, ▁before ▁becoming ▁a ▁captain ▁and ▁adj unct - a ide ▁to ▁the ▁Field ▁Marshall ▁of ▁the ▁Province ▁of ▁Be ira , ▁João ▁Brun ▁da ▁Sil ve ira , ▁on ▁ 1 7 ▁December ▁ 1 7 9 9 . ▁He ▁succeeded ▁his ▁father ▁as ▁the ▁Major at ▁of ▁Esp í rito ▁Santo ▁on ▁ 2 2 ▁February ▁ 1 7 8 5 . ▁ ▁During ▁the ▁war ▁between ▁France ▁and ▁Spain ▁( in ▁ 1 8 0 1 ), ▁Francisco ▁da ▁Sil ve ira , ▁along ▁with ▁other ▁important ▁people ▁in ▁the ▁province , ▁raised ▁a ▁volunt ary ▁cor p , ▁and ▁as ▁ser ge ant ▁figured ▁in ▁the ▁Mon ter ei ▁company , ▁commanded ▁by ▁G om es ▁Fre ire ▁de ▁And rade . ▁He ▁was ▁reward ed ▁by ▁being ▁assigned ▁to ▁the ▁ 6 th ▁Caval ry ▁Regiment , ▁first ▁as ▁ser ge ant , ▁then ▁as ▁Lieutenant ▁Commander ▁on ▁ 1 4 ▁March ▁ 1 8 0 3 . ▁ ▁Pen ins ular ▁wars ▁He ▁commanded ▁the ▁caval ry ▁in ▁ 1 8 0 7 , ▁when ▁the ▁Portuguese ▁army ▁was ▁ordered ▁to ▁march ▁from ▁the ▁borders ▁to ▁the ▁coast . ▁He ▁was ▁in ▁A ve iro , ▁when ▁in ▁December ▁he ▁was ▁called ▁to ▁Co im bra ▁to ▁test ify ▁for ▁the ▁anni h ilation ▁of ▁the ▁ 6 th , ▁ 9 th , ▁ 1 1 th ▁and ▁ 1 2 th ▁reg iments , ▁by ▁General ▁Jun ot . ▁With ▁the ▁fall ▁of ▁the ▁mon