Pedro Betancourt Dávalos

Pedro Estasnislao Betancourt

Pedro Betancourt Dávalos (1858-1933) was a doctor, a major general and Cuban revolutionary in the Cuban War of Independence, a diplomat, a secretary of agriculture, a politician and a father.

Early life and education

Pedro Betancourt Dávalos was born on August 6, 1858 in La Palma near the town of Sabanilla del Encomendador, Matanzas Province. His parents were Juan Florencio Betancourt and Clotilde Davalos. His early studies took place at "Las Normales" in the city of Matanzas, during which time he would return to the family farm in Sabanilla during the holidays. Later, his secondary school, "La Empresa," was run by the Guitars brothers, during which time he was exposed to liberal and revolutionary ideas. The school was closed by order of the Spanish government at the beginning of the war in 1868. He graduated from high school in 1874, and went on to study medicine at the University of Havana. In 1878, he entered the University of Pennsylvania, from which he graduated in 1881.

Career

Early on in his career, Betancourt was admitted on September 20, 1881 to practice medicine in the city of Matanzas for a term of 6 years. After that term he studied at the Sorbonne in Paris, during which time he was painted in evening dress by Cuban portraitist Armando Menocal. He went to Madrid to validate his medical degree in Spain, and on May 30, 1888 he was validated by the Spanish "Ministerio de Fomento," allowing him to practice medicine in Cuba permanently.

Shortly after his return to the island, Betancourt actively began organizing revolutionary activities under direct orders from Jose Marti, the president of the Cuban Revolutionary Party, who was in exile. He coordinated an uprising of the revolutionary forces at the town of Ibarra on February 24, 1895. The uprising failed, resulting in the capture and death of the many revolutionaries. Betancourt was captured returning to the city of Matanzas and was held at the castle of San Severino. He was then transferred to Havana and later exiled to Spain. On June 10, 1895, with the help of Major General Calixto García, he escaped and traveled to Paris. There he met the Cuban delegate Dr. Betances and received orders to travel to the US.

Betancourt went to New York, where he made contact with Tomás Estrada Palma and integrated in a group of revolutionaries organized to go to fight in Cuba. On August 30, 1895, after a failure to return to Cuba, he was imprisoned with other Cubans in Wilmington, Delaware and accused of conspiring against the Spanish crown. They were acquitted and released, as noted in the September 13, 1985 issue of the Evening Star of Washington DC.

After other failed attempts, Betancourt and others organized an expedition departing from New York on March 24, 1896 and landed in Maravi near Baracoa Oriente province. After contacting the local revolutionary command he received orders to join the liberation forces in Matanzas. According to the unedited diary "La Brigada de Cárdenas," the insurgent fight against the government of Spain in the province of Matanzas was extremely difficult and demanding. Matanzas has a flat terrain and was crisscrossed by railroad lines facilitating effective movements of Spanish troops from the main garrisons in Havana. In addition, the land was well cultivated and there were no large woods or deserted areas. Given this topography, fighting the Spanish forces became a very difficult task. The Cuban forces fought daily in what is commonly referred to as "guerrilla" warfare.

On June 4, 1896, he joined forces in Matanzas. He received orders from General Lacret Morlot, head of the division of Matanzas, to organized and led a brigade in the Northwest region of the province. In late June, they participated in an action at the sugar mill San Miguel near Sabanilla. After that General Lacret ordered the transfer of the regiments led by Colonels Sanguily and Dantin, of the southern brigade, to be incorporated under his command.

On August 6, 1896, Betancourt was conferred the rank of colonel. He joined the regiment of Colonel Dantin and take the town of Nueva Paz in the first September days. On November 17, 1896, the Roanoke Times reported in Wilmington Delaware that Betancourt was killed with a machete by Spanish troops who attacked a field hospital. It was later found to be his cousin Dr. Pedro A. Betancourt. Betancourt received a gunshot wound in his side entering the right side and out the left during the battle of the sugar mill Magdalena against the Spanish Colonel Rabadan of the Spanish civil guard. The Colonel Eduardo Rosell y Malpica took over as he recovered. In the first months of 1897, he joined forces with Colonel Cuervo, head of the brigade Southwest of Havana and attacked the villages of Nueva Paz and San Nicolas in the province Havana.

