Bento Manuel Ribeiro was the son of Manuel Ribeiro de Almeida, a tropeiro, and Ana Maria Bueno. On December 1, 1800 he enlisted in the Rio Pardo militia regiment. He fought in the War of 1801 against the Spaniards as a soldier, accompanied by his brother Captain Gabriel Ribeiro de Almeida. Under the leadership of Colonel Patrick Camera Strap, he participated in the expulsion of the Spanish troops from Batovi and from the fortress of Santa Tecla.

He participated in the First Cisplatine Campaign (1811–1812), such as quartermaster, being promoted to lieutenant in 1813. In the War against Artigas he served under the command of General Joaquim Xavier Curado.

During the Ragamuffin War he switched sides twice, ending on the Imperial one; he was described as faithful at the balance of the conflict. In the Guerra Grande (Great War), also during the Ragamuffin War, he led the Farroupilha that supported Fructuoso Rivera.

He married in Caçapava do Sul on September 15, 1807 with Maria Manso da Conceição, daughter of Antonio Manso Monteiro and Ana Maria Martins. He was the grandfather of Bento Manuel Ribeiro Carneiro Monteiro, mayor of the city of Rio de Janeiro and also a military commander.

Bento Manuel Ribeiro died in Porto Alegre in 1855, being a rich estancieiro. His grave is located at the entrance of the cemetery in Uruguaiana.

• Bento Manuel Ribeiro at 'Página do Gaúcho, quoting O exército farrapo e seus chefes Vol I by Bento, Cláudio Moreira Archived 2010-09-08 at the Wayback Machine