Francisco Higinio Peraza Delgado

A patriot from Quemado who from a very young age joined the struggle of the Liberation Army, initially led in the Mambi forces by Máximo Gómez Báez, he achieved the rank of General. He was brutally assassinated at 75 years old defending the cause of the Revolution.

He was born in Quemado de Güines. At only 19 years old he joined the Mambi Forces of Las Villas, later joining the invasion forces led by Máximo Gómez. He participated in the Little War with the sagüero Emilio Núñez and on June 3, 1895 he rejoined the Liberation Army, being selected to join the invasion forces again, this time under the command of Antonio Maceo, from whom he received all his promotions. After Maceo's death he continued fighting in Pinar del Río until the war against Spain ended.

During the Republic he was mayor of Batabanó and a Member of the Assembly of Representatives. Deceived by Machado's political campaign he followed him until he discovered the deception. He sent two open letters to publications of the time and rose up against him in Pinar del Río, where he was assassinated on August 11, 1931 at 75 years old.

In August of 1879 he launched into the struggle alongside Emilio Núñez, commanding the sagüeros; the villareños continued fighting until December of 1880, following the orders of the Revolutionary Board of New York.

He went to the United States and in 1881 the name of Francisco Peraza appeared in a revolutionary club in Key West.

Later he traveled to Mexico and subsequently returned to New York. He returned to Sagua after the PRC was established and propaganda for the war was underway. He then returned to his cattle business.

On June 3, 1895 in Iglesia, Lieutenant Francisco Peraza rose up in arms, later joining the Mambi forces of Las Villas, and afterwards joined the contingent in Iguará and in the Battle of Mal Tiempo, Coliseo.

On January 1, 1896 the forces of Bermúdez and Peraza abandoned the camp, razed the settlement and continued toward their objective. In Güira de Melena they formed the vanguard of the invasion.

After the invasion was completed Maceo abandoned the town of Mantua on January 24, 1896, leading the vanguard with Francisco Peraza. On February 13 they headed toward the province of Havana, sustaining a light encounter in the vicinity of Güira de Melena.

On November 5, 1896, Maceo appointed Peraza Chief of Operations. On December 3 General Peraza received Maceo's final orders to cross the trocha near Guanajay, moving from second chief of the Southern brigade to chief of a mobile cavalry force.

From December 1896 to March 1897 he served under the orders of Rius Rivera. On April 15, 1898, for the successes obtained in the campaign during difficult times, he was promoted to brigadier and was assigned to operate from Pinar del Río as chief of the 2nd Division of the 6th Corps.

On August 20 he was promoted to Brigadier General, and on September 17 he took command of the 3rd Brigade of the 2nd Division of the 5th Corps. In 1902 he was mayor of Batabanó. In 1902 he was a representative of the province of Pinar del Río to the Chamber and presented bills in 1902 and 1903. In two years of parliamentary work he left intense marks regarding problems in the economy, transportation, agriculture, maritime affairs and military technology.

In April 1904 he ceased his position as Representative of the Chamber. He dedicated himself to agricultural work on the Finca Berilo, near Batabanó and later to the Finca Reyes, near the town of Guara, where he dedicated himself especially to sugarcane cultivation, minor crops and livestock.

He affiliated with the Liberal Party, dedicated to agriculture, later he joined the Nationalist Union Party… "I came to the Nationalist Union Party spontaneously, when I understood that Cuba again needed the unity of its people"…

At 76 years of age he joined the uprising ordered by the Nationalist Union Party, on the night of August 7, 1931, with various chiefs rising in arms and Peraza being assigned to the province of Pinar del Río.

Revolutionary Activity and Principal Battles

Outside of Cuba, in the United States he dedicated his time to the work of the Revolution. In 1881 the name of Francisco Peraza Delgado appeared in a Revolutionary Club in Key West. Learning of the resumption on February 24, 1895, he returned to his homeland and on June 3, 1895 he rose in arms at the Iglesias estate in Sagua la Grande, fighting under the orders of Serafín Sánchez. After valuable battles and triumphs, he was named Lieutenant Colonel Peraza.

The long battle of Bacunagua had special significance in his military life. His performance in it earned him promotion to Colonel and he marched with Brigadier Bermúdez, following orders from Antonio Maceo, to make their presence felt in Los Palacios.

On July 4, 1897 Peraza defeated the forces of the Castillo battalion at Guasimal in a fierce and violent combat that ended with the death of the enemy first lieutenant Miguel Pérez Pérez.

