Reconcentrado
by Jim Mellen
In February 1896 Spanish General Velariano Weyler replaced Martinez Campos
who had been consistently defeated by the Cuban forces which had invaded
the province of Havana itself by this time. Weyler had received the
nickname of “Butcher” during the Ten Years’ War. US newspapers and
Cuban propaganda quickly latched onto this nickname and blew his previous
atrocities out of proportion. However, in late 1896 Weyler lived
up to his nickname as he issued the reconcentrado order. This commanded
all rural Cubans to relocate to the cities into camps there and ordered
immediate execution of any Cuban suspected of aiding the rebels.
Weyler clearly intended to eliminate the Cuban insurgents’ base of support.
The policies were particularly directed against the families of known insurgents.
Weyler believed this would demoralize the Cuban army. These concentration
camps often held thousands of Cubans in crowded, dirty conditions, which
were conducive to the rapid spread of disease. Tens, if not hundreds
of thousands of Cubans died in these camps. Figures are very difficult
to determine, however, in the 1887 census there were 1,631,687 people,
and in the 1899 census there were 1,572,797 people. Based on the
growth rate leading up to these dates it is reasonable to assume there
would have been at least 1.8 million people in Cuba by 1899 had the war
not intervened. Obviously, many people probably fled the island
as well. According to Cuban figures only 8,617 insurgents died (of
both disease and combat wounds).
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