Son of Antonio Domingos da Silva, Portuguese by birth, and of Rosa Cândida de Albuquerque, he was born in Serra da Meruoca within the land of Sobral, Ceará.

[1] He was promoted to ensign on November 3, 1894 and to 1st lieutenant on June 6, 1907 and captain on April, 7 1909.

[2] With Brazil's entry into World War I at the end of 1917, the Brazilian government sent a mission to France in 1918, in which Potiguara participated but was wounded in the Battle of St Quentin Canal.

[3] He was then promoted to lieutenant colonel for acts of bravery practiced in the battles there.

Serving as a loyalist, he fought in the São Paulo Revolt of 1924, commanding the Potiguara Brigade under general Eduardo Sócrates, engaging in urban combat against the rebel lieutenants of the Army and the Public Force of São Paulo and leading the repression at Mooca.