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Brown did not long remain inactive. Uruguay had been a bone of contention between [[Spain]] and [[Portugal]] for three centuries, and now it played the same role in relations between Argentina and [[Brazil]]. On [[December 14]], [[1825]], war broke out between Argentina and Brazil. The Brazilians initiated operations by blockading Argentina. In this emergency, Argentina, under Brown's guidance, improvised a new naval squadron of which he took command. Before the battle, William Brown said two of his most memorable quotes: "Comrades: confidence in victory, discipline, and three hails to the motherland!" <ref>[[Spanish language|Spanish]]: ''Camaradas: confianza en la victoria, disciplina y tres vivas a la patria!'' See [[Escuela Superior de Comercio Carlos Pellegrini|High School of Commerce ''Carlos Pellegrini'']], [[Universidad de Buenos Aires|Buenos Aires University]], [http://www.cpel.uba.ar/filargenta/correo/anta0062.htm ''Almirante Guillermo Brown.''] URL accessed on [[October 15]], [[2006]].</ref> and, few minutes later, "Open fire, the people are watching us!" <ref>[[Spanish language|Spanish]]: ''¡Fuego rasante, que el pueblo nos contempla!'' See [[Escuela Superior de Comercio Carlos Pellegrini|High School of Commerce ''Carlos Pellegrini'']], [[Universidad de Buenos Aires|Buenos Aires University]], [http://www.cpel.uba.ar/filargenta/correo/anta0062.htm ''Almirante Guillermo Brown.''] URL accessed on [[October 15]], [[2006]].</ref> As a counter move to the blockade of Argentina, he vigorously attacked the Brazilian coast, shattered Brazilian shipping, and at the hard-fought [[Battle of Juncal]] ([[February 24]], [[1827]]), with seven ships and eight 1-gun launches he destroyed the entire opposing Brazilian squadron of seventeen ships and took its commander prisoner. On [[June 11]], [[1827]], the decisive Battle of Los Pozos took place between the Argentine and Brazilian forces in view of Buenos Aires, Argentina having only eleven ships while Brazil had thirty-one warships. After a violent encounter, the Brazilians were routed and peace of a sort followed, with Brown acting as Argentine commissioner when the [[Treaty of Montevideo]] was signed on [[October 4]], [[1827]]. <ref>Admiral Brown Society, [http://local.mobhaile.ie/admiralbrownp/AdmiralBrownsLife/tabid/9879/Default.aspx Admiral Brown's Life.] URL accessed on [[October 15]], [[2006]].</ref>
=== War
{{main|History of Uruguay#The "Guerra Grande" 1839-1852}}
Factional disputes within Uruguay led Argentine leader [[Manuel de Rosas]] to support his friend the deposed Uruguayan president [[Manuel Oribe]] in the civil war between the ''[[National Party (Uruguay)|Blancos]]'' and ''[[Colorado Party (Uruguay)|Colorados]]''. Brown returned to active service and on [[15 August]] [[1842]] he fought a battle on the River Paraná, defeating a Uruguayan riverine fleet of launches commanded by the future hero of the Italian [[Risorgimento]], [[Giuseppe Garibaldi]]. Brown ordered his men to let Garibaldi go: "Let him escape, that ''gringo'' is a brave man". The Argentine/''Blanco'' forces occupied most of Uruguay but could not capture Montevideo, which endured a nine-year siege beginning in February 1843. When access to [[Paraguay]] was blocked in 1845 [[United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland|Britain]], [[France]] and [[Brazil]] entered the conflict on the ''Colorado'' side.
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