Royalist Attack On Chaves

The attack on Chaves, which occurred on 8 July, 1912, was a military action performed by supporters of the monarchy of Portugal in opposition to the Portuguese First Republic, which had been proclaimed two years prior.

The attack was led by Henrique Paiva Couceiro, who had campaigned in Africa and who became the leader of the royalists. The royalists were discreetly armed by the Spanish king, Alfonso XIII, and concentrated their forces in Galicia.

The attack ended with a defeat for the royalist forces.

First incursion (3 October 1911)

Couceiro undertook the first incursion in 1911 with about 1,000 men, who formed groups of 60-70 men. They left the town of Verín, 12 kilometers from the northern border with Spain, and marched towards the border. Most of the men were from the region of Trás-os-Montes and were from a diverse array of social classes and skills. There were more than 100 priests in the group. In terms of military equipment, there were only 400 ancient rifles, a few Winchester rifles, and Mauser Pocket Pistols adapted to rifles, to which were added a score of semi-automatic pistols, daggers, and swords. The 1,000 men crossed the border after a long march in the mountainous region between Bragança and Vinhais, near the present-day Montesinhos National Park.

The republican garrison in Bragança waited for an attack that never came.
This is because the royalists changed their plans and now marched on Vinhais, which had a smaller garrison of men— only eighty infantry, cavalry, and border guards.

These forces from Vinhais left the small town and concentrated on a hill nearby. Negotiations were begun but the military commander of Vinhais refused to join or to surrender. He gave Paiva Couceiro two hours to abandon Portuguese territory.

Meanwhile, the Vinhais commander sent messengers to Chaves and Bragança asking for reinforcements. When daylight came and he saw the large group of royalists camped nearby, he knew that he would have to retreat and he did so. The royalists then occupied Vinhais. They hoisted the white-and-blue flag of the monarchy and proclaimed the end of the Republic. Priests of neighboring villages and a band of villagers cheered them on and used the Republican flag for target practice.

However, the royalists, who were expecting a general uprising, did not receive the support they were expecting. On the nearby mountain, Republican troops remained and at any moment Republican reinforcements were expected to arrive from Chaves. Thus, the royalists abandoned Vinhais, and headed for the border. The republican garrison from Vinhais meanwhile retreated towards Chaves, where they met the troops coming in their support. When they arrived in Vinhais the royalists had already left. Crossing the rugged mountains north of Vinhais, and reduced to about 600 men after desertions, the rebels made their way back into Spain. The companies that still remained formed nine groups, some staying near Xinzo de Limia and Ourense, but the bulk of the column concentrated nearer the border in Verín.

The attack on Chaves (8 July 1912)

After a hard winter in exile, the refugees were eager to fight again. In February Paiva Couceiro joined them in Galicia. It was hoped that the towns in the north, now more than ever, would come over to their side. They now had more men and materials. The original plan was to cross the mountains of the Barroso, west of Chaves, and link up with followers of a pro-monarchist priest in Cabeceiras de Basto

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