Landing at Mindelo

[1] The landing may have taken the name of Mindelo, a parish located 9 km north of the site, due to the term's historical use to refer to a larger geographical area between the rivers Ave and Leça.

[2] During the first 4 years of the War, Absolutist forces loyal to Dom Miguel, who had usurped the throne of Portugal, were in control of the Portuguese mainland.

On 8 July 1832 a fleet of 60 ships under the command of the British Admiral George Rose Sartorius arrived from the Azores at the Arnosa de Pampelido beach near Mindelo.

There were also many foreign volunteers : French, Belgian, Polish, Italian, German, Spanish and a British contingent under the command of Colonels George Lloyd Hodges and Charles Shaw.

On 23 July the Liberal Army were able to repulse the Absolutists in the Battle of Ponte Ferreira, but had to fall back on Porto where they were besieged for an entire year.