Honor, is the perfect code of the character of Antonio Maceo Grajales. Only his merits validated him to move from the humblest position of soldier to the highest: General. Brave among the brave. Accomplished politician and strategist. He was not the man who was “never” wrong. He declared his wife, María Cabrales, to be the reason for his adoration. And in his son… Antoñito… perpetuated his integrity.
Maceo. Before his sick wife
After ten years of struggle, and in poverty, he asked a friend for help to take care of Maria’s ailment and he wrote to him:
Kingston, April 8, 1881.
Friend Timothy:
Due to Maria’s illness I am forced to pawn some clothes to help her; which I send to you; if you can give me four pounds keeping them in your possession until I can get them back. I don’t propose the pawn them because I know that you wouldn’t do it; but I do ask you to keep the garments in your possession until I can get them back.
Yours friend.
- Maceo
With delicate respect he clarifies that it is not a pawn, just a guarantee of trust and gratitude that he left in the hands of his friend, who supported him to take care of his beloved wife.
These last words were the beginning of a letter in 1895, this time dealing with the emotional health of Maria.
Limoón, March 25th, 1895
My always beloved wife:
…
I also want to keep silent with you; I do not want you to suffer with the horrible storm that has begun to form in my head; Protect your heart from any pain, full of doubts and fears, I want you to be happy despite everything. There is my correspondence, you have it; it is enlightening, and the one that includes you completes the work. Keep all papers safe; they will be in charge of saying what I prefer to keep to myself.
What is it that the papers would be in charge of saying what Maceo preferred not to say to his beloved one? Why does he ask his wife to protect her heart from any pain, that she be happy ignoring everything? Although, he emphasizes to her, that the papers that she must keep reveal the silence. I mean, it was confirmed.
Maceo and Antoñito, the offspring
Antonio Maceo Maryatt, son recognized by the Bronze Titan was born on May 12th, 1881 in Kingston, Jamaica. The exile…that forced distance…tempted the birth of this natural child, out of wedlock. In the context of the first letter exposed in this text, during María’s illness, note the date, it harmonizes with the birth of the child. sufferings of the soul are breathed.
In the year 1895 he was already 14 years old, the date on which he writes the second letter that is in this text.
Certainly, Cabrales, loved her husband, she always accompanied him. Her widowhood in full youth, was the most worthy choice for her, although she had full knowledge of the descendant, who would also give continuity to the memory and genetics of the Titan. To her, the inclement environment in the insurgent battlefields could deprive her of the longed-for conception of her. She forgave and loved. She respected the silence. He happily and decorously offered himself to his country as well.
Maceo always took care of his child’s support, his education, his health: María was fine, and the little friend, who recently had a cold, was fine. He wrote. From 1891 the two Antonios meet in Costa Rica, the General enrolls him as an intern in a school in the city of Cartago. And until 1895 father and son are in contact.
Antonio Maceo Maryatt, chose to live in the homeland of his father: Cuba
The press of the time, El Mundo, noted:
Tall, well manner, with a nice figure and a kind and intelligent face, he carries in his eyes something of the look of his glorious father, as a seal of immortality of his name. Antonio Maceo!
Civil Engineer, married to Miss Alicia Mackle, chose his father’s homeland to settle. Cuba captivated him. The patriotic love of his father was impregnated in him. And he became a Cuban, although he was born in Jamaica. He endured shortages in his university years, but he persevered, he did not give up, he did not forget his original intentions of being a meritorious professional and he achieved it. Skilled in the sciences, upright in his principles, he earned the respect of his contemporaries. He also had a descendant, the third, Antonio Maceo Mackle, Doctor of Medicine, surgeon of great prestige for his knowledge and skill. The imprint of the champion…
The Titan. The relevance of his thinking
On November 22nd, 1896, ꟷ15 days before his departure to immortality ꟷ he wrote to his friend Clarence King of New York
To Mr Clarence King. New York.
Distinguished friend: I have special pleasure in answering your esteemed letter of last August 20th, an eloquent expression of the deep sympathy you feel for the cause of Cuba and for which all the good sons of America should be equally interested. I accept from you, because I know you are inspired by a noble and disinterested affection, the words of praise that you address to me for my military undertakings, due more than to my expertise, to the selflessness and heroism of the Cuban army…
Never has any other people of the Americas, when throwing themselves into the battlefield to win their independence, come up against obstacles as formidable as those facing the people of Cuba, assisting them with more reason and justice than those others, because the grievances received from their metropolis are bigger, the vilification more enormous, and the colonial exploitation more infamous and maintained.
……
With this reason I offer myself to you A. MACEO.
Pinar del Río, November 22nd, 1896.
Bibliography
Roig de Leuchering, Emilio, (1946) “Ideario cubano III Antonio Maceo” en Cuadernos de Historia Habanera, Municipio de la Habana.
Cremata Ferrán, Mario (2005) “El hijo de Antonio Maceo” en Opus Habana, Vol. 9, No. 2, pp. 46-51.
Translated by: Aileen Álvarez García
