Juan Sánchez Ramírez
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Juan Sánchez Ramírez (1762 – February 11, 1811) was a Dominican general who was the primary leader of the War of Reconquista. He is known for leading the troops in the
Battle of Palo Hincado The Battle of Palo Hincado (''Palo Hincado'' Stands for "Kneeling Stick") was the first major battle of the Spanish reconquest of Santo Domingo of the Spanish colonial Captaincy General of Santo Domingo, that was occupied by the French in the Spa ...
. The decisive Dominican victory resulted in the end of French rule in eastern
Hispaniola Hispaniola (, also ) is an island between Geography of Cuba, Cuba and Geography of Puerto Rico, Puerto Rico in the Greater Antilles of the Caribbean. Hispaniola is the most populous island in the West Indies, and the second-largest by List of C ...
in 1809. He was the first Dominican to serve as governor of Santo Domingo. In 1795, the island of Santo Domingo ceased to be linked to Spain by the Peace Treaty of Basel (Switzerland), which put an end to the War of the Convention (1793–1795), by which it passed under French rule. In 1808, after Napoleon invaded Spain, the La Reconquista movement was created on the island, led, among others, by Sánchez Ramírez, with the aim of returning to Spanish rule. Sánchez Ramírez, an agricultural landowner of
Criollo Criollo or criolla (Spanish for creole) may refer to: People * Criollo people, a social class in the Spanish colonial system. Animals * Criollo duck, a species of duck native to Central and South America. * Criollo cattle, a group of cattle bre ...
origin, had already fought against the French in the War of the Convention, and in 1803 he had emigrated to
Puerto Rico ; abbreviated PR), officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, is a Government of Puerto Rico, self-governing Caribbean Geography of Puerto Rico, archipelago and island organized as an Territories of the United States, unincorporated territo ...
, from where he returned in 1807 to foment the insurrection. To do this, he requested the help of the governor of Puerto Rico,
Toribio Montes Toribio Montes y Pérez (baptised 7 May 1749. Isabel Sánchez, José Luis"Toribio Montes y Pérez". ''Diccionario Biográfico electrónico'' (''DB~e'').Real Academia de la Historia. Retrieved 6 July 2023. – 31 December 1830) was a soldier and S ...
, and of Dominican settlers who had fled to that island, with whose forces he revolted against the French troops of general and governor
Jean-Louis Ferrand Jean-Louis Ferrand (December 13, 1758 – November 7, 1808) was a French Army officer and colonial administrator who served as the governor of Santo Domingo from 1803 to 1808. Serving in the American Revolutionary War and French Revolutionary an ...
, whom he defeated on November 7, 1808 in the historical
Battle of Palo Hincado The Battle of Palo Hincado (''Palo Hincado'' Stands for "Kneeling Stick") was the first major battle of the Spanish reconquest of Santo Domingo of the Spanish colonial Captaincy General of Santo Domingo, that was occupied by the French in the Spa ...
. Shortly after, with the help of the English fleet sent by
Hugh Lyle Carmichael Lieutenant-General Sir Hugh Lyle Carmichael (1764 – 11 May 1813) was a British Army officer and colonial administrator who served as the lieutenant-governor of Demerara and Essequibo from 1812 to 1813, when he died in office. He also was comma ...
that came to support him from
Jamaica Jamaica is an island country in the Caribbean Sea and the West Indies. At , it is the third-largest island—after Cuba and Hispaniola—of the Greater Antilles and the Caribbean. Jamaica lies about south of Cuba, west of Hispaniola (the is ...
, he managed to take the capital of the island. He was therefore appointed captain general and mayor of the island by the Junta of Seville, thereby reestablishing Spanish sovereignty. During his government he harshly repressed any independence attempt, acting with total impunity in the face of the indifference of the Spanish metropolis. He maintained this position until his death in 1811, afterwards the colony attained its independence from Spain in 1821.


