He was named Field-Master, making himself known in command of one of the units of the Patriot Army infantry, in the two battles of Guararapes, in 1648 and 1649, along with João Fernandes Vieira, Henrique Dias and Filipe Camarão.

In charge of bringing King John IV (1640–1656), the news of the expulsion of the Dutch, was decorated by the sovereign with the Order of Christ and successively appointed Governor and Captain-General of the Captaincy of Maranhão and Grão-Pará (1655-1656).

The historian Veríssimo Serrão, complements: He led war operations until 1654, being, in Varnhagen's opinion, the great architect of the expulsion of the Dutch.The Crown later used it as governor of the Captaincies of Maranhão (1656–1666) and Pernambuco (1657–1661 and 1667 ), and also ruled the State of Angola (1661-1666).

The famous philosopher, writer and Jesuit speaker Father António Vieira wrote about André Vidal de Negreiros in one of his letters to the then Portuguese king Dom João IV: From André Vidal I will tell your Majesty what I have not dared to do so far, for not hurrying; and because I have known so many men, I know that it takes a long time to get to know a man.

12,701[5] established the names of André Vidal de Negreiros, Francisco Barreto de Menezes, João Fernandes Vieira, Henrique Dias, Antônio Filipe Camarão and Antônio Dias Cardoso in the Book of Heroes of the Fatherland (known as ´´O Livro de Aço``, The Book of Steel), deposited in the Pantheon Pátria e Liberdade Tancredo Neves (Tancredo Neves Pantheon of Fatherland and Freedom), a cenotaph that honors the Brazilian national heroes located in the Praça dos Três Poderes (Three Powers Plaza), in Brasilia.