The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-07-12
Tho Fail OF

With the fall of Canudoe, the stronghold
Of the fighting " fanatics" in Brazil, 1t is
probable that the revolt which has dis.
turbed that country for a half year has
come to an end. The siege Of Canudos had
lasted for over three months, had been car
ried on by fifteen battalions of Brazilian
troops, and had been marked with a number
of %sanguinary battles, besides lesser combats
of daily occurrence. The place is a natural
bulwark in the Sierras Of the State Of Bahia;
1t was regarded as unapproachable by an
assailing force, and it was defended by a
multitude of the rough settlers thereahout,
numbering probably ten thousand, about
one-tenth Of whom were women. Their
leader was q queer character, named Az.
TONIC. but ordinarily called Conselheiro.
or the Counsellor. a long bearded. long.
robed, and austere-faced man. who lie always
described in Brazil IA a fanatic. When he
started the revolt he declared that his oh.
ject was to restore religion in Brazil. and
to set up a government Of q religious char.
acter. unlike that which now exists there
but his adversaries have always asserted
that his purpose was to prepare the way
for a monarchy. II was the old ROYAL flag
Of colonial Brazil that he raised at r'anudos,
and he had the hacking OF the Monarchical
party. that vet lives in some parts If the
republic. His enemies have all along
spoken Of him as a mailman. However,
he gathered together a multitude NJ war.
like followers, who believed that he was
under supernatural guidance.
We see no reason 70 discredit the report
from Rio de ;Taneiro that his stronghold
has fallen. and that such Of his followers as
escaped the sword have been dispersed. All
the forces under his control were concen.
trated at Canudos. and he had no support
elsewhere, The lose of that place is the
loss of his cauee. whatever mar have been
it's nature.
As a military incident the capture Of
Canudos is worth considering. There was
desultory fighting within a hundred miles
OF 1t early In the year but IL was not until
near the end of the month of March that
the Brazilian troops. 5000 strong, began
their maze toward it. Their progress was
very slow; they met with distractions in
every direction they came to outworks
that were we'll guarded; the fanatics
were everywhere; they fought as II
frenzied, rushing from their hiding places
sNS hihiucIOuo yuCuO In
hand-to-hand encounters every day of the
month of April was a day of trial and
loss for the Government forces. The first
weeks of the month of May were not less
trying for them than April had been. The
fanatics were often successful, and on ono
occasion they repulsed the Brazilian van.
guard. which suffered heavily. The Gov.
eminent became 80 greatly alarmed that IL
got up a project for doubling the strength
of the army and there were demonstration
of a menacing character in Rio against Pres.
ident MoRAEs, who thereupon threatened
to resign his office. At the opening of the
month of June the prospect was unsatis.
factory for Brazil.
BY this time the Government had sent
largr reinforcements to the army near
Canudos. In the first week of June the
expeditionary battalions made an advance
in force toward the place, met the main
body of the fanatics, numbering between
eight and nine thousand men, fought a
battle, won a victory, and drove the Coun-
sellor into his stronghold, which, however,
Gen. OSCAR, the Brazilian commander, was
unable To enter. The fanatics made sallies
in force from Canudos. There was skir-
mishing MI through the month OF June.