. In 2004, the population was 48,956 and the area was...
, in Portugal, and later ascended to Viscount of Laguna, in Brazil.
He was most notably the only non-British General to have commanded one of the anglo-Portuguese divisions of Wellington
Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington
Field Marshal Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington, KG, GCB, GCH, PC, FRS , was an Irish-born British soldier and statesman, and one of the leading military and political figures of the 19th century...
's Peninsular Army (the seventh, in late 1813), as well as having commanded the Portuguese forces who invaded the Banda Oriental del Uruguay (Eastern Bank of Uruguay) in 1816.
His last name is sometimes written as Lecór or Le Cor. The latter is very common in English sources of the 19th century. Most Spanish sources give him as Carlos Federico Lecor.
Early life and military career (1764-1807)
Son of Louis Pierre Lecor, a French émigrée, and Quitéria Maria Krusse, Carlos Frederico Lecor was born in the Parish of Santos-o-VelhoSantos-o-Velho
Santos-o-Velho is one of the 53 freguesias of Lisbon, Portugal, with an area of 0.51 km² and 4,013 inhabitants...
, in Lisbon. He had French ascendency by his father, and German, Dutch and Spanish ascendency by his mother.
He was born into merchant families, and, as the older son of five, was destined to pursue a commercial career. Instead, having moved to Faro
Faro, Portugal
Faro is the southernmost city in Portugal. It is located in the Faro Municipality in southern Portugal. The city proper has 41,934 inhabitants and the entire municipality has 58,305. It is the seat of the Faro District and capital of the Algarve region...
in the decade of 1770, he would eventually enlist in the Portuguese Army, as a Pé de Castelo (Castle Guard) in 1793, as a gunner, at the unusual age of 29.
Having been placed at the Fortress of Santo António da Barra, in Tavira
Tavira
Tavira is a Portuguese city, situated at 37°07' north, 7°39' west in the east of the Algarve on the south coast of Portugal. It is 30 km east of Faro and 160 km west of Seville in Spain. The Gilão River meets the Atlantic Ocean in Tavira....
, he rose to the rank of Sargeant. He was then made an adjutant to the military commander of Portimão
Portimão
Portimão is a Portuguese town located in the District of Faro in the Region of Algarve, the southern coast of Portugal. It was formerly known as Vila Nova de Portimão . In 1924, it was incorporated as a cidade and became known merely as Portimão. The town has 41,000 inhabitants and the Portimão...
, presumably at officer level. In 1794, he became first lieutenant in the Artillery
Artillery
Originally applied to any group of infantry primarily armed with projectile weapons, artillery has over time become limited in meaning to refer only to those engines of war that operate by projection of munitions far beyond the range of effect of personal weapons...
Regiment of Algarve, as second in command to the ninth company of gunners.
In 1795 and 1796, he was part of the artillery complement of the Nau Príncipe da Beira, the flagship of a fleet escorting commercial ships to Salvador
Salvador, Bahia
Salvador is the largest city on the northeast coast of Brazil and the capital of the Northeastern Brazilian state of Bahia. Salvador is also known as Brazil's capital of happiness due to its easygoing population and countless popular outdoor parties, including its street carnival. The first...
, in Brazil.
Upon returning to Lisbon, he was promoted to Captain in the Light Troops Legion, an experimental unit of the Portuguese Army, eventually becoming the aide-de-camp
Aide-de-camp
An aide-de-camp is a personal assistant, secretary, or adjutant to a person of high rank, usually a senior military officer or a head of state...
to General Marquis of Alorna
Marquis of Alorna
Marquis of Alorna was a Portuguese title of nobility granted, in 9 November 1748, by King John V of Portugal, to D. Pedro Miguel de Almeida Portugal e Vasconcelos, 3rd Count of Assumar and 44th viceroy of India....
. In this capacity he was promoted to Major (1802) and Lieutenant-Colonel (1805).
Peninsular War (1807-1814)
On the occasion of the first French Invasion of Portugal, in November 1807, Carlos Frederico Lecor is credited with having spotted the invading army, commanded by Junot, north of AbrantesAbrantes
Abrantes is a municipality in Portugal, with a population of 41,560 inhabitants, located on the southern margin of the Tagus River.-History:...
, and having personally informed the Prince-Regent, future King John VI
John VI of Portugal
John VI John VI John VI (full name: João Maria José Francisco Xavier de Paula Luís António Domingos Rafael; (13 May 1767 – 10 March 1826) was King of the United Kingdom of Portugal, Brazil and the Algarves (later changed to just King of Portugal and the Algarves, after Brazil was recognized...
