Eusebio Puello
Eusebio Puello de Castro was a Dominican general who displayed great leadership skills and bravery; he stood out during the Dominican War of Independence.
After serving in the Haitian regime, he joined the Dominican independence movement and signed the Manifesto of January 16, 1844. He was among the many participants in the revolt that led to the proclamation of the First Dominican Republic on February 27, 1844. He would soon rise to prominence in the many battles against Haiti, much like his brothers José Joaquín and Gabino.
However, unlike his patriotic brothers, Eusebio began to switch alliance to Spain beginning in the 1860s. As a general for the Spanish Army, he fought vigorously against the Dominican insurgents in the Dominican Restoration War. By 1865, Spain lost its dominance on the island, leading numerous Dominicans, including Puello, to emigrate to Cuba or Puerto Rico. In Cuba, when the Ten Years' War broke out, Puello defended Spanish interests with conviction and led many military operations of Spanish troops against the Mambise rebels. He would remain loyal to Spain until his death in 1871.
Early years
Eusebio Puello was born in 1811 in the city of Santo Domingo, when Dominican Republic was still under Spanish rule. He was the second son of the marriage of Martín Joaquín Puello and María Mercedes de Castro, both free blacks..In 1822, early in the Haitian regime of Santo Domingo by the troops of Haitian President Jean-Pierre Boyer, Eusebio was recruited to join the Haitian Army due to the implementation of conscription. Although due to his young age, he could not join the army immediately. Finally in June 1824, he joined as first corporal of the 31st regiment, and over time he rose to reach the rank of second lieutenant. In 1840, he achieved the rank of captain, but his military career was cut short after the fall of Boyer in 1843, leading to his retirement along with other officers loyal to the overthrown government.
After his service with the Haitian regime ended, Eusebio joined the independence movement led by Francisco del Rosario Sánchez, with his brothers also joining. He showed a determined commitment to the cause by signing the Manifesto of January 16, 1844. On February 24, he attended the meeting of patriots that made the historic determination to carry out the pronouncement on the night of February 27, and was present at the Santo Domingo pronouncement of 1844, held at the Puerta del Conde, where the First Dominican Republic was proclaimed.
Military career
Dominican Republic
This participation earned him the Central Government Board to confirm the rank of captain that had been granted to him by the Haitian Government. Being President, Pedro Santana elevated him to the rank of lieutenant colonel. In 1845, he went to San Cristóbal at the head of a troop to quell a rebellion that had broken out in that town and he was entrusted with the execution of the insurgents.In that same year he was appointed infantry commander in order to appease Puerto Plata. When his brothers José Joaquín and Gabino were accused by Santana of leading a conspiracy against the Government, a process that ended with their execution, Eusebio was accused as an accomplice and sentenced to three years of confinement and loss of his military rank. Shortly afterward, he was released and reinstated in military service. Appointed first chief of the Second Battalion of the Dominican regiment based in Santo Domingo, he was assigned to the General Staff of Santana, until in 1849, he received the rank of colonel. In 1852, he was appointed Sub-govornor of El Seibo and a briefly served as a military instructor to a battalion. From 1853 to 1854, he held the rank of commander in arms of Sabana de la Mar and temporarily that of El Seibo, later obtaining ownership of that of San Juan de la Maguana. In 1855, when the invasion of Haitian Emperor Faustin I occurred, General Juan Contreras entrusted him with the direction of the Battle of Santomé, in which he inflicted a crushing defeat on the invading Haitian forces.
When Buenaventura Báez returned to power in 1856, he appointed him commander of Las Matas de Farfán. While in that position, the Cibaeño Revolution occurred. As a prisoner, he was sent to that city, where he agreed to fight the Samaná rebels, but he failed and had to be evacuated by General Matías Ramón Mella. Without giving up, he regrouped his troops and on May 4, 1858, he entered that town after a long and hard-fought battle. He remained there until August 1859, when he returned to the capital. A month later, another rebellion was declared in Azua, where he went with General Antonio Abad Alfau.
