Las Clavellinas 1868, Camagüey leaves to the war

November 4,1868 several groups of committed with the independence of Cuba left the city of Puerto Príncipe, today Camagüey, to meet in a non distant place and to second the clarinatedof Carlos Manuel de Céspedes on October 10.

Camagüey also left to the war against the Spanish colonialism. The news of the lift of Céspedes in the genius La Demajagua, in the east of the Island, was known in Puerto Principe the night of the own day 10, and the following morning, some people of Camagüey rushed to the handgrip.

But these actions lacked organization and of armament, and the insurgent departures acted according to the view of their bosses. As in East, Camagüey got ready from before to face the liberal fight, and its leaders, mainly Salvador Cisneros Betancourt and Ignacio Agramonte y Loynaz, maintained strong knots with revolutionaries from Havana and the oriental region.

The same as to the other ones, the beginning of the war for Céspedes, previous to that agreed, surprised to the people of Camagüey who, however, prepared for the rising. They only awaited the arrival of an expedition with men, weapons and ammunition that the patriot Manuel de Quesada would direct from Nassau until the north coast of the territory.

A telegram calculated from Havana received by Cisneros Betancourt on November 2, communicating the departure of a ship going to Nuevitas loaded with equipment of war for the Spanish forces, decided the immediate incorporation of Camagüey to the war.

It was necessary to impede the arrival of the load for the peninsular troop in their transfer for railroad from the town rivereño. The Revolutionary Meeting circulated the order to the committed to rebel to leave to the handlegrip.

To that call 76 revolutionaries responded who met in the step of Las Clavellinas, on the river Saramaguacán, to about 12 kilometers to the north.

Hours later, in the near sugar genius El Cercadero, were organized like military force and they swore to fight for the independence of the isle. Alive to Free Cuba, to Céspedes and the people of Camagüey closed that patriotic definitory act.

Camagüey had just entered also in the front combat against the peninsular dominance and for the independence of the Homeland.(Lucilo Tejera Díaz)