Pedro I was a ship of the line of the Imperial Brazilian Navy. It was a third-rate, three-masted, two-decked, 74-gunned sailing ship. The ship was built by shipbuilder Antônio da Silva in the Bahia Navy Arsenal in Salvador for the Portuguese navy in Colonial Brazil in 1763. First named Santo António e São José, it took part in several naval actions in the decades after its construction such as the bombardment of Algiers in 1784.
It was part of the fleet that transferred the Portuguese royal family and its court to Brazil during the French invasion of Portugal. Later, during the Brazilian War of Independence, it was seized by the Brazilians and incorporated into the newly formed Imperial Brazilian Navy to fight the Portuguese forces stationed in Brazil, being the navy's first flagship, whose commander was admiral Thomas Cochrane, the first admiral of Brazil, and taking part in the battle of 4 May off Salvador.
During the Cisplatine War the ship was tasked with transporting emperor Pedro I to southern Brazil; however, due to the death of Maria Leopoldina of Austria, the emperor's wife, it returned to Rio de Janeiro and did not take part in any further naval actions. Pedro I served its final years as a prison ship, being scrapped in 1833 after about 70 years in service.
Characteristics
The ship's keel measured 60m, 14m of beam, 12m of depth and 6.37m of draft. It was rigged as galera (ship-rigged), that is, it hoisted three robust masts. When first built, it had three spacious battery packs, with 70 hatches armed with carronades and culverins of heavy and medium caliber. Its first battery deck consisted of twenty six 24-pounder guns; the second battery deck consisted of twenty six 12-pounder guns; the aftercastle was armed with two 12-pounder, eight 9-pounder and four 1-pounder guns. It also had an additional four 1-pounder guns. Its crew, made up of sailors and troops, must have numbered between 600 and 700 men. As a symbol of fidelity, it had a dog as its figurehead, for which its sailors often referred to the ship as "Cão" (dog).
Construction
The ship was built at the by shipbuilder Antônio da Silva. The keel was laid on 1 October 1760 and it was named, according to the tradition of the time, to the double blessing of Anthony of Padua and Saint Joseph. The construction lasted for twenty-eight months; its launch took place on 29 January 1763, during the government of , the 6th Count of Arcos and 7th Viceroy of Brazil. The total construction cost was 134,904,283 réis.
Service
In the Royal Portuguese navy
In southern Brazil
Upon its completion, Santo António e São José departed for Santa Catarina in southern Brazil after completing a trip to Lisbon. The Portuguese expected Spanish attacks in the region and also planned to reconquer the part of the territory of present-day Brazilian state of Rio Grande do Sul that had been occupied by Spain as a result of the Fantastic War. This prompted the formation of a naval division to be stationed in Santa Catarina, with Santo António e São José as its flagship, in order to provide support for the troops on land and patrol the coast. The commander of such division was Irish officer (also spelled Duval or Douall). The commander of Santo António e São José was captain of sea and war José da Silva Pimentel.
The instructions sent on 9 August 1774 by the Marquis of Pombal to the Viceroy of Brazil, Luís de Almeida Portugal, the 2nd Marquis of Lavradio, read:
By 1 February 1775, the squadron had already reached Santa Catarina, with Santo António e São José serving as its flagship. The following year, on 6 February 1776, at 15:00, Santo António e São José sailed from Santa Catarina towards Rio Grande do Sul accompanied by nine vessels: two frigates, two corvettes, three smacks, a brig and a sloop. Part of the Santa Catarina Regiment embarked on these ships, this regiment was known as Barriga Verde, "Green Belly". The squadron reached its destination on February 14, anchoring away from the coast. The next day chief MacDuall went ashore in order to meet with the Army Commander in Operations.