The
Battle of Loma del Gato
took place during the
Cuban War of Independence
on July 5, 1896
[2]
at
Santiago de Cuba
,
Oriente Province
. It is notable for the death of
Mambi
General
Jose Maceo
.
The Battle
[
edit
]
After spending the night camped outside the village of La Isabelita, the Mambi forces crossed the railroad at La Maya in the direction of El Espartillo, as a part of their
Oriente
campaign.
When the Mambises reached El Espartillo, they were fired upon from the Spanish-held outposts of Sangre de Toro and Camarones.
General Maceo reached El Espartillo and from there arranged the disposition of his forces: Colonel
Luis Bonne
[
es
]
was to march with his Prado Regiment in the direction of La Jaguita whilst Colonel
Agustin Cebreco
marched towards the Loma del Gato; Brigadier
Pedro Agustin Perez
was to cover the position of El Mamon, and Brigadier
Matias Vega Aleman
[
es
]
was to provide support to Cebreco's forces.
About fifteen minutes later, Maceo sent Colonel Luis Aranda towards La Jaguita, so that Colonel Bonne would move in to attack the Spanish, and ordered Lieutenant Colonel Francisco Sanchez Hechavarria's
flying column
Maceo
, to advance towards the Loma del Gato and support Cebreco's forces, which were already fighting.
After about twenty minutes, Maceo became impatient because he did not hear fighting in the direction in which Sanchez Hechavarria was supposed to be attacking and decided to march with his escort and adjutants to meet the Spanish, who were engaging Cebreco's forces.
Death of General Maceo
[
edit
]
Upon reaching Loma del Gato, General Maceo quickly rallied the troops that accompanied him and charged into battle.
A few minutes later, whilst fighting on horseback, Maceo came too close to the Spanish positions, drawing fire from them. A bullet struck him in the head and he collapsed from his horse.
[3]
His aide, Lieutenant Salvador Durruty , tried to lift him off the ground, receiving a bullet in the groin. Mambi medic Porfirio Valiente extracted the projectile from General Maceo while the battle raged around them. Moments later, the general succumbed to his wounds.
[4]
The Cubans suffered another 15 casualties in the course of the battle and were routed; the battle was a blow for the Mambises, having lost an important general.
[1]
References
[
edit
]