San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1897-08-07
warfare IN brazil.
Official Account OF A Big
Battle
BRAZILIAN TROOPS SURPRlZED.
BUT ACQUIT THEMSELVES
CREDITABLY.
March Into A Pass Held By Fanati.S
And Get Out Again At The
Point Of The BayOnet After
A Loss OF Over Six
Hundred Men.

Rio Janeiro, Brazil, Aug. 7.-(Corres-
pondence to the Associated Press.)-
The government has just received dis
patches giving the full details of the
great battle fought on June 80 in Coco
robo near Canudos, between the gov
eminent troops under Gen. Savagit and
the fanatics under Conselheiro. The
Brazilian government had organized
an expedition to punish the religious
fanatics, who in March massacred Col.
Moroere Cesaer and troops had been
sent to re-establish order in the the
districts disturbed. About six thou
sand men under Gen. Arthur had been
sent from the south to Canudos and
Gen. Savagit with about 5000 men had
gone to meet him with a view of
joint attack upon the position of the
fanatics at Canudos. Gen. Savagit
was advancing from the east and the
fanatics having got wind of the move
ment sent strong body to prevent the
two commanders from effecting con-
junction and it was only after a fierce
battle that the government forces
drove the enemy back. The official
report of the combat is as follows:
"Cocorobo is dry and barren field,
about 1000 feet long and $500 feet wide
at the limits of which are two rocks,
between them lying the only road to
Canudos, where the fanatics concen-
trated their forces.
"On the top of these rocks the revo-
lutionists had erected walls, from be-
hind which they could easily inspect
the road. Gen. Savagit, who had re-
ceived orders to reach Canudos through
Cocorobo and who well knew the dan
gers of the passage, sent scouts for
ward to examine the pass and is moth
ing suspicious was observed, ordered
squadron of lancers, under Lieut.. Pei
checo to go forward. They had no
sooner reached the pass than they
found themselves under a cross-fre
from behind the rocks. There was
nothing to be done but to fall back,and
Lieut.. Peicheco hoped to be able to do
this without but little loss.
'In the face of this check Gen. Sa-
vagit gave the general order to adj
vance. The advance guard, composed
that day of the brigade of Col. Martins
forming a shooting line and supported
by the Thirty-fifth battalion, Major
Sampale, and the Thirty-fourth battal-
ion, under Col. Merry, went forward,
but very slowly, owing to the well-di-
rected rebel fire from the heights.
"Col. Martins asked for a cannon,bu
the gun was of no service, as it was
impossible to aim it high enough to
reach the elevated position Of the fam
atics. A column of the Twelfth bat
talon, under Col. Sucupira, endeavored
to take the rocks by storm, but was
driven back with heavy losses. Then
the shooting line, which hal already
been much reduced advanced again, re-
inforced by the Thirty-fifth battalion.
The combat, which began at eleven
o'clock, had been in progress for two
hours with no appreciable advantage
for the Brazilian troops.
"At one o'clock in the afternoon the
artillery arrived, and the brigade of
Col. Panteji was ordered to defend the
rear guard with the wagons and
wounded. At half past one Gen. Sa-
vagit and his staff traverseI the grade
beneath terrific fire from the sum-
NIT of the rocks. The field and pass
were filled with dead and wounded,
but the commander pushed forward.
Il AOih lHlS HlOHltul the lIlllS COllSldul-
ly increased and the peril of the pas
sage became more and more deadly.
'Gen. Savagit, turning to a colonel
whose brigade held the center, said:
we must make a bayonet attack;oth-
erwise we can never get out of this
pass
Col. Telels gave the word of COM
mand, with Fifth battalion in front
The order was splendidly executed,and
after fierce rush the Federal troops
occupied the pass and captured all the
rebel positions. 1t was not accom-
losses, the Federal forces losing fif-
teen officers and more than five hun
bred soldiers killed and more than six
hundred wounded.
Col. Sierra Martins and his brigade, |
in spite of the fact that they had al
ready fought for four hours, acquitted |
themselves with distinguished valor in