First Battle of Guararapes

The First Battle of Guararapes was a battle in the conflict called the Insurrection of Pernambuco, between Dutch and Portuguese forces in Pernambuco, in a dispute for the dominion of that part of the Portuguese colony of Brazil. Beginnings On 18 April 1648, around forty five hundred Dutch soldiers and five artillery pieces marched south, coming from Recife. On their way south, they eliminated a small defensive outpost at the village of Barreta. The few survivors regrouped at the village of , headquarters of the Portuguese resistance, where they reported the incident. Commanders of the resistance called for a march of 2,000 combatants towards the Jaboatão dos Guararapes ("Drums" in native language) Hills against an enemy better equipped and in superior numbers.