Manuscript DS, in Spanish, written in the hand of fellow Moncada prisoner Agustin Cartaya, one lined page, both sides, dated December 6, 1953, written while on the Isla de la Juventud. The manuscript reads, in full: “Kind and distinguished lady: Together with these sincere lines are attached the affection and respect from all my partners. I was motivated with the idea of writing you because of your admiration towards myself that made the fibers of my heart vibrate with an accelerated rate that was motivated by your eloquent lines. We read your poem and it left us all inspired by the kindness of your phrases, my partners and I, are very lovers of the poetry, that is why I take the opportunity to tell you that you are an excellent poetry writer. In those difficult moments that I used to have with frequency I will remember your beautiful thoughts and incomparable ideals, this has been the formula that with effectiveness have changed during these days my sadness towards happiness. You know that our tasks are firm to serve the ideals, our formula of action demands continuity of our efforts that is why from here we will fight continually for our improving starting with the education and now lady I only have to say good bye wishing you together with all your family all…in this year and in the next.”
Signed at the conclusion, “Alcalde, Redondo, R. Castro, E. Camara, Juan Almeida, Andres Garcia, Mario Chanes, Francisco Gonzalez, Rosendo Menendes, Orlando Cortes, Gabriel Gil, Jose Ponce, Fidel Castro, Pedro Miret, Eduardo Rodriguez, Fidel Labrador, Ernest Tizol, Jesus Montane, Jose Suarez, Armando Mestro Martinez, Israel Tapanes, Julio Diaz, Benitez, Rene Bedia, Ramiro Valdes, Eduardo Montano and who subscribes Agustin D. Cartaya.” Paper loss to top and bottom edge, affecting several words of text at bottom, scattered foxing and irregular toning, intersecting storage folds, and rusty paperclip marks to top edge, otherwise very good condition.
On July 26, 1953, Castro and his brother, Raul, led a rebel attack on the Moncada Barracks, the second largest military garrison in Cuba, and one commanded by President Fulgencio Batista. The assault was a disaster, with 61 rebels killed in the fighting, and another one-third captured. A handful of men, including Castro, escaped into the countryside but were soon apprehended. In October, he was sentenced to 15 years in the Presidio Modelo on the Isla de la Juventud for orchestrating the attack. He used his incarceration—from which this correspondence was penned—as an opportunity to further his cause. He meticulously sought to portray the injustices of the Batista regime—building a common ground for like-minded Cubans—and arranged his strategy for the next phase of his revolution, which he would successfully launch in 1959. Pre-certified John Reznikoff/PSA/DNA and RR Auction COA.
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