José Gabriel Luperón
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José Gabriel Luperón (1836–1873) was a Dominican soldier who fought in the Battle of Sabana Larga during the Dominican War of Independence. Due to his political affiliation, he fled to the United States, where he joined the Union Army under President Abraham Lincoln in the American Civil War.[1]
Luperón was born in 1836 in Puerto Plata during the Haitian regime in Santo Domingo. He was born to Pedro Castellanos, a Dominican of Spanish descent, and Nicolasa Duperon,[2] a Cocolo immigrant.[3][4] He was one of six children: three sons and three daughters. (One of his brothers was Gregorio Luperón, who would later rise to fame during the war of independence against Spain).
During the Dominican War of Independence, he fought in the 1856 Battle of Sabana Larga against Haitian forces under Emperor Faustin I. He later participated in siege of Parmantier in Samaná, during the Cibaeño Revolution.[5]
In 1861, President Pedro Santana proclaimed the annexion to Spain. Luperón, expressing discontent, attempted to protest, but to no avail. He, just like his brother, Gregorio, faced persecution from royalist authorities, including General Juan Suero. It is likely that both brothers ended up in the United States, but Gregorio continued on back to the island to partake in the Dominican Restoration War, leaving José Gabriel behind.[6]
Subsequently, the American Civil War had just erupted in the country. Luperón, sympathizing with the cause for emancipation for African Americans, joined the Union Forces, where he was assigned to the Northern Navy under President Abraham Lincoln and General Ulysses S. Grant.[7] For his heroism, he reached the rank of Captain.[5] After the Union victory, he returned to the Dominican Republic.
Upon his return, however, he was immediately persecuted by the new President, Buenaventura Báez. In 1868, the Six Years' War had broken out, during which Luperón had offered his services to the Blue Party. Because of this, was arrested by the authorities because of his insurgent activities. After an American consul representative in Puerto Plata intervened, he was released. He often left the country to evade harsh persecutions. He left for Haiti at some point, settling in Port-au-Prince, where he died in 1873 at age 37.[5]
