Colonel Nicolau Mesquita

Colonel Nicolau Mesquita (July 9, 1818 – March 20, 1880)
He was born in Macau on July 9, 1818 in an old mixed family of Portuguese origin (or Macanese), who settled in Macau in the first half of the XVIII century. In 1835, he volunteered to join the Prince Regent Battalion.
Vicente Nicolau de Mesquita was a junior artillery officer and served as the council’s adjutant in Macau.
On August 22, 1849, after the assassination of Governor Ferreira do Amaral by the Chinese, 400 armed Chinese and 20 cannons arrived at the border crossing. The Portuguese perceived this as an attempt by China to retake Macau. According to other sources, there are 2,000 Chinese soldiers.
On August 25, 1849, 36 Portuguese, including the leader, Second Lieutenant Nicolau Mesquita, repelled the attack.
His military team was equipped with powerful cannons and rifle armament that the Chinese could not compete with.
After that (many years later) He was declared a national hero, awarded the title of Columella (October 27, 1873), and even had a bronze statue erected in Senado Square in his honor on June 24, 1940. But the statue was thrown down in riots against Portuguese imperialism on December 3, 1966. Instead of the statue, they put a fountain, which is still there.
The statue ended up in Portugal and was put up in February 2007.

The colonel’s tombstone, decorated with the inscription “To the Heroic Defender of Macau,” is located at the entrance to the San Miguel Cemetery.
San Miguel Cemetery.

In 1870, the Portuguese built a new gate at the Portas da Cerco border crossing.
There are still two dates visible on them: August 22, 1849 and August 25, 1849.

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