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Archiver > CUBA > 2002-07 > 1025819122


From: "Mayra Sanchez-Johnson" <>
Subject: Re: [CUBA-L] Happy 4th thanks to the Cubans
Date: Thu, 4 Jul 2002 15:45:22 -0600
References: <cb.24905bf0.2a55c023@aol.com>


A friend made me aware that there is a book written about the contribution
of Cuba to the War of Independence of the US tittle: Spain and the
Independence of the United States, by Thomas E. Chaves. I have not read it
yet, but intend to do so soon.

Mayra

>
>
>
> During my never ending search for Cuban history I recieved an email about
a
> year ago that really moved me and I realized that this was something I
could
> not keep to myself. (as written by Luis Cespedes)
>
>
>
>
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>
>
> This July 4th, New York will be scenario of the largest
> maritime event in
> the history of humankind. In this regard, the city, and the nation are
> outdoing themselves to stage along with simulatenous fireworks, one of the
> most impressive displays of popular joy and freedom ever staged
commemorating
> a nation's freedom.
>
>
> Being Cuban born and living within sight of the Statue of
> Liberty, I cannot
> help but think of who and what made this possible. My mind races back to a
> demonstration held in New York by Cuban Americans when someone handed to
> me a piece of paper in which the former US Ambassador to Cuba Stephen
Bonsal
> wrote, "The Contribution of Cuban women by way of their jewelry, could
very
> well be the foundation on which is founded, the freedom of the United
> States". Bonsal, having lived in Havana, also penned a book, "When the
> French were here".
>
>
> A friend of mine, Tirso Gonzalez, veteran of the 2506
> Brigade, once heard
> me talking about this case, and both he and I sent out to investigate in
> the NY Public Library if this indeed was true. This is what we both found
> out:
>
>
> General George Washington had a dream to liberate the
colonies
> from
> the English. He also had a band of mercenaries whom to pay, since he
relied
> on these type of soldiers to wage the war which he felt was just and
> necessary. The French were here in the colonies helping out, and given
that
> there
> was no money to finance the mercenaries or the war, Lafayette commanded
the
> frigate known as "L'Aigrrette", to travel first to Cadiz, Spain, to see if
> money
> could be gotten. To no avail, the Spanish in Cadiz were very kind but not
> financially forthcomming. The ship then went on to Saint Domingue, what
> is now Haiti, and what was then the riches of all colonies given the
> enourmeous wealth to be had in the sugar industry. The French there told
the
> French on the ship, "Nous n'avons pas d'argent", in other words, there
would
> be no
> money from Saint Domingue sent to Washington. L'Aigrette then set sail
> to the Port of Havana to obtain water and supplies to return up to
> Virginia. It was there that word got out, our traditional "Radio Bemba" of
> the time,
> that Washington needed funding to stage a battle which was at the time
only
> in the planning stage. Women, girls, from Havana, to Matanzas to Pinar del
Rio
>
> gave freely of their jewelry, the French even documenting that they
disposed
> of their diamonds, to help Washington in his quest for freedom and his
> financing of his mercenaries. The women of Cuba came forth, knowing that
this
> was
> a just cause, giving up of their only wealth which was their gold, to
> assist the love of independence of another nation. When L'Agraitte set
sail
> and arrived in September of 1781 in Virginia, General Washington upon
> knowing that there was sufficient financing of over 1,200,000 pounds of
Cuban
> gold, silver and diamonds, historians point out that he lost his usual
sedate
> composure and threw his hat in the air from sheer joy. Cuban Women's
> Contribution to the cause of American Independence thus made possible
> the financing of the decisive battle of American Independece, known as the
> Yorktown Battle.
>
>
> In fact, it was then on 31 October 1781, that General
Cornwallis
> of England, had his sable turned over to General Washington, as a sign of
> surrender of the English to a band of dreamers know as the Founding
Fathers
> of the United States of America. May G-d bless the children of these Cuban
> women who loved their own freedom, but knew that the cause of liberty and
> justice is one to be pursued at all costs everywhere in the world where
there
> is need for such a state of affairs.
>
>
> When New York rejoices this Fourth of July, I too in a way
shall
> rejoice
> doubly, since it was our Cuban ancestors, and despite all the disdain for
> Cubans present now in this land, that made possible, the freedom and
> bounty of so many. And by writing this, I hope to start waking up people's
> minds that Cubans even today as in 1781, maintain their unique tradition
of
> defending freedom above all else.This July 4th, New York will be scenario
of
> the largest maritime event in the history of humankind. In this regard,
the
> city, and the nation are
> outdoing themselves to stage along with simulatenous fireworks, one of
> the most impressive displays of popular joy and freedom ever staged
> commemorating
> a nation's freedom.
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