The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-12-05
REVOLUTION.
IT TOOK BRAzIL 4 YEAR TO SUI
PRESS THE FANATICS.


Prophet or an Unexplained I%'sliE'"n ne
pulsed the Government, Untn nj Last They
were overuhcluicd and Antonio was Killed
Ono Of the most wonderful incidents OF MOD
ern times In Brazil was closed in OCTOBER las''
when Antonio Consclhoiro, known as tho ia
matte" the leader OF tho Bahia insurroction'N
fell in battle at the siege OF Canudos' Ihis
man. ut the head Of bands of followers mum.
boring about 10000 mon and 1000 women had
waged war for nearly n year against the GOV
ornmcnt, had defeated tho Brazilian troops IN
many fierce encounters, had established n
stronghold In n scquostered part of the country,
and had carried on n crusade which cndan'
gercd the existence Of the most powerful re-
public In South America.
Nothing was known of the rebel Antonio
when he first made his appearance near the emu
of 1896 In the State of Bahia. He had given
no warning of the revolt; had presented TO the
authorities no grievances; had issued no mani
festo. andshad furnished no as to his
design In making war. In one account ho was de-
scribcd rs gllttcring-eycd giant, of weird counte-
nance, long boarded, and wrapped In n flowing
robe, who haunted the forest regions OF the
north, addressing the peasants in fiery ha'
rnngues and calling upon them TO join him in a
crusade for the rescue OF Brazil in the name of
religion. 1t was said that he promised to lead
them to Rio Jnneiro, where he would set up n
new order of things in the name of God. There
were reports of another kind, to the effect that
no was an agent of the monarchical party, en-
ploycd to break up tho republican government,
in the interest of the pretenders who lay claim
to the throne of Brazil, as tho legitimate heirs
Of the former Emperor. Dom Pedro. From the
stories about him that obtained currency at
Rio, he got tho title of the Fanatic" and
hig fpl1n,ynrc an lnl tha s.Lannt,,a
1t was in November of last year that the Prcsi-
dent of Brazil received ormat that bands
OF religious fanatics were rampant in the north,
that they had procured arms and that they had
fortified the villages in which they lived. They
had rallied around II leader who told his follow.
ers that he was a prophet acting under Divine
direction. The local authorities were greatly
alarmed and appealed to the Government at
Rio to come to their protection. The Govern
ment, however, was neglected.. believing that
tho troubles were of slight account and would
soon subsidc. BY reason of this negligence the
leader Of the fanatics gained the opportunity
which he needed for strengthening his forces
ard forming his, plans. He had fully three
months. or until March Of the present year,
for his preparations. In this interval. thou.
of police which was sent to one place to dis
persc them was annihilated.
1t was not till March that the brazilian Gov
ernmcnt was stirred up, by .ominous reports
from the north. which told Of the great strength
inc ham banat nSicf ma attained under hT the leadership
given for the despatch of fifteen battalions of
troops to suppress them. the commander of this
army being Gen. Oscar, n distinguished and cX-
pericnccd soldier. The rebel leader made haste
to collect his scattered forces at the defcnsiblc
works and got ready to sally forth against the
approaching enemy, who would have to, force
lie also ravagcd that part Of the country which
had to be travcrsed before his stronghold in the
Sierras could be reached.
Furthermore, he enlisted and held at Canu-
dos a battalion of women, whom he armed
with the Jdcqo, a blade resembling the Cuban
Weld effectively. It was this battalion that
first confronted at Quelmados a small body Of
army. cutting to pieces those of them who could
not escape; decaPita,ing their commander, and
Up to the end of April the troops of the Gov
eminent expedition made. but little progress in
their long and embarrassing march toward the
time had been prepared for "a siege by a system
of intrenchments and barricades, erected under
p rms d'' to be a military ng'e strSieg MhG as % %eil as sP a
religious fanatic. He created a reign OF terror
ties to get recruits, and by Attacking such settle.
ments as refused to recognize his cause.
zil.scn afe a ?sR,nna,ts G to T INC. Congress ta9 Frssif ie @S St Bf he
spoke Of the rebellion Of the fanatics as a dan
News had reached Rio that muititudes were
joining the rebel ranks. and that the insurrcc-
tionary movement was extending in a south
erly direction, to the peril OF tho, country's
capital; Gen. Oscar the commander of the
dent that his vanguard had been forced to fall
back, that the ere ny had obtained supplies
of mo. ar'iRl s yor %na eaat to further 6im be enlargement 5s nen1d
mako an attack. In a short time. the, rein.
%forccmenis set out for Canudos,, but before
the fanatics fell upon Gen. Oscars lines, broke
them, and beat them back with heavy loss,
after which the victorious party returned tC
their camp. There were many other combats
near Canudos in May, in all Of which the fanat
les fought so furiously as TO dismay their uni
1t was not until the first week of June that
Gen. Oscar was ready for tho advance against
the ~oXultant fanatic Antonio. He assailed the
encmy's outworks, defeated the ~fanatics in q
closely contested engagement, and then has
the first important battle of the war was fought
and both of The 6s6 armies each SG n Of which numseret
Gen. Oscar claimed II victory, but the fanatic,
remSSine ,hoI in their os stronghold. Within tw,
proved to be indecisiyc. Aftorward there wa
much fighting at the ourpcsts, all of it unsat
BY this time the Government had become
greatly alarmed, more especially because Of Ill,
uneasincss that Dervaded all parts of Brazil unt
the calls for help that were sent from the seat o
war ana tho threats against President :aloracs
Fresh bodies OF troops were added to the ex
lighting in the vicinity OF Canudos ali through
the month OF June, on the last day of whicl
there was a battle known as the battle of Co
corobo." in which IL 900 BRAZILIAN troops tool
mart, but were unable to dislodge the fanatic
from the mountain passes and tho rocky ridge
that were scrviceablo for the defence of thei
stronghold.
The incidents of the war led to n change II
tho opinion long current 1t Rio that tho lcade
Of the fanatics was merely n mailman, uncoutl
and ignorant. 1t began 10 be believed thut 1
he could keep at bay an army of regular troop
rs slrong AS that which was in the field agains
furnished with military knowledge, and mus
-, have good control of the forces under his com
: mand. He had been near the front in ever,
3 battle and had inspired his followers to perform
/ deeds. Of daring equal to any in any war. II
, had shaken Brazil.
, The events of tho month, of July resemble,
} those of the previous months. Gen. Oscar NJ
, tackled the defences of Canudos again and ngaii
. and AS often the fanatics rcpulsed him., ofte
Z fighting from ambush. About the middle a
! tho month the troops brought their artillery /
bear upon the place, destroyed tho greater par
of it, made n desperate charge with the bayone
and entered it. only TO find that the fanatic
had fallen back into the forests, where pursui