Ten Years' War

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Ten Years’ War (1868–1878)

The Ten Years’ War, also called Guerra Grande or War of ’68, was Cuba’s first major fight for independence from Spain. It began because Cuba’s elites demanded political and economic reforms, slavery and its future were hotly debated, and many Cubans were fed up with Spanish rule.

How it started
On October 10, 1868, Carlos Manuel de Céspedes, a sugar planter, proclaimed Cuba’s independence at his La Demajagua sugar mill. He freed his slaves and urged others to join the fight. This event, known as the Cry of Yara, sparked a wide revolt across eastern Cuba and soon spread to other regions.

Who fought and where
The rebels, known as the Mambises, were led by several prominent leaders, including Máximo Gómez, Antonio Maceo, Vicente García González, Calixto García, Ignacio Agramonte, and others. They fought mainly in the eastern provinces and then spread into Camagüey and Las Villas. The Spanish government responded with large military forces and with Volunteer corps made up of peninsulares and Cuban loyalists who supported Spain. The two sides fought a brutal, drawn-out war with heavy casualties.

Organization and politics
In 1869 Cuban leaders held a constitutional assembly in Guáimaro to create a central government and separate civilian authority from the military. Céspedes became president of the Republic in Arms, and leadership repeatedly shifted as the war dragged on. Internal disputes and the deaths of key leaders affected the rebel effort.

Key moments and tactics
The fighting featured both conventional battles and guerrilla warfare. Máximo Gómez introduced effective tactics that mixed rifle fire with machete charges. The rebels faced harsh conditions, disease, and the difficulty of sustaining a long war far from home. Bayamo fell and later burned; the war continued to spread through Oriente, Camagüey, and Las Villas, though western Cuba remained challenging for the rebels.

End of the war and peace
By early 1878, negotiations led to the Pact of Zanjón, signed in February 1878. The pact offered concessions and promised reforms, including the gradual abolition of slavery for those who had fought for Spain. The war effectively ended soon afterward, with Maceo’s forces lingering in some areas and Baraguá becoming a symbol of continued Cuban resistance. The main period of fighting concluded in May 1878.

Aftermath and legacy
The war exacted huge losses—roughly hundreds of thousands died from combat and disease, and Cuba’s economy was devastated. Slavery began to be abolished, with a broader abolition sweeping the island in the following years. The experience left many Cuban leaders and veterans who would later play important roles in the 1895–1898 War of Independence. The struggle also influenced future generations, including figures who helped shape Cuba’s ongoing fight for freedom.