We have given these incidents not so much for the interest they may have
in themselves, but because they lead up to a dramatic finale which seems
worth relating. There were warships of several nations in the harbor, the
officers of most of which accorded the rights of belligerents to the rebel
navy, though it had not a foot of land under its control. Saldana da Gama,
then in command of the ships, refused permission to any merchant vessel to
go to the wharves to deliver its cargo, threatening to fire on any one
that should venture. Thus the fleet of merchantmen was forced to lie out
in the bay and await the end of the war, in spite of the fact that yellow
fever was making havoc among the crews.
The captains of the American merchant ships applied for protection to the
senior American officer present, but he refused to interfere, and the
commercial blockade went on. Such was the state of affairs when the United
States Admiral Andrew E. Benham appeared in the harbor and took in the
situation. He was a man to accept responsibilities.
"Go in," he said to the American captains. "Trust to me to protect you
from attack or to revenge you if injured."
This promise put new spirit into the captains. Captain Blackford, of the
barque "Amy," and two other captains, gave notice on Sunday, January 29,
1894, that they would take their ships in to the wharves the next morning.
When Da Gama heard of this he announced that he would fire on any vessel
that dared attempt it.
When Monday morning dawned there was a state of excitement in Rio Janeiro
harbor. Da Gama might keep his word, and what would the American admiral
do in that event? The commanders of the other war-vessels looked on with
interest and anxiety. They soon saw that Benham meant business. The dawn
of day showed active movements in the small American squadron. The ships
were clearing for action, and the cruiser "Detroit" took a position from
which she could command two of Da Gama's vessels, the "Guanabara" and the
"Trajano."
When the "Detroit" was in position, the "Amy" began to warp in towards the
pier. A musket-shot came in warning from the deck of the "Guanabara."
Instantly from the "Detroit" a ball hurtled past the bow of the Brazilian
ship. A second followed that struck her side. Seeing that two Brazilian
tugs were moving inward as if with intent to ram his vessel, Captain
Brownson of the "Detroit" took his ship in between the two Brazilian
war-vessels, in a position to rake them and their supporting tugs.
This decisive act ended the affair. Da Gama's guns remained silent, and
the "Amy," followed by the other two vessels, made her way unharmed to the
wharves. Others followed, and before night all the British and other
merchantmen in the harbor were hastening in to discharge their cargoes.
Benham had brought to a quick end the "intolerable situation" in Rio
Janeiro harbor.
This ended the last hope of the naval revolutionists to bring Peixoto to
terms. Some of the ironclads escaped from the harbor and fled to Santa
Catharina, where they were captured by the republicans. A few months
sufficed to bring the revolt to an end, and republicanism was at length
firmly established in Brazil.