Spain
Dominican Restoration War
In August 1863, a revolution broke out in the Cibao with the aim of restoring the Dominican Republic. Puello asked for a company to garrison San Juan, but his request was denied, causing the revolution to spread to all the towns in the district of Azua. On September 30, 1863, Puello received information about the approach of the rebels from San Juan towards the city of Azua. He organized his troops at strategic points and, after receiving early warning on October 1, 1863, he confronted the rebels at the Jura River. Despite the difficulties of the battle due to the narrow road and enemy fire from the woods, Puello ordered a vigorous advance and achieved a victory, capturing ammunition, shrapnel, and prisoners of war. On October 6, the revolutionaries took the city of Baní, and on the next day, San Cristóbal revolted, leaving Azua cut off from the Dominican capital. Faced with this situation, Felipe Rivero ordered Puello to evacuate Azua, also adding the news of an alleged independence conspiracy in Santo Domingo. Both Puello and other military leaders were summoned to Santo Domingo. A few days later, Spanish troops and loyalists evacuated Azua towards Santo Domingo. That same day, General Pedro Florentino took control of the city. He was later named second in command of the division commanded by General José de la Gándara and together they marched on San Cristóbal after having had several battles in which Puello emerged victorious. The next day, he faced the rebels in Fundación and then went to Moja-Casave where he also defeated another enemy faction. Later, he left for Palmar de Fundación where the separatist rebel force was entrenched, which was completely defeated after a fierce battle. Later he returned to San Cristóbal and from there he marched towards Baní, facing all the insurrections that previously disputed the passage.From Baní, he fought approximately 500 Dominican insurgents who were in Alto de la Cruz, causing 50 deaths and some injuries to the rebels through a false retreat, and managing to capture three flags. He then returned to Baní and on December 4, 1863, marched towards Azua in command of the vanguard of José de la Gándara's division. On December 6, they entered Azua after the defeated enemy had hastily abandoned the town. For these actions and his performance in the Battle of Jura, he was promoted to field marshal by Queen Isabella II. On December 24, he left for San Juan and took the town after a slight resistance. Then, he continued his way through Las Matas de Farfán until reaching the border town of Bánica. From there he returned to Azua due to a call from De la Gándara to go out together to take Neiba, which they did by fighting the rebels and taking a large trench they had on the banks of the La Sequia stream. Afterwards he went towards Barahona, where he also fought the separatists, took the town and seized a rebel artillery piece. Then he returned to Azua by order of Governor Carlos de Vargas, remaining as General Commander of the Azua district.
In early December 1864, Marshal Puello received confidential information about a possible change of attitude in the inhabitants of the village of Neiba, who were apparently willing to recognize the authority of Spain again. Driven by his pro-Spanish patriotism, Puello sent a column to invade Neiba. However, upon arrival, his troops found the village totally abandoned and did not have enough rations to continue the operation as planned. On December 4, the Spanish expedition was caught in an ambush on the mountain of La Canela, where they faced rebel forces led by José María Cabral. Despite the brave fight of the Spanish forces, they were forced to retreat, and the rebels managed to capture prisoners, mules, and weapons. This defeat at the Battle of La Canela allowed the insurgents to regain control of Neyba on December 5. By late 1864, although the Spanish appeared to be winning the war, a major territorial loss had occurred with the fall of El Seibo. However, this conflict had come at a high cost in terms of lives and resources. Diseases, such as yellow fever, had caused numerous casualties in the Spanish ranks, placing an unsustainable burden on Spain. Furthermore, during the course of the war, the rebels had carried out devastating actions in important cities such as Santiago de los Caballeros and Puerto Plata, burning them down and causing damage valued at some 5,000,000 pesos.
In that context, Ramón María Narváez adopted an abandonist policy and the Spanish Cortes approved the abandonment of Santo Domingo; Isabel II of Spain signed a decree on March 3, 1865, that annulled the annexation of Santo Domingo to Spain. Puello continued as Commander General of the Azua district until June 5, 1865, when the evacuation of Azua was ordered. Before leaving, he received the decoration of the Grand Cross of the Order Isabel la Católica. Faithful to his true nationality, Puello was one of the three Dominican generals who left for mainland Spain. In Santo Domingo, he lost property and family that was left in poverty after having been a prisoner of the enemy, accompanying him to his new destination on the island of Cuba, where he was granted the barracks for the city of Havana.