Ignacio Agramonte Loynaz

He was born in Camagüey on December 23, 1841 and fell in combat on May 11, 1873 against Spanish troops in the pastures of Jimagüayu in the same province. He was one of the founders of the revolutionary junta of Camagüey. He participated in the conspiratorial work that led to the uprising of the people of Camagüey, on November 4, 1868, at the crossing of the "Las Clavellinas" river, in which he did not appear personally, as it had been decided that he remain in the city organizing the logistical support for those who rose up, whom he joined on the 11th at the sugar mill "El Oriente," near Sibanicú.

Revolutionary intellectual, formidable and prestigious military leader forged through daily struggle, loving husband, honest man of principles. Ignacio Agramonte was elected secretary of the chamber of representatives, a position he resigned from on the 26th to take command of the Camagüey division. The eldest of his children, born into a comfortable family environment, Agramonte came to acquire vast knowledge which, however, he did not place at the service of the wealthy classes but of the dispossessed.

The two parents of Ignacio Agramonte belonged to Creole families. His father, Ignacio Francisco Guillermo Agramonte Sánchez-Pereira, also a lawyer with liberal ideas, served as councilman and faithful executor of the town hall of Puerto Príncipe; in turn, he held a position in the local branch of the economic society. He also worked at the "Real Colegio de Abogados" of the city; his brother, "Francisco José," served as Dean of that important center of jurisprudence.

On the father's side, several members held important positions within the council or town hall; also in the militia and in the church. Several worked as lawyers. They were enterprising men of particular intelligence. On the maternal family side, María Filomena Loynaz y Caballero, she also came from one of the oldest families of Puerto Príncipe, linked to lawyer Juan José Caballero y Caballero, marquis of Santa Ana and Santa María.

From childhood, Ignacio Agramonte seemed to enjoy complete compatibility of character and communication with his father. It is known that his father stimulated his intellectual curiosity by frequently taking him to the salons of the Philharmonic Society, filled with the enlightened youth of Puerto Príncipe. Without doubt, María Filomena did not take a back seat in matters of caring for her children; she worked alongside her companion and seems to have been extremely careful to keep them away from the more common and banal social issues of colonial life.

He did his primary studies in different schools of his native city. At 14 years of age he was sent to Havana, entering the "El Salvador" school of José de la Luz y Caballero and later to the University of San Jerónimo, where he obtained the degree of licentiate in civil and canon law, earning the highest grades in the exams of each subject. As a practicing lawyer, he returned to Puerto Príncipe, where shortly he became the pampered child of society: men respected him; women loved him. Agramonte remained two more years at the university, as although he practiced as a lawyer, he continued his doctoral studies until August 24, 1867 when he completed his final exam.

On August 1, 1866 he married Amalia Simoni who would be the love of his life, in the church of "Nuestra Señora de la Soledad". What Ignacio felt for Amalia was a sublime love, it was total idolatry. Since April 1867 he confessed to her that they were born for each other. She was his only girlfriend and wife. On four occasions he swore to be "yours forever and even after." From this union were born his two children: Ernesto, born in the countryside, and Herminia, whom he never got to know.

In Amalia he found everything and that full joy made him feel the happiest of men. While Amalia was far away due to the war, he never stopped feeling her very close. She, as strong in character as he was, as revolutionary and Cuban, of broad culture, loving, with fine and educated manners, of exquisite musical training, among other special qualities, this achieved a perfect ethical, loving and political harmony with her beloved."

His first combat as leader of troops took place on May 3, 1869, at "Ceja de Altagracia". On May 17, 1869 he resigned because he disagreed with the distribution of weapons landed by "La Guanaja" on May 13, 1869, by the expedition of the steamer "Salvador". On the 28th his resignation was accepted on the condition that he remain in the position until his replacement was designated, which never came to pass. On June 13, 1869 he participated in the taking of the fort of "La Llanada" and a week later in the action of "Sabana Nueva". On June 20, 1869, the forces under his command penetrated the city of Puerto Príncipe using a piece of artillery, an action of great political and military repercussion.

On August 16, 1869 he took part in the failed attack on Las Tunas, directed by the commander-in-chief of the Liberation Army, Major General Manuel de Quesada. That month he fought the battle of "La Luz" and on October 27, 1869 he participated in that of "Sabana de Bayatabo". Under the command of Major General Thomas Jordan, chief of the general staff, he fought at "Minas de Juan Rodríguez" (battle of Tana) on January 1, 1870, and at "El Clueco" on January 26, 1870. As his disagreements with President Carlos Manuel de Céspedes intensified, he submitted his resignation on April 1, 1870, which was accepted on the 17th.

Ten days before he had fought at "Jimirú". Without command, but retaining the rank of Major General, he continued the struggle accompanied by his escort and by the small forces that were added to him. Under such conditions he conducted around 19 combat actions that year, among them those at Caridad de Pulido, Puente Carrasco, La Gloria, Santa Brianda de Altamira, Ingenio Grande, Embarcadero de Vertientes and Múcara. Understanding the importance of maintaining unity among Cubans, he accepted Céspedes' offer on January 13, 1871, to rejoin at the head of the forces of Camagüey, and resumed command of the division on the 17th. From that moment on he developed the most brilliant period of his military career. The experience he had acquired allowed him to introduce changes in the tactical use of cavalry, giving it great mobility, which made it possible to achieve surprise in combat. On February 20, 1871 he carried out the attack on the "Torre Óptica de Colón" (Pinto).

