After his arrest, he traveled to France, but returned soon after due to diseases in his family and disputes among his siblings for his father's inheritance. In 1894, during the Naval Revolt, Almeida volunteered as a civilian to combat, in the name of the Republic, the rebellious sailors led by Admiral Saldanha da Gama. He made a similar offer in 1897, when he presented himself as an "engineer or soldier," to fight against Antônio Conselheiro at the War of Canudos.