.
As Lecor didn't want to serve in the Légion Portugaise, formed out of the remnants of the dismantled Portuguese Army to serve Napoleon, he fled to Plymouth
Plymouth
Plymouth is a city and unitary authority area on the coast of Devon, England, about south-west of London. It is built between the mouths of the rivers Plym to the east and Tamar to the west, where they join Plymouth Sound...
, England, hoping to embark to Brazil, but on hearing the news of the Portuguese uprisings of June 1808, he participates in the creation of the Loyal Lusitanian Legion
Loyal Lusitanian Legion
The Loyal Lusitanian Legion was a foreign volunteer corps of the British Army, organized with Portuguese émigrés in England, that fought in the Peninsula War...
, a military unit created by the Portuguese exiles in England. He then returns to Portugal, with colonel Robert Wilson
Robert Thomas Wilson
General Sir Robert Thomas Wilson Kt was a British general and politician who served in Egypt, Prussia, and was seconded to the Imperial Russian Army in 1812. He sat as the Liberal Member of Parliament for Southwark from 1818 to 1831...
. Despite being originally made responsible for the recruitment of a second battalion of the Legion, he is made colonel of the 23rd Infantry Regiment, in Almeida
Almeida
Almeida is a municipality in Portugal with a total area of 518 km2 and a total population of 7,784 inhabitants. Located in Riba-Côa river valley, Almeida is an historic town in Beira Interior....
, in December 1808.
Between 1809 and 1813, Lecor acts as commander of several units in the Portuguese Army, mainly brigade
Brigade
A brigade is a major tactical military formation that is typically composed of two to five battalions, plus supporting elements depending on the era and nationality of a given army and could be perceived as an enlarged/reinforced regiment...
-level, and as military commander of the Beira Baixa region, based in Castelo Branco
Castelo Branco, Portugal
The city of Castelo Branco is made up of one parish with a population of 30,649.It is located in Castelo Branco Municipality in Castelo Branco District.-History and landmarks:...
. He is promoted to Brigadier General
Brigadier General
Brigadier general is a senior rank in the armed forces. It is the lowest ranking general officer in some countries, usually sitting between the ranks of colonel and major general. When appointed to a field command, a brigadier general is typically in command of a brigade consisting of around 4,000...
on May 8, 1811. For a brief period in 1811, he commands the Portuguese Brigade of the Allied 7th Division. He participates in the Bussaco campaign, as well as the Torres Vedras
Torres Vedras
Torres Vedras is a city and a municipality in the district of Lisbon, Portugal, about 50 km north of Lisbon. It belongs to the Oeste subregion and the Centro region.The municipality covers an area of 405.89 km² distributed over 20 freguesias...
lines, under general Rowland Hill
Rowland Hill, 1st Viscount Hill
General Rowland Hill, 1st Viscount Hill of Almaraz GCB, GCH served in the Napoleonic Wars as a trusted brigade, division and corps commander under the command of the Duke of Wellington. He became Commander-in-Chief of the British Army in 1829.-Early career:Educated at a school in Chester, Hill was...
.
On the eve of the Vitoria
Battle of Vitoria
At the Battle of Vitoria an allied British, Portuguese, and Spanish army under General the Marquess of Wellington broke the French army under Joseph Bonaparte and Marshal Jean-Baptiste Jourdan near Vitoria in Spain, leading to eventual victory in the Peninsular War.-Background:In July 1812, after...
Campaign, in 1813, Lecor is placed again at the command of the Portuguese Brigade (later numbered sixth) of the seventh Division of the Anglo-Portuguese Army, under the command of Lord Dalhousie
George Ramsay, 9th Earl of Dalhousie
General George Ramsay, 9th Earl of Dalhousie GCB , styled Lord Ramsay until 1787, was a Scottish soldier and colonial administrator...
. He is promoted to Major General
Major General
Major general or major-general is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. A major general is a high-ranking officer, normally subordinate to the rank of lieutenant general and senior to the ranks of brigadier and brigadier general...
(Marechal de Campo) on June 4, 1813. He then goes on to fight in the Battle of Sorauren
Battle of Sorauren
The Battle of Sorauren was part of a series of engagements in late July 1813 called the Battle of the Pyrenees in which a combined British and Portuguese force under Sir Arthur Wellesley held off Marshal Soult's French forces attempting to relieve San Sebastián.With sizable Anglo-Portuguese forces...