He then fought the battles of Lauretania, Limpio Grande, Hato Potrero, La Entrada, El Mulato and La Redonda. He culminated 1871 with the battles of El Plátano, La Horqueta, San Tadeo, San Ramón de Pacheco, Sitio Potrero and El Edén. In 1872 he elevated the spirit of struggle in Camagüey fighting, among others, the battles of Palmarito de Curana, Destino, Casa Vieja, El Asiento, San Borges, and San José del Chorrillo. On May 10 his command was extended to the province of Las Villas by subordinating that territory to him. That day he fought at "Consuegra". He was followed by the encounters of San Pablo, Los Yareyes, Babujal, Jicotea, Salado on July 22, where a bullet pierced both his shoulder blades, Jacinto, Las Yeguas and La Matilde. In 1873 he fought the battles of Buey Sabana, Curana, Sao de Lázaro, Ciego Najasa, Soledad de Pacheco, Aguará, the fort Molina and Cocal del Olimpo. On May 11, at the moment he was crossing the pasture of Jimaguayú in the midst of battle, accompanied by an aide and two orderlies, an enemy bullet struck his left temple causing that valuable life to be extinguished. In the rolls of the Liberation Army he appears promoted to Major General on February 24, 1870, with seniority in the rank recognized from April 10, 1869.

On October 7, 1871 he covered himself in glory when, at the head of 35 cavalry soldiers, he performed the bold feat of rescuing Brigadier General Julio Sanguily, who hours before had fallen into Spanish hands. This brilliant action is an example of organizational capacity, courage and valor. With a small group of men he managed to wrest the prisoner alive from Spanish forces vastly superior in number.

From May 1869 onward some military reports were signed by Agramonte as "The Major General" and later his name appeared. On July 9, 1873, it was the American Brigadier Henry Reeve who qualified him as The Major...

The President of the Republic of Cuba in Arms, Carlos Manuel de Céspedes, on July 8, 1873 called him Heroic son. Dr. Félix Figueredo Díaz, Brigadier and head of medical services of the eastern army named him on July 23, 1873, idol of the people of Camagüey.

His aide and member of the escort, Captain Ramón Roa Garí from Villarreal, defined him in 1873 as "A MAN OF IRON". The Dominican-Cuban Generalissimo, Máximo Gómez Báez, in July 1873, admitted that Agramonte was destined to be the "Future Cuban SUCRE". The patriot and journalist Ignacio Mora de la Pera considered him, on June 11, 1873, as "The finest figure of the revolution".

Since October 10, 1888, while in New York, José Martí called him... "Diamond with the soul of a kiss". Manuel Ramón Silva y Zayas, from Camagüey, professor at the Institute of Secondary Education and colonel in the 1895 war of independence, called Ignacio Agramonte on May 11, 1899, "Martyr of Jimaguayú". In the Havana newspaper "La Verdad", an article appeared dedicated to commemorating the anniversary of Agramonte's fatal fall in combat. The publication of May 11, 1899, designated him as "Illustrious Leader". On that same date, Manuel Ramón Silva confirmed it with three adjectives, the liberator, titan and champion of liberty.

The prominent journalist from Camagüey Ricardo Correoso y Miranda published in the newspaper "El Machete" a daring article dedicated to honoring Ignacio Agramonte, when the Island was still under Spanish rule. On May 18, 1887 he designated him "Illustrious lawyer" and also a "Cuban Washington".

Agramonte's escort, participant in the rescue of Brigadier Julio Sanguily on October 8, 1871, the journalist Manuel de la Cruz Delgado, on May 20, 1902, designated him "Distinguished paladin" and "Architect of the revolution". The Veterans of the war of independence always called Agramonte: "Paladin of shame" and "Immaculate Apostle".

Enrique Collazo Tejada, Cuban Brigadier and writer, designates Agramonte: "Savior of the revolution". The lawyer, friend of the family, and former combatant under Agramonte's orders, described him on February 21, 1921, as "Military colossus genius". The statesman and Cuban patriot, Manuel Sanguily Garrite, on August 30, 1917, designated Agramonte with extraordinary continental standing, by calling him "A Simón Bolívar".

In the three and a half years of his military life he participated in more than one hundred battles. In addition to those mentioned, there are those of La Industria, Caridad de Arteaga, El Rosario, El Socorro, Piedrecitas, Guaicanamar, La Trinidad, Las Catalinas and El Quemado. As a leader he knew how to combine the principles of tactics with irregular warfare under the conditions of the extensive savannas of Camagüey, fundamentally through the use of cavalry. He managed to establish a solid base of operations in that territory and paid special attention to the military and general preparation of officers and commanders, for which he created military schools such as that of Jimaguayú.

Treated with affection and respect by his subordinates with the nickname "The Major," he imposed strict organization and discipline on his troops. "El Bayardo," the nickname by which he went down in history, is a symbol of gallantry, patriotism and valor. On July 25, 1900 his surname was given to the town of "Cuevitas" in the province of Matanzas.

On May 11, 1873, in a surprise action, he was struck down by a bullet in the right temple. On the 12th his body was exposed at the "Hospital de San Juan de Dios" and incinerated with wood and oil by order of the Spanish governor Ampudia. Before being incinerated, Father Olallo collected, washed and prayed before the body.

At 32 years of age, in the fullness of youth, he crossed the threshold of immortality. His transcendence has made Camagüey also known as the "Agramontine Land".