Rio de Janeiro Affair

Cruiser Detroit in the Guanabara Bay, during the Brazilian Naval Revolt (L'Univers illustré, Levy (Paris), nº 2.029, 10 February 1894).

Date

9–21 January 1894

Location

Guanabara Bay, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Result

American victory

End of rebel blockade
Rio de Janeiro reopened to American commerce

Belligerents

United States

Brazilian mutineers

Commanders and leaders

Andrew Benham

Willard Brownson

Saldanha Da Gama

Strength

2 gunboats
3 cruisers
4 barks

Land:
1 fort
Sea:
2 coastal battleships
4 cruisers
1 monitor
1 gunboat
7 torpedo boats
9 auxiliary cruisers

Casualties and losses

1 cruiser lightly damaged

1 cruiser heavily damaged

American victory

The Rio de Janeiro Affair refers to a series of incidents during the Brazilian Naval Revolt in January 1894. Following three attacks on American merchant ships in the harbour of Rio de Janeiro, a bloodless naval engagement occurred between a United States Navy warship and an ironclad of Rear Admiral Saldanha Da Gama's rebel fleet. Ultimately the Americans completed their objective, and Da Gama offered to surrender his fleet to the Americans, but the offer was never pursued.

The incidents which led to the short engagement began on 21 January 1894, when the 586 ton American bark SS Julia Rollins was fired on with rifles from a fort on Cobras Island, while heading to Gamboa. Brazilian fire was heavy though nobody was harmed; the American crewmen were forced to take cover and maneuver their ship out of the fort's range, where they laid anchor. The Brazilians then opened fire again, but this time with the guns of the ironclad cruisers Trajano and Guanabara. Julia Rollins moved once more until finding a safe anchorage, then a boat with a few sailors was lowered and sent to inform Admiral Andrew E. K. Benham, who was in command of three cruisers at Rio de Janeiro with orders to protect American interests and observe the rebel blockade of the city. On 26 January, another incident occurred when the bark Agate was fired at with rifles and naval guns from Cobras Island and the rebel cruisers. Again nobody was hurt, but Admiral Benham, who was busy communicating with Da Gama, warned him not to attack American vessels. USS Detroit, under Commander Willard H. Brownson, was one of the modern cruisers in Benham's squadron. The other two were the USS San Francisco and USS Newark. Admiral Saldanha Da Gama's fleet of twenty-four ships was much stronger, as most of the rebel navy was stationed at Rio, though only the Trajano, the cruiser Guanabara and the gunboat Liberdade were directly involved. The 1,400 ton Trajano was armed with twelve guns and the much larger 2,200 ton Guanabara mounted eight. Liberdade was only 250 tons but armed with eight guns. She was Da Gama's flagship and patrolled back and forth between the two cruisers and the main fleet. Brazilian commanders expected a battle against the American squadron so men from other ships were used to reinforce the Trajano and the Guanabara.

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