“WILLIAM BARKER CUSHING, HÉROE OLVIDADO POR LA HISTORIA”
[William Barker Cushing, an American hero forgotten by the history]

Two years ago, we got notice for the first time upon reading in this Forum about the article with the above mentioned heading as published on July 10, 2005 by Joaquin Sueiro Bonechea. At bottom, on remark #2, Bonechea addressed this question-request to the readers:

“I’m sure that should I were wrong on who the other patriots are commemorated thereon, soon enough, any reader of this article will kindly let it know to LA NUEVA CUBA. Whoever they belong to, they don’t deserve the insult of being stacked besides a bust honoring that of CERVERA” (*)

(*) Admiral Pascual CERVERA (TOPETE), never mind having ordered fire vs. a group of harmless Americans is, even nowadays in the XXI Century, considered a hero by the American specialized magazines. You may watch that at every hundred sites titled under the cheating cry: “Remember the Main” if you would kindly follow what comes:

INCOHERENCES.

1st. Couldn’t believe that the United States may have condemned to ostracism to any of its heroes, since had it been actually true, some of the US presidents, assisted by the media could have arranged a cover-up to their people, of the slaughtering events by Spanish officers deriving of the seizure of the American flag ship VIRGINIUS on 1873.

2nd. A real shock to ascertain that direct descendants of the promoters of the PRO-AMERICAN dictatorship, long time protected by the United States, that of the genocide-butcherer GENERAL FRANCO; self-honor themselves every year in Cuba, jointly and at the same place besides the ANTI-AMERICAN dictator at large such as FIDEL CASTRO and staff members.

3rd. The apparent reasons deriving of aforesaid annual aberrant meetings at the same place and time, Castillo del Morro in Santiago de Cuba: viz. where the Cuban insurrection’s descendants and their Spanish slaughterers’ direct inheritors do jointly celebrate the defeat and surrender of the Spanish ARMADA commanded by admiral CERVERA during the war declared on 1898 by the US vs. Spain, furthermore, same spot where the then Lt. CERVERA [1873] commanded the firing squad that butchered the crew of the American flag ship VIRGINIUS, mainly comprising AMERICAN and MAMBISES both fighting together for the freedom of Cuba.

As Spaniard, I feel deeply ashamed for the bestial behavior of the army and navy officers involved in such massacre. If Cuban independentist, someone should ask to Commander FIDEL CASTRO what had he got in return for mockering with history every year and with those who gave their lives caring for the freedom of Cuba. And, if American: had the American Administration permitted that the descendants of admiral CERVERA risen an annual masquerade to purposely mock and desecrate the soil where the blood of Americans ran freely mixed up with those Cuban patriots’?, alternatively, to present due excuses to their descendants.

Is not that simple, however, we’ll try to put kind of coherence, counting with the invaluable assistance of two Cuban historians and that of an American Capt. of the US Navy.
Australis