Biography


Early years

Juan Sánchez Ramírez was born in 1762 in
Cotuí Cotuí is a city in the central region of the Dominican Republic and is one of the oldest cities of the New World. It is the capital of Sánchez Ramírez Province in the Cibao. According to the Population and Housing Census, the municipality had ...
,
Santo Domingo Santo Domingo, formerly known as Santo Domingo de Guzmán, is the capital and largest city of the Dominican Republic and the List of metropolitan areas in the Caribbean, largest metropolitan area in the Caribbean by population. the Distrito Na ...
.. Retrieved on August 16, 2014, to 11:21pm. According to historian Francisco A. Rincón, he was the son of Miguel Sánchez Juan Sánchez Ramírez, héroe de la batalla de Palo Hincado declarado paladín de la Reconquista
(in Spanish: Juan Sánchez Ramírez, hero of the Battle of Palo Hincado declared champion of the Reconquista). Retrieved on August 16, 2014, to 12:50pm.
and Francisca Ramírez. Juan Sánchez Ramírez had two brothers: Remigio and Rafael. The last of them was Magistrate of Cotuí in the Haitian period of the Dominican Republic. His father was a Spanish member of the military and a wealthy landowner. However, it was the priest Pichardo y Delmonte who took care of his education. When he was young, he led a company of lancers of Cotuí. Ramírez held several significant positions in Cotuí, including that of
magistrate The term magistrate is used in a variety of systems of governments and laws to refer to a civilian officer who administers the law. In ancient Rome, a '' magistratus'' was one of the highest ranking government officers, and possessed both judi ...
.


1793–1795: War of Convention and Treaty of Basel

In 1793, King
Louis XVI Louis XVI (Louis-Auguste; ; 23 August 1754 – 21 January 1793) was the last king of France before the fall of the monarchy during the French Revolution. The son of Louis, Dauphin of France (1729–1765), Louis, Dauphin of France (son and heir- ...
of France, cousin of
Charles IV of Spain Charles IV (; 11 November 1748 – 20 January 1819) was King of Spain and ruler of the Spanish Empire from 1788 to 1808. The Spain inherited by Charles IV gave few indications of instability, but during his reign, Spain entered a series of disa ...
, was beheaded by rebels. This influenced Sánchez Ramírez to join the War of Convention, rising to the rank of Captain. With his own fortunes, he took part in the battles fought by Spain and France, of which allies of the former consisted of Haitian auxiliary troops such as Jean François and
Georges Biassou George Biassou (1 January 1741 – 14 July 1801) was an early leader of the 1791 slave rising in Saint-Domingue that began the Haitian Revolution. With Jean-François and Jeannot, he was prophesied by the vodou priest Dutty Boukman to lead the ...
. Following the capture of
Gipuzkoa Gipuzkoa ( , ; ; ) is a province of Spain and a historical territory of the autonomous community of the Basque Country. Its capital city is Donostia-San Sebastián. Gipuzkoa shares borders with the French department of Pyrénées-Atlantiqu ...
, the then Spanish Secretary of State,
Manuel Godoy Manuel de Godoy y Álvarez de Faria Ríos (12 May 1767 – 4 October 1851), 1st ''Prince of the Peace'', 1st ''Duke of Alcudia'', 1st ''Duke of Sueca'', 1st ''Baron of Mascalbó'', was the First Secretary of State of the Kingdom of Spain from ...
, began to raise concern. He felt that this would cause Vascongadas to switch allegiance from Spain and ally with France. Seeking to end the war, the Spanish government began to consider negotiations. France demanded the version of Gipuzkoa,
Louisiana Louisiana ( ; ; ) is a state in the Deep South and South Central regions of the United States. It borders Texas to the west, Arkansas to the north, and Mississippi to the east. Of the 50 U.S. states, it ranks 31st in area and 25 ...
, and the eastern colony of Hispaniola, Santo Domingo. Spain, however, sought the preservation of the
Catholic The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the List of Christian denominations by number of members, largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics Catholic Church by country, worldwid ...
faith, (which had been replaced with the
Cult of Reason The Cult of Reason () was France's first established State religion, state-sponsored secular religion, atheistic religion, intended as a replacement for Catholicism, Roman Catholicism during the French Revolution. After holding sway for barely ...
), in addition to the territories where the late king's son,
Louis XVII Louis XVII (born Louis Charles, Duke of Normandy; 27 March 1785 – 8 June 1795) was the younger son of King Louis XVI of France and Queen Marie Antoinette. His older brother, Louis Joseph, Dauphin of France, died in June 1789, a little over ...
, could loosen its sovereignty, as well as the restriction of the limits to the situation prior to the war. Unfortunately, France rejected Spain's request, referring to their demands as a direct insult to French sovereignty. By May 1795, new negotiations were held in
Basel Basel ( ; ), also known as Basle ( ), ; ; ; . is a city in northwestern Switzerland on the river Rhine (at the transition from the High Rhine, High to the Upper Rhine). Basel is Switzerland's List of cities in Switzerland, third-most-populo ...
. France once again proposed in securing Gipuzkoa, Santo Domingo, and Louisiana. Domingo d'Yriarte, however, was instructed not to cede any territories, opting to seek the release of Louis XVII. A month later, Godoy agrees to sign a preliminary treaty, recognizing revolutionary France. The treaty's term included limiting Spain's domain, restoring Catholicism in France, freeing the children of Louis XVI and forming an alliance against
Great Britain Great Britain is an island in the North Atlantic Ocean off the north-west coast of continental Europe, consisting of the countries England, Scotland, and Wales. With an area of , it is the largest of the British Isles, the List of European ...
. (This would stipulate in the 1796
Second Treaty of San Ildefonso The second (symbol: s) is a unit of time derived from the division of the day first into 24 hours, then to 60 minutes, and finally to 60 seconds each (24 × 60 × 60 = 86400). The current and formal definition in the International System of ...
). On July 22, the definitive treaty was signed, and in return for the occupied Spanish territories, Spain would cede Santo Domingo to France. While commercial relations renewed, Spain also agreed to refrain from any persecutions of the French, as well as the release of María Teresa de Borbón.


