Francisco de Paula Argolo

Francisco de Paula Argolo (January 28, 1847 – February 11, 1930) was a Brazilian Marshal of the Paraguayan War, the Federalist Revolution and the Vaccine Revolt. He served as the 9th and 13th Minister of War of Brazil and was a deputy of Bahia after the Proclamation of the Republic.

Early Military Career He was the son of Colonel Paulo de Argolo Queirós and Gracinda de Melo e Silva. His father was a veteran of the Cisplatine War. His uncle, General Alexandre Gomes de Argolo Ferrão, Baron of Cajaíba, participated in the Brazilian War of Independence and in the Cisplatine War. His cousin, General Alexandre Gomes de Argolo Ferrão Filho, Viscount of Itaparica, fought in the Paraguayan War. His brother, Captain Paulo de Argolo Queirós, was killed at the Battle of Itororó during the war.

Francisco enlisted on October 19, 1866 within the 40th Volunteer Corps and as an ensign, participated in the Paraguayan War along with his brother where he entered the 16th Infantry Corps under the command of General Antônio Tibúrcio Ferreira de Sousa. He was then appointed adjutant to the command of the 1st Division and later to the command of the 2nd Corps. Subsequently, he went on to serve with the general staff of the Duke of Caxias, and the Count of Eu. For his service during the Battle of Tuyutí, he was named a knight of the Order of Christ. For his performance during the battles of June 16 and 18 of the same year, he received the knighthood of the Order of the Rose. On June 18, 1868, he served under the 1st Army Corps and was promoted to Lieutenant on February 20, 1869. He was then brevetted as a Captain. These last two promotions were granted for bravery in the series of battles fought in December 1968 in the Chaco region under the command of Marshal Duke of Caxias. He also participated in the Campaign of the Hills, in the final phase of the war. In 1870, he served in the battalion of engineers that went to the Paraguayan city of Humaitá. On March 1 of that year, he left the theater of war, returning to Brazil. He resigned shortly after Prudente de Morais had resumed the government, due to a disagreement with the President, who, during a cabinet meeting, was dissatisfied with his performance in the ministry. On July 13, 1902, he was promoted to Marshal. He returned to the post of Minister of War between November 15, 1902 and November 15, 1906, under Rodrigues Alves. On the same day, another uprising at the Realengo Preparatory and Tactics School had been thwarted shortly before. In response, the government authorized a new reorganization of military education, although the last regulation had only been in force since 1898. Thus, the Praia Vermelha Military School and the Realengo Preparatory and Tactical School were disbanded, and new teaching establishments were created. The School of Artillery and Engineering was located in the neighborhood of Realengo, and the School of Application of Artillery and Engineering, in Santa Cruz, both in Rio de Janeiro. For the cities of Rio Pardo and Porto Alegre in Rio Grande do Sul, were transferred, respectively, the School of Application of Infantry and Cavalry and the School of War. Finally, through Decree No. 5,698, of October 2, 1905, the new regulation for military teaching institutes was approved.

He died in Rio de Janeiro on February 11, 1930. He was married to Maria José Pires de Argolo, sister of Antônio Joaquim Pires de Carvalho e Albuquerque, minister of the Federal Supreme Court between 1916 and 1931, and Attorney General of the Republic between 1919 and 1931.