Dominican Restoration War

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The Dominican Restoration War was a guerrilla war between 1863 and 1865 in the Dominican Republic between nationalists and Spain, who had recolonized the country 17 years after its independence.

[edit] Background

In 1861 general Pedro Santana asked Spain to retake control of the country, after a period of only 17 years of independence. Spain, which had not come to terms with the loss of its American colonies 30 years earlier, accepted his proposal and made the country a colony again.

The result was not the hoped improvement of the economic situation, but a further degradation and a monetary crisis. Furthermore individual rights were limited and popular protests were brutally crushed. Soon the first armed resistance was organized. Francisco del Rosario Sánchez, one of the main architects of the Independence, sought help from Haiti, but was captured and executed on July 4, 1861.

By 1863 Spain was exercising pressure on Haiti to cede territory to Spain or pay a large sum as indemnity. This made Haitian president Fabre Geffrard give up his strictly neutral position and backed the resistance. This Haitian support was an important help to a new group under the leadership of Gregorio Luperón, as they could use Haitian territory as a base of operations.

On August 16, 1863 the group made a daring raid on the capital Santo Domingo and raised the Dominican flag on the Capotillo hill. This action, known as El grito de Capotillo, was the beginning of a war, lasting until 1865.

General Pedro Santana was replaced by Spanish Marshal La Gándara, but the Spanish army was no match for the clever guerrilla tactics of the insurgents, and had to abandon the country.

General Gregorio Luperón became a national hero. The day of El grito de Capotillo, August 16, is still a national holiday in the Dominican Republic.