Almost at the same time that the Portuguese troops of the town of St. Pedro passed the river of St. Gonçalo, in 1801, against the Spanish posts, in the vicinity of the western margin of the lake of Patos, a corps of Portuguese militia and deserters, attracted by the amnesty, were put in motion upon the frontiers of the river Pardo; amongst the latter of which appeared Joze Borges do Canto, a native of the country, and who had deserted from a regiment of dragoons. He immediately offered to go and commence hostilities in the Spanish territories, on being granted some comrades and the necessary arms. Ammunition only was conceded to him, with the liberty of assembling such people together as would join his standard. Having formed a battalion of forty men, armed at their own expense, he marched direct to the missions of Uruguay, and, encountering on the road a known Indian, who was retiring discontented from the Spaniards, he received from him the certain intelligence that the Indians, on hearing of the war, would not hesitate to subject themselves to the crown of Portugal, as almost all the Indian population lived unhappily under their present government. Canto persuaded the Indian to return, and announce to his compatriots the opportunity which was now presented of freeing themselves from the Spanish yoke, and of passing under the protection of the Faithful Crown, and to inform them, that he would afford all necessary assistance. The Indian, convinced of this, accompanied them to within sight of St. Miguel, where there was a lieutenant-colonel, commanding a trench which he had formed in apprehension of an attack from the Portuguese. Having arrived thus far at day-break, Canto sent the Indian forward by a bye-way, with orders to bring him what information he could, to a certain situation, whither he should continue to march. As the place was very near to the trench, Canto and his party were discovered by the sentinel, who called out to arms. Under these circumstances, Canto saw himself obliged to advance without order against the entrenched, who were in greater disorder; and after discharging a few shots they abandoned the fortification, retiring to the town, where the commandant was, and leaving this intrepid squadron masters of the trench, with ten pieces of artillery.