1801–1805: Occupation by France and departure to Puerto Rico

Although Santo Domingo was now under French administration, the colony was still in Spanish hands. France was still occupied by conflicts with the British as well as the ongoing
Haitian Revolution The Haitian Revolution ( or ; ) was a successful insurrection by slave revolt, self-liberated slaves against French colonial rule in Saint-Domingue, now the sovereign state of Haiti. The revolution was the only known Slave rebellion, slave up ...
that was still transpring in neighbouring
Saint-Domingue Saint-Domingue () was a French colonization of the Americas, French colony in the western portion of the Caribbean island of Hispaniola, in the area of modern-day Haiti, from 1659 to 1803. The name derives from the Spanish main city on the isl ...
(present-day
Haiti Haiti, officially the Republic of Haiti, is a country on the island of Hispaniola in the Caribbean Sea, east of Cuba and Jamaica, and south of the Bahamas. It occupies the western three-eighths of the island, which it shares with the Dominican ...
). Because of this, in 1799, Santo Domingo sent a request to the court, asking King Charles IV to postpone the change in administration until the issues of the first counsel in France were resolved. However, In 1801, the Haitian revolutionary
Toussaint Louverture François-Dominique Toussaint Louverture (, ) also known as Toussaint L'Ouverture or Toussaint Bréda (20 May 1743 – 7 April 1803), was a Haitian general and the most prominent leader of the Haitian Revolution. During his life, Louvertu ...
, having just defeated his rival André Riguad in the
War of Knives The War of the South (), not to be confused with the popular term knives-war, was a civil war from June 1799 to July 1800 between the Haitian revolutionary Toussaint Louverture, a black ex-slave who controlled the north of Saint-Domingue (mod ...
, decided to carry out the occupation, (despite Bonaparte's orders), as agreed in the Treaty of Basel, capturing Santo Domingo from France and freeing the remaining Dominican slaves. By February 1801, the Spanish governor,
Joaquín García y Moreno Don Joaquín García y Moreno (1731-?) was a Spanish nobleman and military officer who twice served as governor of the Captaincy General of Santo Domingo from 1785 to 1786 and from 1788 to 1801. In 1793, a Spanish force under García had marched in ...
, along with his troops, were off the island. In 1802, a troop of fifty thousand soldiers led by the French Leclerc reached the East of the island. These soldiers defeated Toussaint and reestablished their authority over the territory. Nevertheless, the Haitians and French occupied the lands belonging to Juan Sánchez Ramírez, and to almost all Spaniards living in the colony of Santo Domingo. Ramírez emigrated to
Puerto Rico ; abbreviated PR), officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, is a Government of Puerto Rico, self-governing Caribbean Geography of Puerto Rico, archipelago and island organized as an Territories of the United States, unincorporated territo ...
in December 1803. He landed on the island on January 3, 1804, but with no income or property, he resorted to obtaining compensation that was promised to the new immigrants. In the end, he was forced to use the money of his own assets to provide for himself and of his family. Subsequently, Sánchez Ramírez had left the island just in time to evade the terrifying conflicts of the
Siege of Santo Domingo (1805) The siege of Santo Domingo (1805) was a major battle of the Franco-Haitian War and was fought in March 1805 at Santo Domingo, Saint-Domingue. A force of some 2,000 French Army troops led by Gen. Jean-Louis Ferrand resisted a siege of three weeks ...
.


