premise: Couceiro had undertaken a first incursion in 1911 with about 1,000 men, who had formed in groups of 60-70 men. They had left the town of Verín, 12 kilometers from the northern border with Spain, and had marched towards the border. Most of the men were from the region of Trás-os-Montes and were from a diverse array of social classes and skills. There were more than 100 priests in the group. In terms of military equipment, there were only 400 ancient rifles, a few Winchester rifles, and Mauser Pocket Pistols adapted to rifles, to which were added a score of semi-automatic pistols, daggers, and swords. The 1,000 men had crossed the border after a long march in the mountainous region between Bragança and Vinhais, near the present-day Montesinhos National Park. The republican garrison in Bragança had waited for an attack that never came. This is because the royalists had changed their plans and now marched on Vinhais, which had a smaller garrison of men—only eighty infantry, cavalry and border guards. These forces from Vinhais had left the small town and had concentrated on a hill nearby. Negotiations were begun but the military commander of Vinhais refused to join or to surrender. He gave Paiva Couceiro two hours to abandon Portuguese territory.
hypothesis: at least, 13 groups of men did couceiro take with him in 1911