On February 10, 1897, the Evening Star Washington DC reported an interview with Máximo Gómez in which Betancourt was his spokesman. The newspaper reported on the morning of the interview held at the camp of Gomes in Salado, Las Villas Province a Mass was officiated by Father Arteaga and attended by Gen. Betancourt, Colonel Menocal and Dr. Agramonte. On or about February 10, 1897, he was asked to take over the North Brigade, by direct orders of General Maximo Gomez and personally led by General Rosas. After, Betancourt moved some of his troops to the Zapata swamps to rest his cavalry, at which point he was ambushed by a Spanish regiment under the command of Colonel Pavia near "Oito". Many were killed, among them Colonel Rosell y Malpica. Captain Fernando Diago managed to escape and assumed the responsibilities held by Rosell.

On May 29, 1897, the San Francisco Call reported an assassination attempt at Gral. Betancourt by a traitor named Andricain under the service of the Spanish governor of Matanzas. He was to infiltrate the troops of General Betancourt and try to assassinate him. The plot was discovered and the traitor was taken prisoner, tried and sentenced to death by hanging.

On July 26, 1897, Betancourt was granted the rank of Brigadier and conferred the command of the 1st. 5th Division by order of the Generalisimo Maximo Gomez and the Major General J. M. Rodriguez, maintaining that office until the end of the war.

On September 17, 1897, the Times of Washington DC reported that near the city of Matanzas a battle that lasted more than 6 hours took place between troops of Gral. Betancourt and Spanish forces. It is reported that the Spanish casualties were considerable, with more than 72 dead and 102 wounded. It was reported also that the city was terrorized because of the nearness of the fighting.

On September 29, 1897, the New York Sun reported that the primary Cuban generals, including Gen. Betancourt, commented on the mission American ambassador Stewart L. Woodford during his visit to Spain. In addition to criticizing the possible American intervention, the generals felt that the solution to the Spanish domain was not diplomacy, but rather combat. The New York Sun reported in its November 18, 1897 edition information about the campaign in Matanzas. An official report indicates that 11 major battles were held in October and 6 in November. During one of these battles, there was an attack and seizure of the town Corral Nuevo, In which several Spanish soldiers were killed before leaving the village. The mambises occupied arms and ammunition in abundance.

On November 19, 1897, The Dalles, Oregon newspaper reported that General Betancourt opposed the offers for a Cuban autonomous state made by the Spanish Governor Blanco.

On December 31, 1897, Betancourt was granted the rank of General of Division. On April 11, 1898 the Washington Times reported that General. Betancourt commanded about 4000 men under arms in the province of Matanzas. On April 20, 1898, the North Platte newspaper reported that the Gral. Betancourt has communicated to the troops under his orders an immediate cessation of hostilities in the Matanzas province. On July 3, 1898, the Salt Lake Herald newspaper reported among other incidents that the Betancourt's regimental flag was sent to a lady in Key West, as it had been used in different battles and subsequently been damaged by bullets Spanish Mauser. This flag had been made by patriotic ladies of the city of Cárdenas. On May 4, 1898, The Sun, reported the organization and the respective strength of the Cuban army: the 5th. Army Corps is composed of two divisions, the first led by General. Betancourt.

On August 15, 1898 , Betancourt was granted the rank of Major General. On September 14, 1898, the St. Paul Globe reported on the proposed nominations for the presidency of the Republic of Cuba. One is President José Miguel Gómez and General Betancourt as Vice President. On October 1, 1898, the New York Daily Tribune reported that General. Betancourt was chosen, among others, as a delegate from Matanzas to the convention to be held in October 10 for the presidential election. On November 28, 1898, the Washington Times reported that food rations were sent by the order of President William McKinley to be distributed in Cuba in order to feed the hungry population. Commissioner Gould met with General. Betancourt to organize the distribution in the province of Matanzas.