1807: Return to Santo Domingo

In June 1807, he returned to Santo Domingo, arriving though the port of Macao. The French, upon learning of his arrival, tried to offer him the Command of Arms of the town of Cotuy, but he refused to commit to them and instead preferred to leave what remained of his estates in the jurisdiction of said town to people he trusted. He dedicated himself to the exploitation of
mahogany Mahogany is a straight- grained, reddish-brown timber of three tropical hardwood species of the genus ''Swietenia'', indigenous to the AmericasBridgewater, Samuel (2012). ''A Natural History of Belize: Inside the Maya Forest''. Austin: Universit ...
in the south of the island and to
livestock Livestock are the Domestication, domesticated animals that are raised in an Agriculture, agricultural setting to provide labour and produce diversified products for consumption such as meat, Egg as food, eggs, milk, fur, leather, and wool. The t ...
. His economic interests were affected when governor
Jean-Louis Ferrand Jean-Louis Ferrand (December 13, 1758 – November 7, 1808) was a French Army officer and colonial administrator who served as the governor of Santo Domingo from 1803 to 1808. Serving in the American Revolutionary War and French Revolutionary an ...
banned the cattle trade on the border between
Northern Northern may refer to the following: Geography * North North is one of the four compass points or cardinal directions. It is the opposite of south and is perpendicular to east and west. ''North'' is a noun, adjective, or adverb indicating ...
and Southern Haiti and Santo Domingo. While Juan Sánchez Ramírez was in his new establishment called El Pulguero, he received an invitation to go to the town of
Sabana de la Mar Sabana de la Mar, usually spelled in English as Savana de la Mar, is a town in the Hato Mayor Province, Hato Mayor Provinces of the Dominican Republic, province of the Dominican Republic. Sabana de la Mar is located in the northeastern region of D ...
. There, a meeting took place between Sánchez Ramírez and the Commander on May 2, 1808, where they held a conversation about the passage of French troops into peninsular Spain as auxiliaries. During this exchange, the Commander informed Sánchez Ramírez about the news received from a ship that had arrived in the city of Samaná, where it was stated that Emperor Napoleon I "was taking our much loved Fernando VII to France. To educate you; that to Mr. Carlos 4th, he had destined him to live in a convent; and that José Bonaparte was going to govern the Peninsula temporarily, our Fernando learned what was necessary to govern it." These statements had a profound emotional impact on Sánchez Ramírez, who experienced intense anger and a feeling of betrayal towards Napoleon and the French. Aggrieved by that expression, he could not help but respond to the Commander of Arms: "I assure you that the Spanish nation will never suffer that infamy; and that if that is so, blood is being spilled today in Spain between Spaniards and French. This anger became a turning point in his political thinking and in his commitment to the Fernandina royalist cause in Santo Domingo." Motivated by this situation, he made the decision to take advantage of the circumstances and lead a conspiracy to start an armed uprising against the French Government in Santo Domingo. Although this uprising legally meant an act of high treason to the French Empire, the landowner assumed the risks and decided to go ahead with the preparations, confident in the traditional loyalty of the Dominicans to the Catholic king:


