Page:Appletons' Cyclopædia of American Biography (1900, volume 2).djvu/618

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586
GAMA
GAMBIER

Rome, which was dissolved by the viceroy, Count of Rezende, under suspicion that it was a political association. Gama was sent as a prisoner to Por- tugal in 1785, narrowly escaped banishment to Angola, and was only set at liberty in 1780. About this period he became an enemy of the Jesuits, and published his poem of '• Uruguay " (1789), the object of which is to show that they had attempted to found an independent state among the Indians of that province. The poem of " Uruguay " contains some clever descriptions of the forest scenery of South America, but, while inveighing against the Jesuits, says nothing of the civilization they introduced, or of its destruc- tion by their banishment from the colonies of Spain and Portugal. Da Gama afterward was elected a member of the Academy of Lisbon. He is buried in the chui-ch of Boa Hora in that city. He also published " Lenitivo da Saudade do prin- cipe D. Jose " (1788). and " Quitubia," another poem, named after a negro chief who assisted the Portuguese in an expedition against Angola (1791).


GAMA, José Bernardo Fernandez, Brazilian historian, b. in Pernambuco in 1802 ; d. in Rio de Janeiro in 1802. In his youth he entered the army, participated in the constitutional revolution of Bahia, 10 Feb., 1821, and also in forcing the Portu- guese troops to abandon Brazil, 15 Feb., 1822, and the subsequent declaration of independence at Ipi- ranga, 7 Sept., 1822. For the action of Bahia he was decorated with the military medal that was instituted in commemoration of that movement, and in 1837 received the order of the Cruceiro ; but, as he was of humble family and had no friends in government circles, he never advanced above the rank of lieutenant of the staff, and as such was re- tired in 1842. He then gave up his time to his- torical researches, and published a work which established his name as a writer, " Memorias Histo- ricas da Provincia de Pernambuco, precedidas de um ensaio topogi'aphico-historico " (4 vols., Per- nambuco, 1844-'9). As he was too poor to have this work printed, the provincial assembly of Per- nambuco autliorized him, in 1843, to establish a quarterly lottery to the extent of fifteen contos de reis ("about $7,500), the proceeds of which were to be invested in its publication.


GAMARRA, Agustin (gah-mar'-ra), Peruvian soldier, b. in Cuzco, 27 Aug., 1785 ; d. in Ingavi, Bolivia, 18 Nov., 1841. He studied theology in the college of San Bueiuxventura of his native city, but entered the Spanish army in 1809 as a volunteer. He rose gradually to the rank of lieutenant-colonel, served in Bolivia against the Argentine forces, and in 1821 came to Lima in command of the 2d bat- talion of the regiment of Cuzco. He then joined the Independents, was promoted colonel and then brigadier, and served as chief of the staff of the Peruvian contingent under Bolivar and Sucre in 1824. He was promoted general of division, appoint- ed prefect of Cuzco, and in 1828 was commander- in-chief of the army in the campaign against Bo- livia, concluding the war by the treaty of Piquisa, for which he was rewarded with the rank of grand marshal. He afterward pronounced against La- mar, president of Peru., was declared provisional president in 1829, and in the same year elected president for four years. His administration was progressive, although constantly interrupted by revolutionary movements. When his term was finished he delivered the executive to Gen. Orbe- gozo, but soon headed a rebellion against him. He acknowledged the government of Orbegozo in 1834, and emigrated to Bolivia. When Gen. Santa Cruz interfered in the Peruvian struggle between Orbe- gozo and Salaverry, Gamarra opposed the inter- vention with a force that he had raised in the- south of Peru, but was defeated by Santa Cruz at Vanacocha, and banished to Chili in June, 1835. When war was declared between Chili and Peru in 1837, Gamarra joined the second Chilian expedi- tion, and in 1839 was again elected president of Peru. In 1841, when the Bolivians overthrew the government of Ballivian and pronounced again in favor of Santa Cruz, Gamarra invaded the neigh- boring republic at the head of an army, but was defeated and killed in battle at Ingavi.


GAMARRA Y DAVALOS, Juan Benito, Mexican author, b. in Zamora, Mexico, in 1745 ; d. in the city of Mexico, 1 Nov., 1793. He was educated in the College of San Ildefonso in the city of Mexico, and in November, 1764, entered the congregation of San Felipe Neri m the town of San Miguel. Here his superiors appointed him their attorney-general, and sent him to Madrid and Rome to conclude arrangements for the final es- tablishment and endowment of the congregation in Mexico. Pope Clement XIII. made him apos- tolic prothonotary, and he was given the degree of doctor of theology by the University of Pisa, and elected a member of the Academy of Bologna. On his I'eturn to Mexico he brought a collection of paintings, drawings, a large library, and a collec- tion of physical instruments for his college. He reorganized the plan of studies of the college, and was also the first in Spanish America to introduce a course of lectures on modern philosophy. He took great interest in the advancement of instruc- tion in New Spain, and was the founder of many new colleges. The viceroy pi'oposed him for sev- eral high offices, but Gamarra refused them all. At the time of his death he was preparing a plan for the organization of another university for the vice- royalty. He published " Musa Americana " (Cadix, 1769): " Elementa recentioris Philosophiie " (Mex- ico, 1774); "Academias filosoficas" (1774); "Las antigiiedades de Xochicalco " (Bologna, 1774) : " Errores del Entendimiento Humano " (Puebla,. 1770); "Maximas de Educaeion " (Mexico, 1780) ; " Reflexiones Criticas sobre las Historias Escojidas del Antiguo Testamento" (1781); and left others- in manuscript, which are preserved in the National library of Mexico and by private collectors.


GAMBIER, James, admiral, b. in the Bahama islands, 13 Oct., 1750 ; d. in Iver, near Uxbridge, England, 19 April, 1833. His ancestors were French Protestants, who were expatriated by the revocation of the edict of Nantes, and his father was lieutenant-governor of the Bahamas. James entered the navy at an early age and obtained the rank of post-captain in 1778. He commanded the frigate " Raleigh '" and was engaged in the reduction of Charieston, S. C, in 1780. ' In the following year he aided in repelling the French attack upon Jersey. He was appointed to command the " Defence," of 74 gunS, in 1793, and aided Lord Howe against the French fleet, which was commanded by Villaret de Joyeuse. The " Defence " was the first to break through the enemy's line in the engagement, which took place on 1 June, 1794. He was advanced to the rank of rear-admiral in 1795, of vice-admiral in 1799, and was third in command of the channel fleet in 1801. In 1802 he was appointed to be the governor of Newfoundlaud. Having been raised to the rank of full admiral in 1805, he commanded the fleet during the three days' bombardment of Copenhagen in September, 1807. He captured the Danish forces, and in return for his services was made a baron and offered a pension, which he declined. In