Bernardim Freire de Andrade

Bernardino Freire de Andrade e Castro (Lisbon, 18 February 1759 – Braga, 17 March 1809) was a Portuguese Army general officer who was appointed, in July 1808, commander-in-chief of the Portuguese forces in the north of the country during the Peninsular War.[1]

Bernardino Freire
Born18 February 1759 (1759-02-18)
Lisbon, Portugal
Died17 March 1809 (1809-03-18) (aged 50)
Braga, Portugal
Allegiance Portugal
Years of service1781–1809
RankField Marshal
Battles/warsWar of the Pyrenees
War of the Oranges
Peninsular War

Early career

War of the Pyrenees
Main article: War of the Pyrenees

Freire saw action in the Roussillon in 1794-1795.[1]

Peninsular War
Main article: Peninsular War

In July 1808, the Supreme Junta of Oporto appointed Freire commander-in-chief of the Portuguese forces in the north of the country.

Highly critical of the Convention of Cintra (August 1808),[1] by which Junot's French forces were allowed to leave Portugal after their defeat at Vimeiro by the Anglo-Portuguese forces commanded by Sir Arthur Wellesley, Freire was also resentful of British influence in the country.[1]

Freire died at Braga, lynched by a mob.[1] Having secretly fled from Braga, he had been seized by the Ordenanza of Tobossa, and brought back to the camp as a prisoner. His second-in-command, Baron Eben, the colonel of the 2nd battalion of the Lusitanian Legion, had then thrown him into the gaol of Braga. Members of the Ordenanza later returned, dragged Freire out, and killed him in the street with their pikes. That same day, they also murdered Major Villasboas, the chief of Freire’s engineers, and one or more of his aides-de-camp.[2]

The commander of the British invasion force, Sir Arthur Wellesley complained that it was difficult to cooperate with Freire.

Promotions and Units
RankUnitDate
Lieutenant General2 October 1808
Commandant ChiefArmy of Operations in Estremadura22 July 1808
Field Marshal25 February 1807
Governor of WeaponsPorto Party25 February 1807
Brigadier25 January 1795
Colonel13th Infantry Regiment of Peniche17 December 1794
Lieutenant Colonel13th Infantry Regiment of Peniche24 September 1791
Major13th Infantry Regiment of Peniche27 April 1790
Captain5th Company, 13th Infantry Regiment of Peniche27 February 1787
Lieutenant5th Company, 13th Infantry Regiment of Peniche9 October 1782
Ensign5th Company, 13th Infantry Regiment of Peniche25 April 1782
Cadet13th Infantry Regiment of Peniche

References
  1. Chartrand, René (2013). Vimeiro 1808: Wellesley’s first victory in the Peninsular, p. 37. Bloomsbury Publishing, ISBN 9781846035456. Google Books. Retrieved 17 February 2023.
  2. Oman, Charles (1903). A History of the Peninsular War, Vol. II, pp. pp. 232-233. Project Gutenberg. Retrieved 17 February 2023.


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