Assistance from Puerto Rico

In the following weeks, Sánchez Ramírez had to combine his daily life with secret activities in which he conspired against the French. He firmly believed that it was important to convince the Dominican population to join the fight. Meanwhile, in Spain, the French failed to conquer all the territory and local governments called Juntas were formed. These Juntas recognized Ferdinand VII as king and gave themselves the powers that corresponded to him due to his captivity in Valençay. One of these Juntas, the Junta of Seville, led by Francisco de Saavedra de Sangronis, officially decided to declare war on France. The news of this declaration of war reached the island in July 1808. Sánchez Ramírez found out about this when he was in the town of
Higüey Higüey (), or in full Salvaleón de Higüey, is the capital city of the eastern La Altagracia Province, in the Dominican Republic, and has 415,084 inhabitants, according to the 2022 census. The Yuma River (Dominican Republic), Yuma River flows t ...
and immediately communicated it to his main partner, Manuel Carvajal. They both talked about the news of the war in Spain against the French and that was when they decided to seek help in Puerto Rico to achieve the Spanish restoration of Santo Domingo. He left Higüey on July 26 and quickly headed to Santo Domingo with the aim of arriving before news of the war spread. To hide his true intentions, he used the pretext of meeting with Louis Ferrand to discuss matters related to his cattle and mahogany lumber business. However, he had to make a stop in the city of
El Seibo El Seibo (), alternatively spelt El Seybo, is a province of the Dominican Republic. Before 1992 it included what is now Hato Mayor province. History El Seibo was founded in 1502 by Juan de Esquivel, a notable a Spanish conquistador. The name of ...
because he was told that his wife and children were sick. After solving the problem, he continued his journey and used the time to convince more people to join the conspiracy. On August 7, 1808, he arrived in the capital just as news broke of the declaration of war and some prisoners from a small Spanish ship coming from Puerto Rico. On August 9, he had lunch with General Ferrand, who that same day published a declaration announcing war with Spain, although he referred to it as an uprising of some provinces of Spain. During his stay in Santo Domingo, he intensified his propaganda efforts among the capital residents, knowing that if he managed to take control of that city, he could obtain the support of the entire colony. It was a complicated challenge, since people in the capital had directly suffered the consequences of "Spanish abandonment" after the Basel agreement.and they preferred to preserve the status quo rather than fight for the Spanish monarchy. On August 13, Sánchez Ramírez paid a visit to Cotui, where people gathered for the publication of a proclamation by Ferrand. At this time, he convinced the people of the betrayal carried out by Napoleon and the need to rise up against France. Surprisingly, the men who were to publish Ferrand's proclamation offered to be ready for any warning from Sánchez Ramírez and destroyed the document. Subsequently, he passed through La Vega, where he met with many inhabitants of the city, including Colonel Agustín Franco, assistant to the general in chief of the Department of Cibao. Then, on the 17th, he arrived in Santiago, where his trip and intentions were already known. With the support of the most important people in the city, with the collaboration of the priest Vicente de Luna, arrangements were made to send a ship from Puerto Plata to Puerto Rico, requesting help to begin "the execution of the plan." However, Franco hindered this attempt at contact. Franco informed Ferrand, but he considered it an exaggeration. Later, on September 1, 1808, he arrived in
Bayaguana Bayaguana is a Municipalities of the Dominican Republic, municipality (''municipio'') of the Monte Plata Province, Monte Plata Provinces of the Dominican Republic, province in the Dominican Republic. As of the Dominican Republic's 2002 census, th ...
, where he met with the priest José Moreno, who had great influence in the town, as well as with the Commander of Arms, with the aim of gathering the greatest number of men to favor of reconquest. Finally, on September 4, he arrived in El Seibo, where preparations began to confront Ferrand's troops.


Proclamation to the Dominicans

In September, Sánchez somehow sent the manifesto to the Dominican emigrants in Puerto Rico, where he indicated his arrival in the City of Santo Domingo on August 7 and commented on the difficulties encountered with some Frenchified Dominicans. The manifesto addressed to the lieutenant fathers of the priest of Mayagüez said: Sánchez continued his itinerant proselytizing work throughout the interior and coast of Santo Domingo. Over time, the French authorities tightened their surveillance around Sánchez and he had to take refuge in the Jayán cove, which was difficult to access for troops with little experience in the field. Only when the governor, mayor and captain general of Puerto Rico,
Toribio Montes Toribio Montes y Pérez (baptised 7 May 1749. Isabel Sánchez, José Luis"Toribio Montes y Pérez". ''Diccionario Biográfico electrónico'' (''DB~e'').Real Academia de la Historia. Retrieved 6 July 2023. – 31 December 1830) was a soldier and S ...
, informed him that he was willing to provide material support for the campaign, the leader of the reconquest resumed the armed struggle against the French.


