The rebels could not conquer the imperial provincial capital of Ilha de Nossa Senhora do Desterro (present-day Florianópolis), because their naval forces were found and destroyed by the imperial Brazilian navy at Massiambu River (on the continent, south of Santa Catarina Island) while those rebel forces were preparing to attack Nossa Senhora do Desterro. Chiefly because of this, the República Juliana lasted for only four months. In November, imperial forces took the Julian capital of Laguna.