Matías Ramón Mella
Dominican revolutionary; 7th Vice President of the Dominican Republic (1863–1864) / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Matías Ramón Mella Castillo (25 February 1816 – 4 June 1864), who was most known by his middle name (Ramón), was a Dominican revolutionary, politician, and military general. Mella is regarded as a national hero in the Dominican Republic. He is a hero of two glorious deeds in Dominican history: the proclamation of the First Republic, and the war to restore Dominican independence. Remembered as one of the three founding fathers of the Dominican Republic, the Order of Merit of Duarte, Sánchez and Mella is partially named in his honor.
Matías Ramón Mella | |
---|---|
4th Minister of Finance of the Dominican Republic | |
In office 26 September 1849 – 8 April 1850 | |
President | Buenaventura Báez |
Preceded by | Jacinto de la Concha |
Succeeded by | Manuel Joaquín del Monte |
7th Vice President of the Dominican Republic | |
In office 14 September 1863 – 4 June 1864 | |
President | José Antonio Salcedo |
Preceded by | Benigno Filomeno de Rojas |
Succeeded by | Ulises Francisco Espaillat |
Personal details | |
Born | 25 February 1816 (1816-02-25) Santo Domingo, Captaincy General of Santo Domingo (now Dominican Republic) |
Died | 4 June 1864 (1864-06-05) (aged 48) Santiago, Spanish province of Santo Domingo |
Resting place | Altar de la Patria |
Nationality | Dominican |
Political party | Central Government Junta |
Other political affiliations | La Trinitaria |
Spouse |
Josefa Brea (m. 1836) |
Relations | Julio Antonio Mella (grandson) |
Children | Ramón María, Dominga América María, Antonio Nicanor, Ildefonso |
Parent(s) | Antonio Mella Álvarez and Francisca Javier Castillo Álvarez |
Occupation | Businessman, politician, diplomat, independence leader |
Known for | Firing the blunderbuss shot of 27 February 1844 Creator of the 1864 Guerilla Manual |
Awards | National hero |
Nickname | Ramón |
Military service | |
Allegiance | Dominican Republic |
Branch/service | Haitian Army
|
Years of service | 1838–1864 |
Rank | General |
Battles/wars | Dominican War of Independence Cibaeño Revolution Dominican Restoration War |
Honors | Order of Merit of Duarte, Sánchez and Mella |
Like many of his peers, Mella envisioned an independent republic that would be free of all foreign power. A man of loyalty and honor, his dream of establishing and maintaining a free nation would grow in his early years, strengthening his determination to make that dream a reality. From aligning himself with the independence movement, he quickly rose to prominence, becoming a part of the legendary trio along with Juan Pablo Duarte and Francisco del Rosario Sánchez.
Through sheer determination and strategy, Mella would play a very crucial role in the successful establishment of the Dominican Republic. He stands out for firing the iconic blunderbuss on the night of 27 February 1844 at Puerta del Conde during the moment of uncertainty and hesitation of many who supported the independence cause. This marked the beginning of the Dominican War of Independence. But this success was short-lived, as Mella would find himself, along with his fellow patriots, having to engage in a series of political standoffs against the very same people who had previously fought alongside him. Ill and financially crippled, he witnessed many of his comrades suffer the worst for their pro-Independent plans. Unfortunately, by 1861, the country was handed back to Spanish forces. Mella, who sided with the pro-independence rebels, excelled as a military strategist, creating the guerrilla warfare manual that contributed significantly to the Dominican Restoration War. Mella would continue to serve his duties as a revolutionary leader until his death in 1864. Afterwards, Spain was defeated and Dominican independence was restored in 1865.