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One of the most tragic events of the Ten Years War was the execution
of eight medical students, which occured during the government of General
Blas Villate y de la Hera, Count of Balmaseda (or Valmaseda).
The eight students were arrested in their school room on 25 November
1871, personally by the Spanish Governor of Habana, falsely accused of
having scratched the tombstone of a Spanish newspaperman. The following
day they were tried in summary judgement by orders of the then acting
Capitan General, General Crespo in the absence of Valmaseda. The results
of the first trial was not accepted by a group of Spanish Voluntarios
(actively pro-Spain volunteers) who had gathered in front of the prison
building where the trial took place. The students were again tried a second
time and condemned to death by firing squad.
Valmaseda, who had returned to La Habana, did not commute the sentence
nor impose a lesser one. The eight students were executed on 27 November
1871, just two days after their arrest. The date of November 27 is commemorated
in Cuba as a day of national mourning.
The following genealogical information was provided by Vivian Narvaez,
who extracted the data from the reference shown at the end of the page.
The eight students, whose names will never be forgotten by any Cuban,
were:
 Alonso
Álvarez de la Campa y Gamba (age 16)
- Born
- 24 June 1855
- Baptized
-
- Date: 25 August 1855
Place: Parroquia de Nuestra Señora de Monserrate, La Habana
Record: Bautismo de Blancos, Libro 5, Folio 59, No. 241
By: Pbtro. Francisco de Paula Gispert
- Father
- Don Alonso Álvarez, born in Castrillón, Province of
Oviedo, Asturias
- Mother
- Doña Cecilia Gamba, born in La Habana
- Paternal Grandparents
- José & Manuela Galán
- Maternal Grandparents
- Tomás & María Galarraga
- Godparents
- Manuel Menéndez
María Merced Gamba
Anacleto
Bermúdez y González de Piñera (age 20)
- Born
- 7 June 1851
- Baptized
-
- Date: 23 July 1851
Place: Parroquia de Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe, La Habana
Record: Bautismo de Españoles, Libro 31, Folio 505, No. 1009
By:
- Father
- Dor. Don Esteban Bermúdez
- Mother
- María Luisa Rafaela Teresa Piñera
- Paternal Grandparents
- Don Benito & María Josefa Pérez
- Maternal Grandparents
- Don Ignacio & Doña María de los Dolores Meireles
- Godfather
- Dot. Don Manuel González de Piñera
José
de Marcos y Medina (age 20)
- Born
- 7 March 1851
- Baptized
- Date: 16 April 1851
Place: Parroquia de Nuestra Señora de Monserrate, La Habana
Record: Bautismo de Blancos, Libro 3, Folio 64, No. 211
By: Pbtro. Dr. Don Santiago López de San Román
- Father
- José Marcos Llera, born in Asturias
- Mother
- Emilia Manuela Medina y Ferrera, born in Venezuela
- Paternal Grandparents
- José de Marcos Columbres
Ramona de la Llera Mijares
- Maternal Grandparents
- Teniente Coronel Don Juan Bautista Medina y Cabrera
María Antolina Ferrera y Vera
- Godparents
- Don Ramón Sánchez Prío
Doña Nicolasa Amaila Medina y Ferrera
Ángel
Laborde y Perera (age 17)
- Born
- 5 December 1853, Barrio del Cerro, La Habana
- Baptized
- Date: 22 December 1853
Place: Parroquia El Salvador del Mundo, Cerro, La Habana
Record:
By:
- Father
- Ángel Eduardo Laborde y Sotomayor, born in Charleston, USA
- Mother
- Francisca Perera y Boves, born in New Orleans, USA
- Paternal Grandparents
- Excmo. Sr. Ángel Laborde y Navarro, Jefe de Escuadra que fue
de esta Real Armada
Sra. Francisca Espejo
- Maternal Grandparents
- Francisco Perrera
Lucia Boves
- Godparents
- Jose María Herrera, Comandante Graduado de Milicias de Caballería
de La Habana, en representación de su Señor padre el Excmo.
Sr. Conde de Fernandina, Grande de España de primera Clase
Sra. Doña María de las Mercedes González en representación
de la Iltrma. Sra. Da. Marciala Boves, Esposa del Iltrmo. Señor
Dn. José Antonio de Olanberas, Ministro Honorario del Supremo
Tribunal de Guerra y Marina residente en Madrid.
Juan
Pascual Rodríguez y Pérez (age 21)
- Born
- 24 June 1850
- Baptized
-
- Date: 5 August 1850
Place: Parroquia del Espíritu Santo, La Habana
Record: Bautismo de Españoles, Libro 40, Folio 25v, No. 54
By: Don Antonio Abad Facenda
- Father
- Don Pascual Rodríguez y Valdés Montero, born in La
Habana
- Mother
- Doña Rosa Pérez y Román, born in La Habana
- Paternal Grandparents
- Don Félix José Rodríguez
Doña Juana Belén Valdés Montero
- Maternal Grandparents
- Don José de la Luz Pérez
Doña María del Carmen Román
- Godparents
- Don Vicente Montero
Doña Francisca Valdés
Carlos
A. de la Torre y Madrigal (age 20)
- Born
- 29 July 1851, in Puerto Príncipe
- Baptized
-
- Date: 16 October 1851
Place: Catedral de Camagüey, Puerto Príncipe
Record: Bautismo de Españoles
By:
- Father
- Esteban de la Torre y de la Torre, born in Puerto Príncipe
- Mother
- Manuela Madrigal y Mendigutia, born in Sancti Spiritu
- Paternal Grandparents
- Gaspar de la Torre
María Faustina de la Torre
- Maternal Grandparents
- Capitán Ramón Madrigal
María Candelaria de Mendigutia
- Godparents
- Lic. Francisco Iraiola
Josefa Iraiola
Eladio
González y Toledo (age 20)
- Born
- 29 October 1851, in Quivicán, Habana
- Baptized
-
- Date: 27 November 1851
Place: Parroquia de San Pedro Apóstol, Quivicán, Habana
Record: Bautismo de Blancos
By:
- Father
- Manuel González y Rodríguez, born in Santa María
del Rosario
- Mother
- Rosalia Toledo y Sánchez, born in Santo Cristo de la Salud
- Paternal Grandparents
- Miguel González
Josefa Rodríguez
- Maternal Grandparents
- José Toledo
María Belén Sánchez
- Godparents
- Lic. Calixto González
María del Pilar Micaela González
Carlos
Verdugo y Martínez (age 17)
- Born
- 15 January 1854
- Baptized
-
- Date: 18 March 1854
Place: Catedral de San Carlos de Matanzas, Province of Matanzas
Record: Bautismo de Blancos, Libro 27, Folio 84, No. 320
By: Pbtro. D. Francisco Caleat
- Father
- Don Pablo Isidoro Verdugo, born in Nueva Paz de Cuba
- Mother
- Doña Inéz Martínez, born in Nueva Paz de Cuba
- Paternal Grandparents
- Don Pablo Hernández
Doña Matilde Hernández
- Maternal Grandparents
- Don Francisco Antonio de Regla Jorjes
Doña María de Regla Jorjes
- Godparents
- Don Pablo Verdugo
Doña Inés Larrondo
References:
27 de Noviembre de 1871 - Fusilamiento de Ocho Estudiantes de Medicina - William A. Fountain, Ediciones Universal, US$29.95
Historia de la Isla de Cuba - Carlos Márquez Sterling
& Manuel Márquez Sterling, 1975 Regents Publishing Company,
Inc. 2 Park Avenue, New York, NY [ISBN 0-88345-251-0]
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