Battle of San Pedro (1896) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Battle of San Pedro
Part of Cuban War of Independence
Death of Antonio Maceo
Date December 7, 1896 Location La Habana Province, Cuba Result Spanish victory
Belligerents
Cuban rebels	Spain
Commanders and leaders
Antonio Maceo  † / José Miró Argenter (WIA) Pedro Díaz Molina Alberto Rodríguez Acosta [es] Ricardo Sartorio Juan Delgado González Panchito Gómez Toro  †	Capitán Cirujeda Doroteo Peral
Strength
400 Infantry	365 Infantry 24 Loyalists

The Battle of San Pedro was an important fight during the Cuban War of Independence. It happened on December 7, 1896, near a farm called San Pedro. This area is close to the town of Punta Brava, which is just outside Marianao in La Habana Province, Cuba.

What Led to the Battle?

The third war for Cuba's independence started in the spring of 1895. After many months of getting organized, the Cuban independence fighters decided to create a special group. This group would spread the war across the entire island.

In October of that year, the Cuban Liberation Army left Mangos de Baraguá in eastern Cuba. It was made up of thousands of men who were not well-armed. They were led by two important generals, Máximo Gómez and Antonio Maceo. By January 1896, these troops reached the far west of the country, in Pinar del Río province.

After finishing his mission, General Gómez took some of the troops. He marched in the opposite direction, heading back east. General Maceo stayed with the rest of the men. His job was to continue military actions in Pinar del Río. During that year, both Cuban generals won important battles.

However, by the end of 1896, some disagreements started. These tensions were within the Cuban independence government. This government was called the Guáimaro Assembly [es]. Because of these problems, General Gómez asked Maceo to come and help solve the dispute in person.

General Maceo was very worried about this situation. He quickly marched towards the eastern part of the country. He left Pinar del Río and entered La Habana Province. His plan was to keep crossing the island to reach the east. That is where the Cuban independence government was located.

While in Havana territory, Maceo and his men arrived at the San Pedro farm. This farm was very close to Punta Brava. It was also near Marianao, a small city close to Cuba's capital, Havana. Maceo hoped to surprise and embarrass the Spanish general, Valeriano Weyler.

The Battle of San Pedro

Around noon, Colonel Juan Delgado González reported that Spanish soldiers were arriving. Maceo sent a small group to check. This group was led by José Miró Argenter. It was known as the Peral Guerrilla. This group was chased by 365 Spanish soldiers and 24 Cubans who were loyal to Spain.

Maceo made a big mistake. He decided to take a nap in his hammock. Meanwhile, his search party could not find the main Spanish forces.

At 3 P.M., the Spanish soldiers suddenly attacked the Cuban camp. Their foot soldiers quickly moved past the guards. They reached the very center of the camp. About 40 Cuban fighters, called Mambises, fought back fiercely. This counterattack was led by Alberto Rodríguez Acosta [es] and Juan Delgado González. The Spanish soldiers had to retreat to some stone fences. The remaining Mambises then gathered for a final stand.

After being woken up, Maceo quickly gathered 45 experienced fighters. These were veterans from earlier Cuban Independence Campaigns. He then looked at the situation. The Mambises decided to attack. During their charge, a chain-link fence blocked their way. Maceo himself offered to cut it down. As he was doing this, shots came from the stone walls. Maceo was hit in the face and neck. He stayed on his horse for a few seconds. Then he lost consciousness and died.

Maceo's death crushed the spirits of the remaining Mambises. They gave up their positions and retreated. This gave the Spanish forces the victory.

After the Battle

With the death of Antonio Maceo, the Cubans lost one of their best generals. This greatly weakened the Mambíses (Cuban independence fighters). It also caused a lot of sadness among the troops.

General Máximo Gómez suffered a great personal loss. He lost his beloved son, Panchito Gómez Toro, and his best friend in the same battle. The next day, Gómez showed his sadness and worry:

Pedro, are you sure that the remains of Maceo and my son Panchito are down there?

However, even with these big losses, the war continued until 1898. It ended with a Cuban victory, helped by the United States.

See also

In Spanish: Batalla de San Pedro (1896) para niños