Agramonte, Ignacio
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==Early Life== | ==Early Life== | ||
− | + | Agramonte was born in the province of Puerto Príncipe (what is now the province of [[Camagüey Province|Camagüey]], [[Cuba]]) on December 23, 1841, to a wealthy family. Agramonte was 6'2" tall, with brown, fine hair, and pale skin, but fortified by horsemanship and fencing. He had a fine mustache and not mountainous like it appears in many portraits. He went to [[Barcelona]], [[Madrid]], and [[Havana]] to study law. On June 11, 1865 he graduated as a lawyer. He returned home and married the love of his life, Amalia Simoni, on August of 1868. Her family had considerably more wealth than his own. | |
− | + | When the insurrection against the [[Spain|Spanish]] broke out, he played a pivotal role in the uprising of the province of Camagüey which took place on November 4th, 1868. Agramonte himself joined the insurrection a week later, on November 11th, 1868. His wife followed him in the struggle, but was captured on May 26th 1870 while pregnant with her second child, which was born in the USA and never met his father. | |
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− | When the insurrection against the [[Spain|Spanish]] broke out, he played a pivotal role in the uprising of the province of Camagüey which took place on November 4th, 1868. Agramonte himself joined the insurrection a week later, on November 11th, 1868. | ||
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− | His wife followed him in the struggle, but was captured on May 26th 1870 while pregnant with her second child, which was born in the USA and never met his father. | ||
At a conference with other leaders who were trying to make amends with Spain, Agramonte made clear his thinking: "Stop at once all the lobbying, the awkward delays, and the humiliating demands: Cuba's only option is to gain its redemption by tearing it from Spain by armed force." | At a conference with other leaders who were trying to make amends with Spain, Agramonte made clear his thinking: "Stop at once all the lobbying, the awkward delays, and the humiliating demands: Cuba's only option is to gain its redemption by tearing it from Spain by armed force." | ||
==Political Career== | ==Political Career== | ||
− | On February 1869, he and Antonio Zambrana were elected secretaries, a title equivalent to minister, to the provincial government. He was subsequently elected a member and one of two secretaries - minister - of the Cuban Congress. He was among the signatories of the act that freed the slaves on the island and was the driving force in the drafting of the first Constitution in Cuban history. | + | On February 1869, he and Antonio Zambrana were elected secretaries, a title equivalent to minister, to the provincial government. He was subsequently elected a member and one of two secretaries - minister - of the Cuban Congress. He was among the signatories of the act that freed the slaves on the island and was the driving force in the drafting of the first Constitution in Cuban history. He resigned his position secretarial - ministerial - position within the Congrees after [[Carlos Manuel de Céspedes]] was made president in the same year because Agramonte had strong political disagreements with him and knew they could not work together. The Congressional secretaries and ministers had to work closely with the president. He went on to become Major General of the Cuban forces for the military district of the province of Camagüey, where he organized the best cavalry troops in the Cuban Army. Showing great vision, in spite of his lack of formal military training, his troops terrified the [[Spanish Army]]. |
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− | He resigned his position secretarial - ministerial - position within the Congrees after [[Carlos Manuel de Céspedes]] was made president in the same year because Agramonte had strong political disagreements with him and knew they could not work together. The Congressional secretaries | ||
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− | He went on to become Major General of the Cuban forces for the military district of the province of Camagüey, where he organized the best cavalry troops in the Cuban Army. Showing great vision, in spite of his lack of formal military training, his troops terrified the [[Spanish Army]]. | ||
− | Agramonte capped his impressive list of military achievements when | + | Agramonte capped his impressive list of military achievements when on October 8th 1871, his commander, [[Manuel Sanguily]], was taken prisoner by more than 120 light cavalry while visiting a farm. Agramonte ordered 35 of his exhausted troops to mount up and track down the Spaniards. He personally led a furious charge, successfully rescuing Sanguily and routing the enemy troop, killing 11 and making 5 prisoners. |
+ | ==Legacy and Death== | ||
Agramonte was killed at the [[Battle of Jimaguayú]] on May 11th, 1873, where he was struck on the head by a stray bullet. His body was cremated by the Spanish authorities in Camagüey for fear that his troops would assault the city to recover his body. | Agramonte was killed at the [[Battle of Jimaguayú]] on May 11th, 1873, where he was struck on the head by a stray bullet. His body was cremated by the Spanish authorities in Camagüey for fear that his troops would assault the city to recover his body. | ||
[[Henry Reeve (soldier)|Henry Reeve]] - Brigadier General - an American volunteer, and commander of his Cavalry Corps, named him "El Mayor", implying Agramonte was the best of all the Cuban Major Generals. [[Máximo Gómez y Báez]] succeeded him as Chief Military Commander of the military district of the province of Camagüey. | [[Henry Reeve (soldier)|Henry Reeve]] - Brigadier General - an American volunteer, and commander of his Cavalry Corps, named him "El Mayor", implying Agramonte was the best of all the Cuban Major Generals. [[Máximo Gómez y Báez]] succeeded him as Chief Military Commander of the military district of the province of Camagüey. | ||
− | Agramonte used a Colt revolver, Navy model 1851, worked with ivory and gold. He used several machetes and | + | Agramonte used a Colt revolver, Navy model 1851, worked with ivory and gold. He used several machetes and sabers, and was carrying a saber taken from a Spanish colonel at the time of his death. |
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Both the airport and the central park in Camagüey are named after him, and his statue is situated in the central plaza. | Both the airport and the central park in Camagüey are named after him, and his statue is situated in the central plaza. | ||
Revision as of 01:18, 20 November 2007
Ignacio Agramonte y Loynáz (1841—1873) was a Cuban revolutionary, who played an important part in the Ten Years' War (1868-1878).