1808–1809: War of Reconquista

In September 1808, the Spanish insurrection began to spread in Santo Domingo, with numerous towns uniting in favor of the captive Spanish king. Ferrand interpreted these accessions as a declaration of war and responded with violence on the part of his Army. Brigadier Juan Sánchez Ramírez drew up a bold plan to isolate the Dominican capital, advancing rapidly eastward. On September 28, 1808, he managed to interrupt communication between the capital and the bay of Samaná, a crucial strategic enclave. Control of this bay assured the insurgents of food and resource supplies, while depriving France of an important port. At the end of September, the rebels conquered Barahona, considered the first concrete action in the war of reconquest by the French. From there, expeditions were organized to support the Dominican patriots in towns such as Azua,
Neiba Neiba (also spelt ''Neyba'') is a city in the southwest of the Dominican Republic. It is the capital city of the Baoruco province, and is located 180 kilometres west of the national capital, Santo Domingo, close to the shore of Lake Enriquillo, ...
, Las Matas de Farfán, and many others. In just one month, the insurgents captured the western portion of Santo Domingo. Between September and October 1808, Sánchez Ramírez sought the support of
Toribio Montes Toribio Montes y Pérez (baptised 7 May 1749. Isabel Sánchez, José Luis"Toribio Montes y Pérez". ''Diccionario Biográfico electrónico'' (''DB~e'').Real Academia de la Historia. Retrieved 6 July 2023. – 31 December 1830) was a soldier and S ...
, who initially rejected him, but later authorized the shipment of military supplies to the port of Yuma. Meanwhile, Toribio Montes promoted a parallel course of military action and allied himself with the English. The Juntas of Spain had reestablished friendly relations with England, as both countries were opposed to France. Montes negotiated with Captain Charles Dashwood of the British Royal Navy to take and blockade Samaná for the benefit of the Spanish patriots. Dashwood captured two privateer ships and took the city, flying the Spanish flag and enlisting a Spanish officer in command. As the patriots challenged the French forces, the prisoners and the vanquished faced harsher treatment. Colonel Aussenac, a close collaborator of Ferrand, carried out reprisals against the prisoners, causing destruction and making support for the patriots difficult. However, these intensive measures had the opposite effect, stoking hatred towards the French and strengthening the royalist cause. Ferrand impulsively decided to lead an expedition to confront the patriots, weakening the capital's defenses without his military leadership and accompanying garrison. Before leaving, he issued a proclamation warning the inhabitants of Santo Domingo about the subversion represented by the patriots, without understanding how they had obtained so much support. Furthermore, he threatened harsh repression against those who betrayed France. The repression extended to the entire population of the rebellious enclaves, showing that the guerrilla strategy used by the patriots turned the entire population into belligerents. Ferrand cleared the troops of responsibility for him, arguing that the Dominicans were solely responsible, while he promised rewards for those who remained loyal to France. In early November 1808, 300 soldiers, sent by Toribio Montes, landed at
Boca de Yuma Boca de Yuma is a town of La Altagracia province in the eastern region of Dominican Republic. It is situated west of the mouth of the Yuma River, near the Caribbean Sea. The word Yuma is an indigenous Taíno name. The village is a few miles west ...
and joined the forces of Sánchez Ramírez. Ramírez left El Seibo (city) in order to march on the city of Santo Domingo.. Retrieved on August 17, 2014, to 12:24pm. On December 13, 1808, he returned to the city with his troops. Between then and November 7, 1809, he also was leading the British and Spanish armies against French rule in the
Battle of Palo Hincado The Battle of Palo Hincado (''Palo Hincado'' Stands for "Kneeling Stick") was the first major battle of the Spanish reconquest of Santo Domingo of the Spanish colonial Captaincy General of Santo Domingo, that was occupied by the French in the Spa ...
, defeating Ferrand (who reached him when Ramírez was still in El Seibo) and expelling the French who were hiding in the fences of
Santo Domingo Santo Domingo, formerly known as Santo Domingo de Guzmán, is the capital and largest city of the Dominican Republic and the List of metropolitan areas in the Caribbean, largest metropolitan area in the Caribbean by population. the Distrito Na ...
. The survivors fled to the capital of the colony. On day 12, the square was declared under siege by Ferrand's successor, General
Joseph-David de Barquier Joseph-David de Barquier (June 7, 1757 – October 31, 1844) was a French commander from the French Revolution. He would later take part in the affairs of the island of Hispaniola. The two occupying colonies of Saint-Domingue and Santo Domingo wo ...
, and 27 men reached Sánchez Ramirez, who established his camp in the Jainamosa section, on the east bank of the
Rio Ozama The Ozama River () is a river in the Dominican Republic. It rises in the Loma Siete Cabezas mountain in the Sierra de Yamasá mountain range, close to the town of Villa Altagracia. History In 1498, Bartolome Colon had a fort built on the Ozama ...
, transferring it, shortly after, to the Gallard, or Galá
hacienda A ''hacienda'' ( or ; or ) is an estate (or '' finca''), similar to a Roman '' latifundium'', in Spain and the former Spanish Empire. With origins in Andalusia, ''haciendas'' were variously plantations (perhaps including animals or orchards ...
. After the French defeat, Santo Domingo was recovered by Spain, and Ramírez was appointed as Governor of the colony, while the territory was reconstituted as
Captaincy General The Captaincy General was a division of a viceroyalty in Spanish or Portuguese colonial administration. Captaincies general were established districts that were under threat from foreign invasion or attack from indigenous peoples. Their gove ...
.


