Angel del Castillo Agramonte

Example of the mambí soldier, natural and spontaneous, forged in struggle, with courage he made up for military knowledge, had demonstrated reckless valor, earning himself in history the epithet: The storm on horseback.

General Ángel del Castillo had a brilliant military career in the redemptive wilderness. This Cuban patriot was born on August 14, 1834, in the city of Puerto Príncipe (Camagüey). Through his maternal line he belonged to the family of Bayardo. Several of his brothers, and later his sons, distinguished themselves in the heroic struggle for the independence of the homeland.

General of the Liberating Army Ángel Castillo Agramonte did not come from a poor background. He was wealthy, from a strong Puerto Príncipe family, a graduate in dental surgery and knowledgeable of countries and languages.

Patriotic traits that characterized him
If in any Cuban patriotism determined him to sacrifice everything for the sake of the homeland, few like General Ángel del Castillo can exhibit such an honorable merit. During the Ten Years' War, he possessed everything. He was immensely rich; his family had several sugar mills and ranches. In 1853, at only 19, Ángel embarked for the United States, sent by his family with his brother Francisco. He was one of the first Cubans to dedicate himself to the study of Dental Surgery.

Studies
On September 8, 1858, George Schaffer, residing at Hudson No. 256, in New York, delivered to him the certificate required in that era and it was Schaffer himself who extended the diploma certifying not only his studies, but also his daily practice for 13 months in the dental art.

Return to Havana
On September 16 he embarked for Havana with his brother Martín. He presented himself immediately, on October 31 of that same year, before the competent authorities to enforce his studies and incorporate them into the Royal and Literary University of Havana.

The diploma given by Schaffer is found in the National Archive, file 139, No. 8285; Ángel del Castillo had several setbacks with Spanish authorities to revalidate his degree. The Secretary of Study Inspection in the first instance responded to him that he could not process it because there was a pending "sovereign resolution for those who studied abroad, in any faculty."

On November 5 of that same year he claimed his degree; apparently he presented himself again at the end of 1858, and that time they informed him that other documents from the United States were needed; for this reason, he claimed his degree again on February 10, 1859; it was then that it appeared lost or missing in governmental offices. For this reason a series of formalities and writings from the Spanish consul general in New York were necessary, who, after a series of inquiries, seemed to reach the conclusion that the degree was issued on October 18, 1855, by Dr. Weescot, of the Syracuse Dental College.

Other important stages of his life
With his problems resolved in the capital of the island, he moved to his native city, where he married Carmen Bages Monteagudo; she died and he contracted a second marriage with Ignacia de Quesada, with whom he had 5 children, some of whom distinguished themselves in the War of Independence.

Participation in the Wars of Independence
It is said that he participated in the American Civil War. He was one of the first conspirators for political independence; and with the nucleus of people from Camagüey he joined the Ten Years' War on November 4, 1868, after granting freedom to his slaves.

On November 27, the liberating forces of Camagüey confronted the Spanish column commanded by the Count of Valmaseda, in which action Ángel Castillo y Agramonte fired the first shot of the campaign against the enemy. With 20 men he assaulted the train from Nuevitas to Camagüey.

Principal actions
He belonged to the Assembly of Guáimaro. In early 1869 he was appointed general. He attacked Bagá and took part in Salado; later he attacked, on more than one occasion, San Miguel de Nuevitas. He fought at Laguna de Piedra, Monte de Horno, Quinta Canosa, until he entered the city of Camagüey, where he fought in the Plaza de la Caridad; he fought at Las Mercedes, Sabana Nueva and in other minor combats, until he was appointed chief of the Second Brigade of Camagüey.

When General Honorato del Castillo died, vilely assassinated by Spanish colonel Portal, he replaced him in command and faced Spanish troops under Portal in his first combat at Pitajones; and despite his forces being inferior, he defeated and captured him, and after a summary court-martial he was executed. Regarding this fact, Juárez Cano expressed:
General Castillo covered himself in glory and practically demonstrated what well-positioned infantry and cavalry troops armed with machetes are worth in a full-force charge in cases like this.

General of the Liberating Army, Ángel Castillo Agramonte, served Cuba not only as an insurgent of daring dedication, but also as a member of the Assembly of Representatives of the Center and leader of the Caonao brigade. He was part of the constellation of great Camagüey leaders of the nineteenth century.

Death
He met his death on September 9, 1869, in the town of Lázaro López, after having captured a cannon from the enemy on August 13.

It is said that on the day of combat in which he died, with his proverbial fearlessness of bullets he advanced until he climbed to the top of an enemy trench and, sincerely moved, challenged his adversaries shouting at them "Come and see how a Cuban general dies!;" Quickly, enemy gunfire silenced that portentous voice that gave courage to the troops, and the arm of many battles fell limp, when he was putting the enemy in check at the fort of "Lázaro López," in the territory of Ciego de Ávila.

Thus ceased to flourish that mambí called by the insurgents "brave among the brave." General Ángel del Castillo Agramonte began his efforts in the emancipation endeavor from its very beginnings, when he granted freedom to his slaves and called for insurrection on his sugar mills and those of his brothers Martín and Nazario.