A short time later contradictory news of the war began to e in。 While the government itself admitted the progress of the rebellion； the officers in Macondo had confidential reports of the imminence of a negotiated peace。 Toward the first of April a special emissary identified himself to Colonel Gerineldo Márquez。 He confirmed the fact to him that the leaders of the party had indeed established contact with the rebel leaders in the interior and were on the verge of arranging an armistice in exchange for three cabinet posts for the Liberals； a minority representation in the congress； and a general amnesty for rebels who laid down their arms。 The emissary brought a highly confidential order from Colonel Aureliano Buendía； who was not in agreement with the terms of the armistice。 Colonel Gerineldo Márquez was to choose five of his best men and prepare to leave the country with them。 The order would be carried out with the strictest secrecy。 One week before the agreement was announced； and in the midst of a storm of contradictory rumors； Colonel Aureliano Buendía and ten trusted officers； among them Colonel Roque Carnicero； stealthily arrived in Macondo after midnight； dismissed the garrison； buried their weapons； and destroyed their records。 By dawn they had left town； along with Colonel Gerineldo Márquez and his five officers。 It was such a quick and secret operation that ？rsula did not find out about it until the last moment； when someone tapped on her bedroom window and whispered； “If you want to see Colonel Aureliano Buendía； e to the door right now。？？rsula Jumped out of bed and went to the door in her nightgown and she was just able to see the horsemen who were leaving town gallop off in a mute cloud of dust。 Only on the following day did she discover that Aureliano Jos？had gone with his father。
Ten days after a joint muniqu？by the government and the opposition announced the end of the war； there was news of the first armed uprising of Colonel Aureliano Buendía on the western border。 His small and poorly armed force was scattered in less than a week。 But during that year； while Liberals and Conservatives tried to make the country believe in reconciliation； he attempted seven other revolts。 One night he bombarded Riohacha from a schooner and the garrison dragged out of bed and shot the fourteen best…known Liberals in the town as a reprisal。 For more than two weeks he held a customs post on the border and from there sent the nation a call to general war。 Another of his expectations was lost for three months in the jungle in a mad attempt to cross more than a thousand miles of virgin territory in order to proclaim war on the outskirts of the capital。 On one occasion he was lea than fifteen miles away from Macondo and was obliged by government patrols to hide in the mountains； very close to the enchanted region where his father had found the fossil of a Spanish galleon many years before。
Visitación died around that time。 She had the pleasure of dying a natural death after having renounced a throne out of fear of insomnia； and her last wish was that they should dig up the wages she had saved for more than twenty years under her bed and send the money to Colonel Aureliano Buendía so that he could go on with the war。 But ？rsula did not bother to dig it up because it was rumored in those days that Colonel Aureliano Buendía had been killed in a landing near the provincial capital。 The official announcement—the fourth in less than two years—was considered true for almost six months because nothing further was heard of him。 Suddenly； when ？rsula and Amaranta had added new mourning to the past period； unexpected news arrived。 Colonel Aureliano Buendía was alive； but apparently he had stopped harassing the government of his country and had joined with the victorious federalism of other republics of the Caribbean。 He would show up under different names farther and farther away from his own country。 Later it would be learned that the idea that was working on him at the time was the unification of the federalist forms of Central America in order to wipe out conservative regimes from Alaska to Patagonia。 The first direct news that ？rsula received from him； several years after his departure； was a wrinkled and faded letter that had arrived； passing through various hands； from Santiago； Cuba。
“We’ve lost him forever；？？rsula exclaimed on reading it。 “If he follows this path he’ll spend Christmas at the ends of the earth。？
The person to whom she said it； who was the first to whom she showed the letter； was the Conservative general Jos？Raquel Moncada； mayor of Macondo since the end of the war。 “This Aureliano；？General Moncada mented； “what a pity that he’s not a Conservative。？He really admired him。 Like many Conservative civilians； Jos？Raquel Moncada had waged war in defense of his party and had earned the title of general on the field of battle； even though he was not a military man by profession。 On the contrary； like so many of his fellow party members； he was an antimilitarist。 He considered military men unprincipled loafers； ambitious plotters； experts in facing down civilians in order to prosper during times of disorder。 Intelligent； pleasant； ruddy…faced； a man who liked to eat and watch cockfights； he had been at one time the most feared adversary of Colonel Aureliano Buendía。 He succeeded in imposing his authority over the career officers in a wide sector along the coast。 One time when he was forced by strategic circumstances to abandon a stronghold to the forces of Colonel Aureliano Buendía； he left two letters for him。 In one of them quite long； he invited him to join in a campaign to make war more humane。 The other letter was for his wife； who lived in Liberal territory； and he left it with a plea to see that it reached its destination。 From then on； even in the bloodiest periods of the war； the two manders would arrange truces to exchange prisoners。 They were pauses with a certain festive atmosphere； which General Moncada took advantage of to teach Colonel Aureliano Buendía how to play chess。 They became great friends。 They even came to think about the possibility of coordinating the popular elements of both parties； doing away with the influence of the military men and professional politicians； and setting up a humanitarian regime that would take the best from each doctrine。 When the war was over； while Colonel Aureliano； Buendía was sneaking about through the narrow trails of permanent sub。 version； General Moncada was named magistrate of Macondo。 He wore civilian clothes； replaced the soldiers with unarmed policemen； enforced the amnesty laws； and helped a few families of Liberals who had been killed in the war。 He succeeded in having Macondo raised to the status of a municipality and he was therefore its first mayor； and he created an atmosphere of confidence that made people think of the war as an absurd nightmare of the past。 Father Nicanor； consumed by hepatic fever； was replaced by Father Coronel； whom they called “The Pup；？a veteran of the first federalist war。 Bruno Crespi； who was married to Amparo Mos。 cote； and whose shop of toys and musical instruments continued to prosper； built a theater which Spanish panies included in their Itineraries。 It was a vast open…air hall with wooden benches； a velvet curtain with Greek masks； and three box offices in the shape of lions？heads； through whose mouths the tickets were sold。 It was also about that time that the school was rebuilt。 It was put under the charge of Don Melchor Escalona； an old teacher brought from the swamp； who made his lazy students walk on their knees in the lime…coated courtyard and made the students who talked in class eat hot chili with the approval of their parents。 Aureliano Segundo and Jos？Arcadio Segundo； the willful twins of Santa Sofía de la Piedad； were the first to sit in the classroom； with their slates； their chalk； and their aluminum jugs with their names on them。 Remedios； who inherited her mother’s pure beauty； began to be known as Remedios the Beauty。 In spite of time； of the superimposed Periods of mourning； and her accumulated afflictions； ？rsula resisted growing old。 Aided by Santa Sofía de la Piedad； she