, as brigade commander and the Battle of Nivelle
Battle of Nivelle
The Battle of Nivelle took place in front of the River Nivelle near the end of the Peninsular War . After the Allied siege of San Sebastian, Wellington's 80,000 British, Portuguese and Spanish troops were in hot pursuit of Marshal Soult who only had 60,000 men to place in a 20-mile perimeter...
, as acting commander of the 7th Division. He is then placed as the commander of the Portuguese Division, where he is till the end of the war, participating at the Battle of the Nive
Battle of the Nive
The Battles of the Nive were fought towards the end of the Peninsular War. Arthur Wellesley, Marquess of Wellington's Anglo-Portuguese and Spanish army defeated Marshal Nicolas Soult's French army in a series of battles near the city of Bayonne.Unusually, for most of the battle, Wellington...
, on its last day, also called the Battle of St. Pierre.
Service in Brazil and Uruguay (1815-1829)
Having returned to Portugal, in mid-1814, after the conclusion of the Peninsular War, Lecor is appointed military governor of the Alentejo for a brief period of time.In June, 1815, he is promoted to Lieutenant General
Lieutenant General
Lieutenant General is a military rank used in many countries. The rank traces its origins to the Middle Ages where the title of Lieutenant General was held by the second in command on the battlefield, who was normally subordinate to a Captain General....
and appointed commander of the Prince's Royal Voluntary Division (Divisão de Voluntário Reais do Príncipe) a unit to be sent for service in Brazil, made up mostly of peninsular veterans.
In 1816 he led the successful Luso-Brazilian invasion
Luso-Brazilian invasion
The Luso-Brazilian invasion of the Banda Oriental, also known as the Portuguese Invasion of 1816 and the War against Artigas , was an armed conflict between the United Kingdom of Portugal, Brazil and the Algarves and the people of the Banda Oriental and the Misiones Province...
against the Liga Federal
Liga Federal
The Federal League or League of Free Peoples was a confederal state based around Montevideo from 1815 to 1820...
of José Gervasio Artigas
José Gervasio Artigas
José Gervasio Artigas is a national hero of Uruguay, sometimes called "the father of Uruguayan nationhood".-Early life:Artigas was born in Montevideo on June 19, 1764...
, who had liberated the Banda Oriental
Banda Oriental
The Banda Oriental del Uruguay was the South American territory east of the Uruguay River and north of the Río de la Plata, coinciding approximately with the modern nation of Uruguay, the Brazilian State of Rio Grande do Sul and some parts of Santa Catarina...
(present-day Uruguay) from Spanish rule the year before.
He personally ruled the newly conquered Cisplatina Province, until the Argentina-Brazil War
Argentina-Brazil War
The Cisplatine War or the Argentine–Brazilian War was an armed conflict over an area known as Banda Oriental or "Eastern Shore" in the 1820s between the United Provinces of River Plate and the Empire of Brazil in the aftermath of the United Provinces' emancipation from Spain.-Background:Led by...
of 1825-1828. During this war, he succeeded in defending Montevideo against an Argentine-Uruguayan siege, but when Uruguay became independent in the peace treaty, he had to return to Brazil.
Sources
- CHARTRAND, René & YOUNGHUSBAND, Bill. The Portuguese Army of the Napoleonic Wars. (vol. 2), Oxford: Osprey, 2000.
- DUARTE, Paulo de Queirós (1984), Lecor e a Cisplatina 1816-1828 (3 vv.), Biblioteca do Exército: Rio de Janeiro.
- QUINTA-NOVA, Jorge (2008), "Carlos Frederico Lecor: The Making of a Portuguese General", in: "Napoleon Series", http://www.napoleon-series.org/research/biographies/Portugal/Lecor/c_Lecor.html [March 3, 2010]
- SILVA, Alfredo P.M. Os Generais do Exército Brasileiro, 1822 a 1889, M. Orosco & Co., Rio de Janeiro, 1906, vol. 1, 949 pp.
- SILVA LOPES, João Baptista. Corografia, ou Memoria Economica, Estadistica, e Topografica do Reino do Algarve. Lisbon: Academia Real das Sciencias, 1841.
- TEIXEIRA BOTELHO, Gen. José Justino. Novos Subsídios para a História da Artilharia Portuguesa. Lisbon: Comissão de História Militar, 1944 .