Santiago Basora was a Dominican revolutionary who was a leader in the Dominican War of Independence. Basora, a former slave himself, was determined that the new independent government would uphold its promise that slavery would never return to the Dominican Republic. He a revolt in Monte Grande before being confronted by independence leaders Tomás Bobadilla and Manuel Jimenes, who ensured him that slavery was forever abolished. [1]
He was born in Guinea in West Africa and was baptized by a Portuguese priest in Santo Domingo with the surname Basora upon arrival. He was known to have had the utmost respect of the colored class of the now Dominican Republic. A staunch anti-slavery activist, his stance against the institution would serve as a key element that allowed the Trinitarios to win over support from the colored class. [2] [3]
During the Haitian regime in eastern Hispaniola, Basora was the captain of the African battalion, a body of black soldiers, many of whom, like Basora, were former slaves. These forces, camped in Pajarito, (present-day Villa Duarte), was initially indecisive about the events of the time, since a large part of the population was committed to the patriots. [4]
On March 1, 1844, two days after the proclamation of Dominican independence by the Trinitarios at Puerta del Conde, Battalion Commander Esteban Pou revealed suspicion about an alleged rumor that the leading government would reimpose slavery. They devised a plan to rebel in response to this, but the captains had been extracted by Tomás Bobadilla and Manuel Jimenes, whom were commissioned by President Francisco del Rosario Sánchez to confront them. The rebels were assured that slavery would never return to the nation, and were issued a pardon by Bobadilla. Basara's company was made up of inhabitants of Monte Grande, who, once the Dominican War of Independence had begun, that company and others from the same region were commanded by Basora himself. His forces was said to have provided services to the Southern line. This column, called The African Battalion, was soon left in the Capital while the improvised columns left for the South under the command of Pedro Santana. [4] [5]
The elements of that unit military personnel were always touched by suspicion, fearful that the issue of racial prejudice and its consequences would be reborn. They were well treated, however, even regarding the new homeland they came to feel satisfied and not to distrust the spirit of equality prevailing among the Dominicans. But on the occasion of the dispute of predominance over the leadership of the government, in which the question of a protectorate under France was discussed. General Juan Pablo Duarte and his supporters won the collaboration of Basora, who was convinced that the return of slavery was inevitable with the impending French invasion. With this, Duarte had successfully managed to disrupt the protevtorate project and dismiss the cuprits from office.
His military, during the days of confusion and lack of personal guarantee prevailing in the city after the 18 Dominican Brumaire of June 9, 1844, demonstrated themselves as provocateurs and determined to uphold the freedom and equality of all Dominicans by any means necessary. However, the triumphant return of Santana commanding his army that had just been formed fighting in the fields of the South, put an end to the conceit of the African Battalion. This caused the repressed Basora and his troops to express doubt to the new order that had now materialed in the government.
However, other conflicts soon embroiled that threatened the principles upheld within the independent state. A Spaniard from Puerto Rico, who himself was a slave owner, came to the country to reclaim nine of his slaves, who, according to him, had escaped to the Dominican Republic, and were believed to have been part of the African Battalion. Seemingly unaware that the Dominican territory was now an independent state, he publicly dedicated himself to stating the purpose of his arrival, which soon reached the ears of the soldiers of the battalion. Enraged, Basora and his troops took to the streets to hunt down the man. The Spaniard was able to avoid being caught by taking refuge in a family home, which was ultimately surrounded by his pursuers, who were prepared to take action against him. However, the intervention of General Santana prevented such an outcome. Accompanied by his General Staff, the Spaniard was taken to the Ozama Fortress, from where he was secretly taken out to be put on board a ship. After this, Santana often looked for a pretext to detach Basora to the fields of the South; but days of truce followed one another, and he was brought to the plaza again, as less dangerous than leaving him quartered in that vast and sparsely populated region. [6]
By 1847, hostilities between the black battalion and the ruling conservative cabinet intensified. When the imprisonment and trial of Minister José Joaquín Puello took place, the government took the necessary precautions, promptly sending infantry and cavalry troops to the city from Baní and El Seibo, and mobilizing the Civic Guard, formed in front of the arsenal to prevent reprisals from his supporters. The African Battalion, while apparently prepared to act, was ultimately repressed from taking action, while the entire city, with its traffic of armed people, was already in full mobilization.
Not much is known about their activities following the death of Puello, but it is known that they took part in repelling the invasion of Faustin Soulouque in April 1849. Afterwards, Basora, still a supporter of the liberal president, Manuel Jimenes, was expelled from the country. [7]
The actions of Santiago Basora represented one of the many chapters in the Dominican history regarding the issue of slavery.
Juan Pablo Duarte y Díez was a Dominican military leader, writer, activist, and nationalist politician who was the foremost of the Founding Fathers of the Dominican Republic and bears the title of Father of the Nation. As one of the most celebrated figures in Dominican history, Duarte is considered a folk hero and revolutionary visionary in the modern Dominican Republic, who along with military generals Ramón Matías Mella and Francisco del Rosario Sánchez, organized and promoted La Trinitaria, a secret society that eventually led to the Dominican revolt and independence from Haitian rule in 1844 and the start of the Dominican War of Independence.
Francisco del Rosario Sánchez was a Dominican revolutionary, politician, and former president of the Dominican Republic. He is considered by Dominicans as the second prominent leader of the Dominican War of Independence, after Juan Pablo Duarte and before Matías Ramón Mella. Widely acknowledged as one of the Founding Fathers of the Dominican Republic, and the only martyr of the three, he is honored as a national hero. In addition, the Order of Merit of Duarte, Sánchez and Mella is named partially in his honor.