Early Life
Agramonte was born in the province of Puerto Príncipe (what is now the province of Camagüey, Cuba) on December 23, 1841, to a wealthy family. Agramonte was 6'2" tall, with brown, fine hair, and pale skin, but fortified by horsemanship and fencing. He had a fine mustache and not mountainous like it appears in many portraits. He went to Barcelona, Madrid, and Havana to study law. On June 11, 1865 he graduated as a lawyer. He returned home and married the love of his life, Amalia Simoni, on August of 1868. Her family had considerably more wealth than his own.
When the insurrection against the Spanish broke out, he played a pivotal role in the uprising of the province of Camagüey which took place on November 4th, 1868. Agramonte himself joined the insurrection a week later, on November 11th, 1868. His wife followed him in the struggle, but was captured on May 26th 1870 while pregnant with her second child, which was born in the USA and never met his father.
At a conference with other leaders who were trying to make amends with Spain, Agramonte made clear his thinking: "Stop at once all the lobbying, the awkward delays, and the humiliating demands: Cuba's only option is to gain its redemption by tearing it from Spain by armed force."
Political Career
On February 1869, he and Antonio Zambrana were elected secretaries, a title equivalent to minister, to the provincial government. He was subsequently elected a member and one of two secretaries - minister - of the Cuban Congress. He was among the signatories of the act that freed the slaves on the island and was the driving force in the drafting of the first Constitution in Cuban history. He resigned his position secretarial - ministerial - position within the Congrees after Carlos Manuel de Céspedes was made president in the same year because Agramonte had strong political disagreements with him and knew they could not work together. The Congressional secretaries and ministers had to work closely with the president. He went on to become Major General of the Cuban forces for the military district of the province of Camagüey, where he organized the best cavalry troops in the Cuban Army. Showing great vision, in spite of his lack of formal military training, his troops terrified the Spanish Army.
Agramonte capped his impressive list of military achievements when on October 8th 1871, his commander, Manuel Sanguily, was taken prisoner by more than 120 light cavalry while visiting a farm. Agramonte ordered 35 of his exhausted troops to mount up and track down the Spaniards. He personally led a furious charge, successfully rescuing Sanguily and routing the enemy troop, killing 11 and making 5 prisoners.
Legacy and Death
Agramonte was killed at the Battle of Jimaguayú on May 11th, 1873, where he was struck on the head by a stray bullet. His body was cremated by the Spanish authorities in Camagüey for fear that his troops would assault the city to recover his body.
Henry Reeve - Brigadier General - an American volunteer, and commander of his Cavalry Corps, named him "El Mayor", implying Agramonte was the best of all the Cuban Major Generals. Máximo Gómez y Báez succeeded him as Chief Military Commander of the military district of the province of Camagüey.
Agramonte used a Colt revolver, Navy model 1851, worked with ivory and gold. He used several machetes and sabers, and was carrying a saber taken from a Spanish colonel at the time of his death.
Both the airport and the central park in Camagüey are named after him, and his statue is situated in the central plaza.
On the centenary of his death, Silvio Rodriguez sang in Camaguey for the first time his song "El Mayor", in honor of the fallen hero. The local radio station Radio Cadena Agramonte uses it as its identifying tune.
"El Mayor"
by Silvio Rodriguez 1973
“ |
El hombre se hizo siempre de todo material: de villas señoriales o barrio marginal. Toda época fue pieza de un rompecabezas para subir la cuesta del gran reino animal, con una mano negra y otra blanca mortal. Mortales ingredientes armaron al Mayor: luz de terratenientes y de Revolución: destreza de la esgrima, sucesos como un preso, Amalia abandonada por la bala, la vergüenza, el amor; o un fusilamiento, un viejo cuento modelaron su adiós. Va cabalgando El Mayor con su herida, y mientras más mortal el tajo, es más de vida. Va cabalgando sobre un palma escrita, y a la distancia de cien años resucita. Trota sobre la espuma, seguido por un mar de negros en machete y sin encadenar. Ordena a su corneta el toque de a degüello, y a un siglo de distancia entona nuestra canción y con recia garganta canta, espanta lejos la maldición. Va cabalgando El Mayor con su herida, y mientras más mortal el tajo es más de vida. va cabalgando sobre una palma escrita, y a la distancia de cien años resucita. |
” |
— Silvio Rodriguez
|
ReferencesISBN links support NWE through referral fees
- Betancourt Agramonte, Eugenio. Ignacio Agramonte Y La Revolucion Cubana. Habana: Dorrbecker, 1928. OCLC 291247
- Ferrer, Ada. Insurgent Cuba Race, Nation, and Revolution, 1868-1898. Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina Press, 1999. ISBN 9780807825006
- Pérez, Louis A. Cuba between Empires, 1878-1902. Pitt Latin American series. Pittsburgh, Pa: University of Pittsburgh Press, 1983. ISBN 9780822934721
- Thomas, Hugh. Cuba; The Pursuit of Freedom. New York: Harper & Row, 1971. ISBN 9780060142599
External Links
- Ignacio Agramonte Retrieved November 18, 2007.
- IGNACIO AGRAMONTE LOYNAZ Retrieved November 18, 2007.
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