Government of Santo Domingo

Sanchez convened the board of Bondillo, which established new laws and declared null and void the Treaty of Basel. So the board confirmed the permanence of Santo Domingo in Spanish hands. Santo Domingo was declared Spanish by Ramírez in July 1809. Under his government, Santo Domingo again traded with the allied countries to Spain, and the
Universidad Santo Tomás de Aquino St. Thomas Aquinas University () was a university in Dominican Republic. It is arguably the first institution of higher education in the Americas. It was founded by papal bull in 1538 in Santo Domingo, in the Caribbean island of Hispaniola, pr ...
(UASD) was reopened. He suspended the confiscations that the French government had executed against the colony. He also allowed the British to trade in the ports of Santo Domingo. However, Ramirez re-established slavery, which had been abolished by the Haitians, and the number of poor people in Santo Domingo grew. As such, several ''
coup d'état A coup d'état (; ; ), or simply a coup , is typically an illegal and overt attempt by a military organization or other government elites to unseat an incumbent leadership. A self-coup is said to take place when a leader, having come to powe ...
s'' were attempted to expel to Ramírez from Santo Domingo's government. The people who rebelled against their government were executed by the army, which was at the service of Ramirez, or sent to
Ceuta Ceuta (, , ; ) is an Autonomous communities of Spain#Autonomous cities, autonomous city of Spain on the North African coast. Bordered by Morocco, it lies along the boundary between the Mediterranean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean. Ceuta is one of th ...
. Ramírez also tried to restore the Dominican economy, but Spain was engaged in the war against the then
South American South America is a continent entirely in the Western Hemisphere and mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a considerably smaller portion in the Northern Hemisphere. It can also be described as the southern Subregion#Americas, subregion o ...
colonies. His mismanagement led to the period known as
España Boba In the history of the Dominican Republic, the period of ''España Boba'' (Spanish for "Meek Spain") lasted from 9 July 1809 to 1 December 1821, during which the Captaincy General of Santo Domingo was under Spanish rule, but the Spanish gover ...
(Foolish Spain), in which the Ramirez government punished all those who promoted or fought for the independence of the colony. Once such case included the persecution of Ciriaco Ramírez, who many historians believed to have harboured independence ideas since the War of Reconquista. Ramírez was ill and died on February 11, 1811, at the age of 49, while still ruling the colony, and was buried in the National Pantheon.


Personal life

Eventually, Ramírez became a landowner. He married Josefa del Monte y Pichardo, with whom he had two children: Juana and José. In Santo Domingo, Ramírez resided on Padre Billini's street. After his death, his supposedly impoverished family moved to San Carlos, Santo Domingo, his widow lamenting 'he had many jobs but never a salary'.


Legacy

The beginning of the 19th century was the beginning of a stage that marked important pages in
Dominican history The recorded history of the Dominican Republic began in 1492 when Christopher Columbus, working for the Crown of Castile, arrived at a large island in the western Atlantic Ocean, later known as the Caribbean. The native Taíno people, an Arawaka ...
. Over a period of just over 100 years they were the men under whose leadership the country was formed and established. This entire stage began with a man who, believing in an ideal and knowing how to understand the historical moment in which he lived, knew how to mobilize his men in pursuit of a cause that many considered already lost. He was a man of command, and at the same time, a cultured man. Fair and brave, he was known as a man who loved his country and its culture. His death was deeply felt throughout the territory of Spanish Santo Domingo, posthumously receiving the title of "Father of the Country." His remains currently rest in the Dominican National Pantheon, in the Main Altar, along with the remains of his right-hand son at the battle of Palo Hincado. However, despite his heroism in defeating the French, his name still carries controversy due to the re-establishment of slavery and his suppression of independence plots. It wasn't years later when his former lieutenant,
José Núñez de Cáceres José Núñez de Cáceres y Albor (March 14, 1772 – September 11, 1846) was a People of the Dominican Republic, Dominican revolutionary and writer. He is known for being the leader of the first Dominican independence movement against Spanish E ...
, toppled the Spanish government and declared independence on December 1, 1821. *A street in Santo Domingo is named after him. *The province of Sánchez Ramírez is named in his honor. *A statue of Sánchez Ramírez is placed in Plaza Juan Sánchez Ramírez in the city of Cotuí.


