Carlos Manuel de Céspedes

Carlos Manuel de Céspedes (born Carlos Manuel de Céspedes del Castillo on April 18, 1819 in Bayamo, in Oriente, province of Cuba, —February, 1874 in San Lorenzo, Oriente, Cuba ), was one of the generals of the "mambí warriors" (rebels who fought for the independence of Cuba) in the war against the Spaniards.

He was a rich landowner and lawyer in Eastern Cuba, and purchased "La Demajagua", an "hacienda", in 1844 after returning from Spain. On October 10, 1868, he made the "Grito de Yara" (Cry of Yara), declaring Cuban independence, which began the "Ten Years' War". That morning, after sounding the slave bell that indicated to his slaves it was time for work, they stood before him waiting for orders, and Cespedes announced they were all free men, and were invited to join him and his fellow conspirators in war against colonial Spain. For this, he is called "Padre de la Patria", Spanish for Father of the Homeland. In April 1869 he was elected President of the Republic of Cuba in Arms, but was deposed in 1873. Spanish troops killed him alone in February 1874 in a mountain refuge, as the new Cuban government would not let him go into exile and denied him an escort.

He was married two times. The first to Maria del Carmen de Cespedes y del Castilo and they had Maria del Carmen, Oscar, and Carlos Manuel de Cespedes y Cespedes. He married the second time to Ana Maria de Quesada y Loinaz (1842-1910) and they had 3 children, Gloria (1871-?), Oscar and Carlos Manuel de Céspedes y Quesada (1871-1939), who was President of Cuba after Gerardo Machado was deposed by force in 1933. In San Lorenzo before he died, Carlos Manuel met a widow, Francisca (Panchita) Rodriguez. Carlos Manuel and Panchita became lovers and produced a son, Manuel Francisco de Cespedes y Rodriguez.

He named Oscar his fifth son, after his late second child Oscar, who was shot by a Spanish firing squad. The Spanish authorities wanted to exchange Oscar's life for Cespedes' resignation as President of the Republic of Cuba. He famously answered that Oscar was not his only son, because every Cuban who had died for the revolution he started, was also his son.

His portrait was on the 10 pesos bills in Cuba until 1959 when it was moved to the 100 pesos bill. A municipality in Camagüey Province, Carlos M. de Cespedes was named after him.