Camacho (Jorge Perestrelo Velosa)
Biography of Jorge Perestrelo Velosa Camacho (1870–1919), a Funchal-born army officer distinguished in Portuguese African campaigns, later a monarchist rebel, police commissioner and administrator of the Funchal municipality, murdered in Lisbon in 1919.
Family, military career and death
He was born in Funchal on 23 May 1870, the son of Colonel Augusto Maria Camacho and Dona Maria Iria Perestrelo Velosa Camacho. His paternal grandfather and great-grandfather were distinguished officers of our army. His great-uncle Dom Januário Vicente Camacho (see that entry) was bishop-elect of Castelo Branco, deputy for Madeira and peer of the realm.
His name gained great prestige through his military service in Africa. He took an active part in the Niassa campaign against the chief Mataca and was particularly prominent in the operations at Metauculo. For these services he was made an officer of the Order of the Tower and Sword. He was also a knight of the Legion of Honour and held the Spanish Cross of Military Merit.
In 1902 he took part in the Barué operations and commanded the Macequece military column, which earned him the gold medal for distinguished service overseas. He held the rank of infantry captain when he was dismissed for joining the royalist forces that attempted to invade Portugal, being at the time chief of staff to Paiva Couceiro.
In Funchal he served as police commissioner and as municipal administrator (administrador do concelho, the government's representative), and became actively involved in the party struggles of the day.
Like his father, he devoted himself to genealogical studies, on which he wrote several articles, and he published a pamphlet on the military organisation of the overseas territories.
At the time of the monarchist uprising at the beginning of 1919, Jorge Camacho was arrested in Beja and taken to Lisbon. On landing in the capital, as he was crossing the Terreiro do Paço (‘palace square’) in the midst of a military escort, he was murdered by a civilian on 7 February 1919.
In this article
Time
Years mentioned · 03-
Jorge Perestrelo Velosa Camacho was born in Funchal.
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Jorge Perestrelo Velosa Camacho took part in the Barué operations and commanded the Macequece column.
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During the monarchist uprising Jorge Perestrelo Velosa Camacho was arrested in Beja.
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Jorge Perestrelo Velosa Camacho was murdered by a civilian while crossing the Terreiro do Paço under escort.
Place
Places mentioned · 08
Abroad
- Barué
Mozambique. Mozambican region of the 1902 operations.
Mozambican region of the 1902 operations.
- Beja
Portugal. Where Camacho was arrested in 1919.
Beja is a city and district in mainland Portugal. The first abbess of Funchal's Convento de Santa Clara came from its Conceição convent, and D. José Xavier de Cerveira e Sousa was transferred to its diocese in 1848. The Visconde da Ribeira Brava served there as civil governor.
- Castelo Branco
Portugal. See of which his great-uncle was bishop-elect.
Castelo Branco is a district and diocese in mainland Portugal, cited for its low population density. Jaime Moniz represented it as a deputy, and António José de Sousa Almada served as its civil governor. Januário Vicente Camacho was presented as its bishop but never confirmed.
- Funchal
Birthplace of Camacho and where he held police and municipal office.
The capital of the archipelago and seat of the principal captaincy, where settlement began; it was made a vila c.1451–52. Its bay, the widest in the archipelago, lies between Ponta do Garajau and Ponta da Cruz and offers sheltered anchorage, though its harbour had never been studied oceanographically. The Elucidário discusses it as a health resort with climate data and records the January 1906 disturbances, the Danish prince's visit in May 1846 and recent volcanic cones in the area.
- Macequece
Mozambique. Camacho commanded its military column.
Place where César Atanásio da Silva Pereira died. Jorge Perestrelo Velosa Camacho commanded its military column.
- Metauculo
Mozambique. Site of operations where Camacho distinguished himself.
Site of operations where Camacho distinguished himself.
- Niassa
Mozambique. Mozambican region of the campaign in which Camacho fought.
Mozambican region of the campaign in which Camacho fought.
- Terreiro do Paço
Portugal. Lisbon square where Camacho was assassinated.
Lisbon square where Camacho was assassinated.
People
People mentioned · 06- Jorge Perestrelo Velosa Camacho1870–1919
Madeiran infantry captain decorated for African campaigns, monarchist, and Funchal official, assassinated in Lisbon in 1919.
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Colonel and genealogist, father of Jorge Camacho.
- Januário Vicente Camacho1792–1872
Great-uncle of Jorge Camacho; bishop-elect of Castelo Branco, deputy for Madeira and peer of the realm.
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Mother of Jorge Camacho.
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African chief against whom the Niassa campaign, in which Camacho fought, was waged.
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Leader of the royalist forces that tried to invade Portugal; Camacho was his chief of staff.