See also

*
Era de Francia In the history of the Dominican Republic, the period of ''Era de Francia'' ("Era of France", "French Era" or "French Period") occurred in 1795 when France acquired the Captaincy General of Santo Domingo, annexed it into Saint-Domingue and brief ...
*
Spanish reconquest of Santo Domingo The Spanish reconquest of Santo Domingo (Spanish language, Spanish: ''Reconquista Española de Santo Domingo'') was a successful revolt against Era de Francia, French rule in the Captaincy General of Santo Domingo which lasted from November 7, 1 ...
*
List of colonial governors of Santo Domingo First Spanish Capitancy 1492–1801 Governors and Viceroys of the Indies *1492–1500 Admiral Christopher Columbus, as Viceroy of the Indies *1496–1498 Bartolomeo Columbus, as Adelantado *1500–1502 Comendador Francisco de Bobadilla, as Gover ...
*
España Boba In the history of the Dominican Republic, the period of ''España Boba'' (Spanish for "Meek Spain") lasted from 9 July 1809 to 1 December 1821, during which the Captaincy General of Santo Domingo was under Spanish rule, but the Spanish gover ...
*
Republic of Spanish Haiti The Republic of Spanish Haiti (), also called the Independent State of Spanish Haiti () was the independent state that succeeded the Captaincy General of Santo Domingo after independence was declared on 1 December 1821 by José Núñez de Cáce ...
*
Haitian occupation of Santo Domingo The Haitian occupation of Santo Domingo (; ; ) was the annexation and merger of then-independent Republic of Spanish Haiti (formerly Santo Domingo) into the Republic of Haiti, that lasted twenty-two years, from February 9, 1822, to February 27, ...
*
José Núñez de Cáceres José Núñez de Cáceres y Albor (March 14, 1772 – September 11, 1846) was a People of the Dominican Republic, Dominican revolutionary and writer. He is known for being the leader of the first Dominican independence movement against Spanish E ...
*
Juan Pablo Duarte Juan Pablo Duarte y Díez (January 26, 1813 – July 15, 1876) was a Dominican military leader, writer, activist, and nationalist politician who was the foremost of the Founding Fathers of the Dominican Republic and bears the title of Father ...
*
Pedro Santana Pedro Santana y Familias, 1st Marquess of Las Carreras (June 29, 1801June 14, 1864) was a Dominican soldier and politician who served three times as the president of the First Dominican Republic (1844–1861) and was the first governor-genera ...


References


Bibliography

*Cordero Michel, José. ''La reconquista de la Parte Española de la isla de Santo Domingo'', 1808–1809 *(Mimeografiado). Delafosse, J. B. Lemonier. ''Segunda campaña de Santo Domingo''. Santiago, 1946. *Del Monte y Tejada, Antonio. ''Historia de Santo Domingo''. 3 vols. Ciudad Trujillo, 1951. *García, José Gabriel. ''Compendio de la historia de Santo Domingo''. 4 vols. Santo Domingo, 1968. *García, José Gabriel. ''Rasgos biográficos de dominicanos célebres''. Santo Domingo, 1971. *Guillermin, Gilbert. ''Diario histórico''. Ciudad Trujillo, 1938. *Sánchez Ramírez, Juan. ''Diario de la Reconquista''. Ciudad Trujillo, 1955.


External links

{{DEFAULTSORT:Sanchez Ramirez, Juan Colonial governors of Santo Domingo 18th-century people from the Colony of Santo Domingo Spanish commanders of the Napoleonic Wars Military leaders of the French Revolutionary Wars People of the War of the First Coalition Spanish generals Spanish slave owners White Dominicans 18th-century rebels 19th-century rebels 1762 births 1811 deaths Dominican Republic expatriates in Puerto Rico People from Sánchez Ramírez Province Dominican Republic people of Spanish descent 19th-century Dominican Republic politicians Dominican Republic revolutionaries Dominican Republic Roman Catholics Dominican Republic military personnel