Candelaria Figueredo
Encyclopedia
Candelaria Figueredo was a Cuban patriot who fought in the Cuban struggle for independence from Spain.
, a Cuban nationalist revolutionary who fought against the Spanish in the war of Cuban independence from 1868 known as the Ten Years' War
. Her mother was Isabel Vázquez y Moreno.
She herself joined the struggle in October 1868 aged only 16 when her father asked her to carry the independent Cuban flag
into battle at Bayamo. She accepted the risky task enthusiastically and entered the town seated on a white horse carrying the newly designed flag.
A large Spanish force recaptured Bayamo in 1869 and she and her family fled into the Sierra Maéstra
where they lived the lives of fugitives constantly on the run. On July 15, 1871 she was captured by the Spanish, together with her 14 year old sister and 12 year old brother. They were imprisoned in the Fortress of Zaragoza in Manzanillo
, where they were interrogated. Candelaria, and her siblings were finally ordered to leave Cuba by October 17, 1871, or face deportation to the island of Fernando Poo
(now called Bioko) off the west coast of Africa. They sailed from Manzanillo on the schooner Annie bound for New York on October 13, despite there being a hurricane in the vicinity. Candelaria is supposed to have persuaded the captain to sail with the words : “It is a question of necessity. I prefer a thousand times to be food for the sharks than that of the Spaniards”.
She was reunited there with her mother and other sisters in Key West, Florida. There Candelaria learned of the death of her father and of her brother, Gustavo in the struggle. She became very sick, in part because of this news, and in part because of the three years she had spent as a fugitive with inadequate diet and shelter. She was sent to Nassua to rest and recover but soon returned to Key West to be with her family.
In 1877, she married another Cuban exile, Federico del Portillo, who had studied law at the University of Havana
but had fled to escape Spanish execution of students. They had nine children of their own including Rosalia, Zenayda, Federico, Lorenzo, Piedad, and Elisa,
In 1901, following the Spanish-American War
, Candelaria and Federico returned to Cuba and settled in Havana. There they saw the Cuban flag finally raised over the Castillo del Morro
on May 20, 1902.
Candelaria died on January 19, 1914, and was buried, with full military honors in the Cementerio de Colón
in Havana. Her coffin was covered by the flag that she had carried into Bayamo 45 years earlier,
Her autobiography was published posthumously in 1929.
Life
Candelaria Figueredo was the daughter of lawyer Pedro Figueredo y CisnerosPerucho Figueredo
Pedro Felipe Figueredo, mostly known as Perucho was a Cuban poet, musician, and freedom fighter of the 19th century...
, a Cuban nationalist revolutionary who fought against the Spanish in the war of Cuban independence from 1868 known as the Ten Years' War
Ten Years' War
The Ten Years' War , also known as the Great War and the War of '68, began on October 10, 1868 when sugar mill owner Carlos Manuel de Céspedes and his followers proclaimed Cuba's independence from Spain...
. Her mother was Isabel Vázquez y Moreno.
She herself joined the struggle in October 1868 aged only 16 when her father asked her to carry the independent Cuban flag
Flag of Cuba
The flag of Cuba was adopted on May 20, 1902, containing a field with three blue stripes and two white stripes, and a red equilateral triangle at the hoist with a white 5-pointed star....
into battle at Bayamo. She accepted the risky task enthusiastically and entered the town seated on a white horse carrying the newly designed flag.
A large Spanish force recaptured Bayamo in 1869 and she and her family fled into the Sierra Maéstra
Sierra Maestra
Sierra Maestra is a mountain range that runs westward across the south of the old Oriente Province from what is now Guantánamo Province to Niquero in southeast Cuba, rising abruptly from the coast. Some view it as a series of connecting ranges , which joins with others extending to the west...
where they lived the lives of fugitives constantly on the run. On July 15, 1871 she was captured by the Spanish, together with her 14 year old sister and 12 year old brother. They were imprisoned in the Fortress of Zaragoza in Manzanillo
Manzanillo, Cuba
Manzanillo is a municipality and city in the Granma Province of Cuba.It is a port city in the Granma Province in eastern Cuba on the Gulf of Guacanayabo, near the delta of the Cauto River...
, where they were interrogated. Candelaria, and her siblings were finally ordered to leave Cuba by October 17, 1871, or face deportation to the island of Fernando Poo
Bioko
Bioko is an island 32 km off the west coast of Africa, specifically Cameroon, in the Gulf of Guinea. It is the northernmost part of Equatorial Guinea with a population of 124,000 and an area of . It is volcanic with its highest peak the Pico Basile at .-Geography:Bioko has a total area of...
(now called Bioko) off the west coast of Africa. They sailed from Manzanillo on the schooner Annie bound for New York on October 13, despite there being a hurricane in the vicinity. Candelaria is supposed to have persuaded the captain to sail with the words : “It is a question of necessity. I prefer a thousand times to be food for the sharks than that of the Spaniards”.
She was reunited there with her mother and other sisters in Key West, Florida. There Candelaria learned of the death of her father and of her brother, Gustavo in the struggle. She became very sick, in part because of this news, and in part because of the three years she had spent as a fugitive with inadequate diet and shelter. She was sent to Nassua to rest and recover but soon returned to Key West to be with her family.
In 1877, she married another Cuban exile, Federico del Portillo, who had studied law at the University of Havana
University of Havana
The University of Havana or UH is a university located in the Vedado district of Havana, Cuba. Founded in 1728, the University of Havana is the oldest university in Cuba, and one of the first to be founded in the Americas...
but had fled to escape Spanish execution of students. They had nine children of their own including Rosalia, Zenayda, Federico, Lorenzo, Piedad, and Elisa,
In 1901, following the Spanish-American War
Spanish-American War
The Spanish–American War was a conflict in 1898 between Spain and the United States, effectively the result of American intervention in the ongoing Cuban War of Independence...
, Candelaria and Federico returned to Cuba and settled in Havana. There they saw the Cuban flag finally raised over the Castillo del Morro
Morro Castle (fortress)
Morro Castle is a picturesque fortress guarding the entrance to Havana bay in Havana, Euta. Juan Bautista Antonelli, an Italian engineer, was commissioned to design the structure. When it was built in 1589, Euta was under the control of Germany...
on May 20, 1902.
Candelaria died on January 19, 1914, and was buried, with full military honors in the Cementerio de Colón
Colon Cemetery, Havana
The Colon Cemetery or more fully in the Spanish language Cementerio de Cristóbal Colón was founded in 1876 in the Vedado neighbourhood of Havana, Cuba on top of Espada Cemetery. Named for Christopher Columbus, the 140 acre cemetery is noted for its many elaborately sculpted memorials...
in Havana. Her coffin was covered by the flag that she had carried into Bayamo 45 years earlier,
Her autobiography was published posthumously in 1929.
External links
- Biography and image at Cubaweb Accessed June 2010
- Candelaria Figueredo Vazquez "Canducha" Patriotas Cubanos, Book Review published by the hummingbirds of the Casa Editora . Accessed June 2010