This mambí reached the rank of Brigadier General for war merits. Friend and assistant to José Martí, personal assistant to General Antonio Maceo, representative to the Constituent Assembly of Jimaguayú. He composed the Invader Anthem on November 15th, 1895. He wrote the work Memorias de la Guerra and retired from active life in 1947.
He was born in Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic on June 5th, 1871, the son of parents from Camagüey. By order of José Martí he smuggled weapons and ammunition through Nuevitas, on March 30th, 1894, which was subject to persecution. Along with Antonio Maceo as secretary, he discovered an attack and freed the Titan.
He drafted the Declaration of Independence contained in the Constitution of Jimaguayú. He joined the invading column, with the position of assistant to Antonio Maceo and in this context he wrote the Invading Anthem:
Poema: “Himno Invasor”
¡A las Villas valientes cubanos:
A Occidente nos manda el deber
De la Patria a arrojar los tiranos
¡A la carga: a morir o vencer!De Martí la memoria adorada
nuestras vidas ofrenda al honor
y nos guía la fúlgida espada
de Maceo, el Caudillo Invasor.Alzó Gómez su acero de gloria,
y trazada la ruta triunfal,
cada marcha será una victoria:
la victoria del Bien sobre el Mal.¡Orientales heroicos, al frente:
Camagüey legendaria avanzad:
¡Villareños de honor, a Occidente,
por la Patria, por la Libertad!De la guerra la antorcha sublime
en pavesas convierta el hogar;
porque Cuba se acaba, o redime,
incendiada de un mar a otro mar.A la carga escuadrones volemos,
Que a degüello el clarín ordenó,
los machetes furiosos alcemos,
¡Muera el vil que a la Patria ultrajó!
He participated in more than 60 combats. He was discharged on November 12th, 1898.
Sociopolitical action during the Republic
He served as Representative to the Chamber, for Camagüey, from 1902 to 1906. He rose up against the reelectionism of President Tomás Estrada Palma. He was injured in the head with a machete blow.
He served as Cuba’s ambassador in 1928 to Portugal, then to the Dominican Republic and to Haiti.
Upon his return to Cuba he fought Gerardo Machado for his dictatorial political practices. He wrote War Memoirs. He retired from active life in 1947 and passed away on February 10th, 1963.
The little known
One of his poems called “Homeland” is not sufficiently known and disclosed.
Poema “Patria”
No consientas, ¡oh Patria! más cadenas,
con estrépito rotas por tu mano,
enseña las del último tirano
y clava tu estandarte en las almenas!No sufrirás de sierva las faenas
mientras cruce tus montes un cubano,
mientras haya corceles en el llano,
mientras circule sangre en nuestras venas.Jamás el criollo corazón midiera
a enemiga pujanza. Fué al combate
a morir o triunfar por tu bandera.Su fé no amengua, su dolor no abate;
Patria, ¡qué por tu bien aún hay quien muera!
Que por tu libertad aún hay quien mate!
Note
Her daughter Dulce María Loynaz Muñoz is one of the main figures of Cuban and universal literature, she obtained the Miguel de Cervantes Prize in 1992. He was born on December 10th, 1902 and died on April 27th, 1997.
Bibliography
Diccionario Enciclopédico de Historia Militar de Cuba. Primera parte (1510-1898). T 1 Biografías. (2014) Casa Editorial Verde Olivo.
Translated by: Aileen Álvarez García
