| CARLOS MANUEL DE CESPEDES: | |
Distinguished
patriot of anti-slavery ideas who on October 10, 1868 headed the uprising that
began the Ten Years War for Cuba's independence.
Due to his unquestionable capacity for leadership and organizing skills
he was hailed as head of the Revolution and elected president of the Republic in
Arms.
He
is known as "Father of the Homeland" not only because he was the
leader of Cuba's national independence, but due to an event that demonstrated
his moral stature. On a certain
occasion, his son was taken prisoner and the Spanish authorities proposed to
spare his life if Céspedes gave up the struggle.
He answered that that was not his only son, that he was the father of all
the Cubans who had died for the Revolution.
The
first act of war of the independence forces took place on October 11.
When the inexperienced Cuban cavalry tried to take the town of Yara, it
clashed with the Spanish forces, which outnumbered it in men and weapons, and
retreated in disorder. Looking on
his disbanded troop, Céspedes shouted his famous words, "There are still
twelve of us men left, enough to achieve Cuba's independence!".
In the days that followed, he reorganized his forces and incorporated
others. The war spread throughout
the eastern region.
Céspedes
was a follower of Bolivar's idea of attaining the independence of all the
Spanish-dominated American regions. This
way of thinking is underscored in the manifesto he signed on October 10, 1868.
On
October 21, 1873, the House of Representatives decided to dismiss him from
office. Left to his lot, without an
escort even, he settled in San Lorenzo, a remote village in the Sierra Maestra,
in the eastern part of the island. This
was a place where invalids and the relatives of revolutionaries sought refuge.
He had once said, "I think I will not die as a war prisoner, my gun
has six bullets, five for the Spaniards and one for me.
They might capture me dead, but alive, never!".
On
February 27, 1874, Spanish forces attacked the place.
Céspedes, alone, gun in hand, accepted to once again wage the battle of
his people, until he was mortally wounded by an enemy bullet.
About
this exceptional man, Commander-in-Chief Fidel Castro said:
"What
makes Céspedes great is not only his resolute, staunch decision of rising up in
arms, but the act that went along with that decision -which was the first act
after independence was proclaimed- that of freeing his slaves, while proclaiming
his opinion about slavery, his agreement with the abolition of slavery in our
country."
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