Editing Pedro II of Brazil (section)

=== First Fatherland Volunteer ===
{{main|Fatherland Volunteers}}
[[File:Pedro II 1865 01.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1|alt=Photograph of a seated, bearded man dressed in a dark suit and vest|Pedro&nbsp;II at age 39, 1865]]
As war with the British Empire threatened, Brazil had to turn its attention to its southern frontiers. Another civil war had begun in [[Uruguay]] as its political parties turned against each other.<ref>See:
* {{harvnb|Carvalho|2007|p=108}},
* {{harvnb|Lira 1977, Vol 1|p=219}},
* {{harvnb|Barman|1999|p=197}}.</ref> The internal conflict led to the murder of Brazilians and looting of their property in Uruguay.{{sfn|Lira 1977, Vol 1|p=220}} Brazil's government decided to intervene, fearful of giving any impression of weakness in the face of conflict with the British.{{sfn|Carvalho|2007|p=107}} A Brazilian army invaded Uruguay in December 1864, beginning the brief [[Uruguayan War]], which ended in February 1865.<ref>See:
* {{harvnb|Carvalho|2007|p=109}},
* {{harvnb|Lira 1977, Vol 1|pp=224–225}},
* {{harvnb|Barman|1999|p=198}}.</ref> Meanwhile, the president of Paraguay, [[Francisco Solano López]], took advantage of the situation to establish his country as a regional power. The [[Paraguayan Army]] invaded the Brazilian province of [[Mato Grosso]] (the area known after 1977 as the state of [[Mato Grosso do Sul]]), triggering the [[Paraguayan War]]. Four months later, Paraguayan troops invaded [[Argentina|Argentine]] territory as a prelude to an attack on [[Rio Grande do Sul]].<ref>See:
* {{harvnb|Carvalho|2007|p=109}},
* {{harvnb|Schwarcz|1998|p=299}},
* {{harvnb|Lira 1977, Vol 1|p=227}}.</ref>

Aware of the anarchy in Rio Grande do Sul and the incapacity and incompetence of its military chiefs to resist the Paraguayan army, Pedro&nbsp;II decided to go to the front in person.{{sfn|Lira 1977, Vol 1|p=228}} Upon receiving objections from the cabinet, the General Assembly and the [[Privy council|Council of State]], Pedro&nbsp;II pronounced: "If they can prevent me from going as an Emperor, they cannot prevent me from abdicating and going as a Fatherland Volunteer"—an allusion to those Brazilians who volunteered to go to war and became known throughout the nation as the "Fatherland Volunteers".<ref>See:
* {{harvnb|Lira 1977, Vol 1|p=228}},
* {{harvnb|Calmon|1975|p=734}},
* {{harvnb|Olivieri|1999|p=32}},
* {{harvnb|Barman|1999|p=202}}.</ref> The monarch himself was popularly called the "number-one volunteer".{{sfn|Vainfas|2002|p=200}}{{sfn|Schwarcz|1998|p=300}} Given permission to leave, Pedro&nbsp;II disembarked in Rio Grande do Sul in July and proceeded from there by land.<ref>See:
* {{harvnb|Lira 1977, Vol 1|p=229}},
* {{harvnb|Calmon|1975|pp=735–736}},
* {{harvnb|Carvalho|2007|p=111}}.</ref> He travelled overland by horse and wagon, sleeping at night in a campaign tent.{{sfn|Carvalho|2007|p=112}} In September, Pedro&nbsp;II arrived in [[Uruguaiana]], a Brazilian town occupied by a besieged Paraguayan army.{{sfn|Carvalho|2007|p=114}}{{sfn|Calmon|1975|p=745}}

The Emperor rode within rifle-shot of Uruguaiana, but the Paraguayans did not attack him.{{sfn|Calmon|1975|p=744}} To avoid further bloodshed, he offered terms of surrender to the Paraguayan commander, who accepted.<ref>See:
* {{harvnb|Carvalho|2007|p=114}},
* {{harvnb|Calmon|1975|p=748}},
* {{harvnb|Lira 1977, Vol 1|p=237}}.</ref> Pedro&nbsp;II's coordination of the military operations and his personal example played a decisive role in successfully repulsing the Paraguayan invasion of Brazilian territory.{{sfn|Barman|1999|p=205}} Before returning to Rio de Janeiro, he received the British diplomatic envoy [[Edward Thornton (diplomat)|Edward Thornton]], who apologized on behalf of [[Queen Victoria]] and the British Government for the crisis between the empires.{{sfn|Calmon|1975|p=748}}{{sfn|Lira 1977, Vol 1|p=237}} The Emperor regarded this diplomatic victory over the most powerful nation of the world as sufficient and renewed friendly relations.{{sfn|Lira 1977, Vol 1|p=237}}