The success obtained in the mission entrusted to him over the western extremity of the province made it possible for the campaign to gain greater momentum in the last months of 1897 and early months of 1898. The chief of the Department, General Pedro Díaz, rewarded his services by proposing on April 15, 1898 to the General-in-Chief of the Liberation Army, Máximo Gómez, the promotion of Francisco Peraza to Brigadier. He was promoted on April 24, 1898 and assigned to operate in the extensive zone of Pinar del Río to Cape San Antonio, as chief of the 2nd Division of the 6th Corps.

On August 20, 1898 he moved to the province of Havana to take command of the 4th Brigade of the 2nd Division of the 5th Corps. On August 24, 1898 he was promoted to Brigadier General and on September 17 of the same year he took command of the 3rd Brigade of the 2nd Division of the 5th Corps, with jurisdiction over the Calixto García, Palos Regiments and the Mayía Rodríguez Battalion.

He went on to serve as mayor of Batabanó, being the first mayor of this region. On December 31, 1901 general elections were held called by the military governor, in them he was elected representative to the Chamber. In this position he presented 31 bills, amendments and motions.

After April 7, 1904, after directing a letter to Captain Joaquín Llaverías, he revealed his new home address: Independencia 52, Batabanó. This change of residence indicated the direction of his life; he was leaving politics to return to the countryside. He wrote a letter to someone of his character and conviction, to Joaquín Llaverías where in a fragment of it he said: "You will understand that with this, I do nothing more than obey my conscience..." He wrote to the friend who had gone to the land.

In 1925, faced with the promises of a general regeneration of procedures and customs, he believed that his participation should be more active, and deceived by Gerardo Machado y Morales, he marched with proclamations of promises through different towns of the Island. The disillusionment was total; promises and only promises that opened the doors to crime. It was for this reason that, offended and deceived by Machado, he directed an open letter to him.

For his anti-Machado stance he was prosecuted judicially. True to his Mambi heritage, he responded to the harassment of the tyrant Machado with another open letter. On August 7, 1931, ordered by the Nationalist Union Party, several chiefs rose in arms, with General Peraza being assigned the province of Pinar del Río.

On August 8, 1931, late in the evening, they began their march toward Loma del Toro, with only a few committed compatriots deciding to follow him unto death. On August 11, 1931, his last campaign ended. His anti-Machado rebellion was the worthy continuation of the Mambi spirit that characterized his life.

Chronology of Some of His Actions Until His Death

He was born on January 11, 1856 at the San Lorenzo Quemado de Güines Sugar Mill.
At only 19 years old he joined the Mambi Forces of Las Villas in 1875. He participated in the Invasion of the West under the orders of Máximo Gómez.
He did not accept the Pact of Zanjón and supported the Protest of Baragua led by Antonio Maceo.
In April 1879 he launched into the struggle again commanding the sagüeros alongside Emilio Núñez (Little War).
Following the guidelines of the José Martí National Library he abandoned the struggle and went abroad; he returned again and dedicated himself to agricultural work, while establishing contact with other patriots who were waiting for the moment to return to the struggle.
On June 3, 1895 he again took to the bush, being selected to join the invasion forces again, this time under the orders of Antonio Maceo, from whom he received all his promotions, eventually becoming a general. He felt great admiration and respect for his chief.
After Maceo's death he remained fighting in Pinar del Río until the War against Spain ended.
He was one of the 8 Generals who entered Havana triumphantly escorting Máximo Gómez.
During the republic he was mayor of Batabanó and a member of the Assembly of Representatives.
Deceived by Machado's political campaign he followed him until he discovered the deception.
He sent two open letters to publications of the time and rose up against him in Pinar del Río.

Death

On August 8, 1931, he arrived at Doctor Piñar's estate, at km 115 of the Central Highway, where those committed to the uprising in Pinar del Río joined him. That night they began their march toward Loma del Toro, camping in a tobacco house and at dawn they moved into the woods by Abre Campos.

On August 11 at Hoyo de Majagual a rest was ordered. About 18 men remained. At 3:20 in the afternoon they were surprised and massacred by gunfire: Francisco Peraza Delgado, .

He was assassinated on August 11, 1931 at 75 years old. At three twenty in the afternoon, in a place called Hoyo de Majagual and without hearing the slightest sound, they were surprised by enemy troops who discharged a burst of projectiles upon them that killed General Peraza along with the patriots Miguel de Miguel and Edmundo Fernández Trevejo, while they were taking a rest after long hours of travel.

Source: Ecured