Pedro Santana y Familias, 1st Marquess of Las Carreras was a military commander and royalist politician who served as the president of the junta that had established the First Dominican Republic, a precursor to the position of the President of the Dominican Republic, and as the first President of the republic in the modern line of succession. A traditional royalist who was fond of the Monarchy of Spain and the Spanish Empire, he ruled as a governor-general, but effectively as an authoritarian dictator. During his life he enjoyed the title of "Libertador de la Patria." Aside from Juan Sánchez Ramírez, he was the only other Dominican head of state to serve as a governor to Santo Domingo.
Matías Ramón Mella Castillo, best known by his middle name (Ramón), was a Dominican revolutionary, politician, and military general. Mella is regarded as a national hero in the Dominican Republic. He was a proclaimer of the First Dominican Republic, and a precursor to restore Dominican independence. Remembered as one of the three Founding Fathers of the Dominican Republic, the Order of Merit of Duarte, Sánchez and Mella is partially named in his honor.
María Trinidad Sánchez, Mother Founder was a Dominican freedom fighter and a heroine of the Dominican War of Independence. She participated on the rebel side as a courier. Together with Concepción Bona, Isabel Sosa and María de Jesús Pina, she took part in designing the Dominican flag. She was executed after having refused to betray her collaborators in exchange for her life. The María Trinidad Sánchez Province is named after her. Her remains rest in the National Pantheon of the Dominican Republic in Santo Domingo.
Manuel José Jimenes González was one of the leaders of the Dominican War of Independence. He served as the 2nd President of the Dominican Republic from September 8, 1848, until May 29, 1849. Prior to that he served as the country's Minister of War and Marine Affairs.
La Trinitaria was a secret society founded in 1838 in what today is known as Arzobispo Nouel Street, across from the "Del Carmen's Church" in the then occupied Santo Domingo, the current capital of the Dominican Republic. The founder, Juan Pablo Duarte, and a group of like minded young people, led the struggle to establish the Dominican Republic as a free, sovereign, and independent nation in the 19th century. Their main goal was to protect their newly liberated country from all foreign invasion. They helped bring about the end of the Haitian occupation of Santo Domingo from 1822 to 1844.
Fortaleza San Luis is located near the Yaque del Norte River in southwest Santiago de los Caballeros, Dominican Republic. The Fort was the location of several battles during the War of Restoration. Fortaleza San Luis has also served as a Municipal Prison and more recently the fort has been converted into a Museum.
José Joaquín Puello de Castro was a Dominican revolutionary and military general who served as government minister in the Dominican Republic. He stood out as a strategist in the Dominican War of Independence. He contributed to the plans of the Trinitarios managing to integrate other figures such as Juan Erazo, Juan Alejandro Acosta and others into the fight who later stood out in patriotic interest.
Tomás Bobadilla y Briones was a writer, intellectual and politician from the Dominican Republic. The first ruler of the Dominican Republic, he had a significant participation in the movement for Dominican independence.
Dr. Juan Vicente Moscoco Carvajal, nicknamed the "Dominican Socrates", was a lawyer, politician, educator and assessor of the royal artillery of Santo Domingo. He was mayor of Santo Domingo during the period of España Boba, among other public offices. He obtained a doctorate of canon law and civic law from the University of Santo Tomas de Aquino in 1791.
Juan Ceferino Suero y Carmona also known by his nickname, Black Cid, was a Dominican military commander who fought in the Dominican War of Independence. He later fought, however, in the service of Spain, in the Dominican Restoration War, in which he died after receiving a bullet wound during the Battle of Paso del Muerto, on March 19, 1864.
Timoteo Ogando Encarnación was a Dominican general and politician. In his lifetime, his activism spanned throughout seven different decades, including during the decades of conflict against Haiti, Spain and the United States. This gives him the distinction of holding the longest military career of the 19th and 20th century in the Dominican Republic.
Gabino Puello de Castro was a Dominican soldier and a leader in the Dominican War of Independence. He was one of the signers of the Manifesto of January 16, 1844. After some hostilities with the conservative cabinet, he was accused of taking part in a conspiracy against Pedro Santana, who subjected him, as well as his brother, José Joaquín Puello, to persecution and subsequent execution in December 1847.
José María Caminero y Ferrer was a Dominican lawyer and politician. He played a significant role in the different political processes that occurred on the island from the early independence movement of José Núñez de Cáceres, the Haitian occupation and the independent Dominican governments until his death in 1853.
Pedro Alejandrino Pina García was a Dominican politician and military man considered one of the heroes of Dominican independence. He was the co-founder of the Secret Society La Trinitaria and first cousin of the father of Dominican history, Jose Gabriel García and the Dominican activist Concepción Bona.
The Coup of18 Dominican Brumaire was a military coup d'état that took place on June 9, 1844, in the Dominican Republic. This event was part of the Dominican War of Independence.
José Cabrera Gómez was a Dominican soldier and politician who was a prominent figure in the Dominican War of Independence and the Dominican Restoration War. In the latter conflict, he was one of the leaders behind the Grito del Capotillo, which triggered the start of the war against the Kingdom of Spain. In his later years, he became involved in the fight against the United States in the Six Years' War.
Manuel Mora was a Dominican activist and soldier. A former slave from Santo Domingo, he participated in the Dominican War of Independence; He joined the Dominican Army as a colonel, later distinguishimg himself in the Battle of Azua, on March 19, 1844 against Haitian forces under Charles Rivière-Hérard.
Felix María del Monte was a Dominican poet, playwright, journalist, orator, politician and teacher. He participated in the independence struggles that culminated with the proclamation of the Dominican Republic. He served as deputy and Minister of Foreign Affairs and Justice. He composed the first National Anthem, with music by Juan Bautista Alfonseca, which was in force until 1884.
