Manuel Antônio de Almeida (November 17, 1831 — November 28, 1861) was a Brazilian writer, medician and teacher. He is famous for the book Memórias de um Sargento de Milícias, written under the pen name Um Brasileiro (English: A Brazilian). He is the patron of the 28th chair of the Brazilian Academy of Letters.

de Almeida was born in Rio de Janeiro, to lieutenant Antônio de Almeida and Josefina Maria de Almeida. Few things are known about his years of primary studies — although he entered at the Medicine course in 1849, graduating in 1855. Financial difficulties inspired him to dedicate himself to the literature and to the journalism. His magnum opus, Memórias de um Sargento de Milícias, was initially published in serial form during the years 1852 — 1853, in the journal Correio Mercantil.

In 1858, he became the administrator of Tipografia Nacional, where he met Joaquim Maria Machado de Assis. Trying to enter in the political career, he would go to the city of Campos dos Goytacazes, in order to start his political research; however, he died in the shipwreck of his ship, near the shores of Macaé.

From Wikipedia