Cry of Yara
Part ofTen Years' War
Date 10 October 1868 – 11 October 1868 (1 day) Location Yara,Oriente Province,Captaincy General of Cuba Result Cuban victory
Belligerents
Cuban rebels	Spain
Commanders and leaders
Gen.Carlos Manuel de Céspedes Francisco Javier de Céspedes Ricardo R. de Céspedes Titá Calvar Bartolomé Masó	Unknown
Strength
500+mambises	Unknown

TheCry of Yara (Spanish:El Grito de Yara) was adeclaration,battle cry, anduprising in easternCuba on 10 October 1868, initiating theTen Years' War.^[1] The signaling of the Yara uprising occurred nearManzanillo in the easternprovince of Oriente, at thesugar plantation andmill ofLa Demajagua, which was owned by the Céspedes family.

On October 8, 1868, Céspedes learned that colonial authorities in Manzanillo had issued arrest warrants for many of the conspirators. In response, he hastened plans for revolt and summoned insurgents to La Demajagua.^[2]

By October 9, over 500 men—armed primarily withmachetes—had gathered. The call to arms extended across the surrounding region, with groups mobilizing from various estates. Among the participants werecriollos, free and enslavedAfro-Cubans, twoColumbian soldiers, and even twoSpaniards who were coincidentally present and taken prisoner but not harmed.^[2] Among the soldiers gathered were some of the future leaders and commanders of theCuban Liberation Army, includingTitá Calvar,Jaime Santisteban, andBartolomé Masó.^[2]

On October 10, the revolutionaryproclamation of Cuba's independence known as the Cry of Yara (Spanish:El Grito de Yara) was issued by Cuban revolutionary andplantation ownerCarlos Manuel de Céspedes.^[3] Following the tolling of theBell of La Demajagua that morning byMiguel García Pavón, the brother of ColonelEmiliano García Pavón, which signaled his slaves that work was about to begin, they assembled before him, ready for instructions.^[4]Rafael Castellanos, aliasGuairaje, served as the first horn. Theflag later known as theCéspedes Flag, sewn byCandelaria Acosta (Cambula) was raised over the estate andEmilio Tamayo became its first standard-bearer.^[2]

Céspedes gave a passionate address, declared the independence of Cuba, and pledged to end slavery. He first liberated his own slaves and invited them to fight alongside him against Spanish colonial forces, initiating theTen Years' War in Cuba.^[5] During the ceremony, Céspedes announced himself asCaptain General and outlined the political aims of the revolution.^[2]

Céspedes said:

"We will march to the banks of theAlmendares, whose clear waters will quench the thirst of our corcels, ready to tread with their helmets the last corner where the Iberian is hidden'. Set ranks!"

The rest of the day, the camped insurgents were kept busy making cartridges for the fifty or sixty shotguns that they possessed as the only firearms and distributing those weapons, because everyone wanted one. They also occupied themselves receiving men into the army, arriving from the nearby fields.^[2] Notably, the first man to join the Army that day was an Afro-Cuban freed man namedJosé de Jesús Pérez [ES], followed by a mixed group of volunteers includingartisans,laborers, andplanters.^[2]

That night, at around 10 or 11 o'clock, the rebels began their march toward the town ofYara, passing through the town ofEl Congo. After a brief rest and provisioning stop at the San Francisco mill, they resumed their march.^[2]

The Cubaninsurrectionists remained at Demajagua, leaving the next day at dawn on October 11, 1868, with intentions to attack and occupy the nearby town ofYara.^[6] However, Spanish forces had already arrived. A sudden firefight erupted in Yara's central plaza between the poorly equipped insurgents and the regular Spanish troops. A total of 147 men armed themselves with 45fowling pieces, 4rifles, and several pistols and machetes.^[7]

TheSpanishgarrison at Yara, situated between the cities ofManzanillo andBayamo, fell to Céspedes in his first successful military encounter. The confrontation was brief but disastrous for the rebels. Due to rain and lack ofcartridge cases, theirammunition was ruined. Most firearms failed to discharge, leading to a swift Spanish counterattack and a dispersal of Céspedes’ forces. Only about a dozen rebels, including Céspedes, held their ground briefly before retreating. Among the casualties wasFernando Guardia, remembered as the first Cuban to die in combat for independence.^[2]

Despite the initial failure, Céspedes famously declared,“There are still twelve men left; they are enough to achieve the independence of Cuba.”^[2]

By October 12, Céspedes and his commanders began regrouping scattered forces. With the help of Dominican military leaderLuis Marcano, the insurgents formed a more organized resistance. By that evening, around 800 men had reassembled, reigniting the war effort.^[2] The news of the uprising at Yara inspired many to join the cause, leading to the eventual formation of theCuban Liberation Army.^[8]

Cuba Independence Day is observed every year on October 10th as a national holiday and the anniversary of the beginning of the first CubanWar of Independence.^[9]

• 1868 in Cuba
• Ten Years' War
• Spanish colonial period of Cuba
• Battle cries
• Public holidays in Cuba
• Independence days
• October observances
• October 1868

• Articles with short description
• Short description matches Wikidata
• Articles containing Spanish-language text