On January 10, 1899, the Evening Herald reported that Betancourt was licensed from the Cuban Liberation Army. On January 11, Betancourt met with General. Wilson to coordinate the entrance of the Cuban army in the city of Matanzas after the evacuation of Spanish troops, under the supervision of Gral. Wilson and American troops. On January 14, 1899, the New York Tribune reported the shipment of Spanish troops in the steamship San Francisco and the entry into Matanzas of the troops of Gral. Betancourt. Betancourt came into the governor's palace loaded on the shoulders of members of his troop and gave a speech to the people who filled the square. There were fireworks and music by the band of the 12th Army Corps. On February 4, 1899, the Daily Globe St.Paul reported the peace process and restoration of order under the responsibility of the various generals in the provinces, including Gral.Betancourt in Matanzas. On March 7, 1899, the San Francisco Call reported a meeting between Gral. Wilson and Gral. Betancourt to coordinate the imminent withdrawal of American troops from the national territory.

Betancourt was appointed Civil Governor of the province of Matanzas by the American forces. He was part of the Constituent Assembly that drafted the first Constitution of Cuba and was nominated for Vice President as one of the candidates for the first constitutional government.

On April 29, 1901, the New York Tribune reported that five commissioners of the Cuban Constitutional Commission would go to Washington to meet with President McKinley on the future of Cuba and the proposed Platt Amendment. Betancourt participated In the vote on the proposal of the Platt Amendment, of which he approved. On May 5, 1902 the New York Tribune reported that the two Cuban legislative bodies, the Senate and the House of Representatives were present for the first hoisting of the Cuban flag. Among the senators is the Gral. Betancourt, elected by the Matanzas province.

On March 31, 1906 he held a banquet in honor of General Domingo Mendez Capote to celebrate his election as Vice President. Don Tomas Estrada Palma, 1st president-elect chooses to be re-elected after finishing his first period as president, causing riots and unrest in the country. The United States government, trying to avoid a major armed conflict, announced an intervention. Several generals and their armies declared that they would fight against an American intervention in Cuba.

On September 28, 1906, the Minneapolis Journal reported a statement of Gral. Betancourt referring to possible American invasion which states that he is ready to gather his troops and return to fight in the province of Matanzas. The turmoil is solved without a military intervention. The United States government decided on a political intervention and sets up a temporary Cuban government.

In 1912, disgusted by the corruption of the Cuban government, Betancourt decided to leave the island and move his family to Philadelphia. Due to a polio epidemic in the US, however, he cancelled the trip.Betancourt retired from politics and was dedicated to agricultural business activities. He purchased from the Lamar family the farms La Reunion and San Jose in Matanzas. Betancourt acquired a sugar plantation from the Orozco sugar mill, and a large citrus plantation (Nazareno) near Bahia Honda bay in Pinar del Rio province.

From 1922-1925, Betancourt was appointed Minister of Agriculture, Trade and Labor, during the government of President Alfredo Zayas y Alfonso. In October 10, 1922, The Maui News reported that the Secretary Betancourt promises to remedy the appalling conditions of Spanish workers who are hired as temporary employees in the sugar industry.

In 1924, he was appointed plenipotentiary ambassador to the Republic of Peru representing Cuba in commemoration of the 100th anniversary of the Battle of Ayacucho. He went to the US for a meeting of veterans of the Spanish American War and was elected chairman of the Cuban Independence War Veterans.

Personal life

In 1900, Betancourt married Haydee de Lamar Capo, a woman from Matanzas. They had seven children.

Death and legacy

In 1932, Betancourt participated in several meetings with important political figures to discuss the resignation of President Gerardo Machado during his imposed second term in office. Machado ordered his incarceration, but due to his poor health he was confined to his residence under house arrest. He died shortly after on May 19, 1933.

To honor his contribution to Cuban independence, several official actions were taken: the town and municipality of Corral Falso was renamed Pedro Betancourt, a major highway in the city of Matanzas was renamed Calzada General Betancourt, and a marble statue was erected at one of the parks in Matanzas.

References


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