Carlos Daniel Grullón was born in Santiago de los Caballeros in 1879. He was the grandson of General Carlos Remigio Daniel, an outstanding military man who honorably defended the Dominican Republic in the Battle of March 30, 1844 along with General Fernando Valerio.
His parents were Mr. Aurelio Daniel and Mrs. Ramona Grullón who died when Carlitos was only 5 years old. This brought Carlos to live in Mao with an aunt, until his adolescence.
According to historians, Carlos Daniel had 32 children. Carlos Daniel obtained the title of General for his acts of bravery demonstrated in different war encounters during the beginning of the 20th century.
Among these encounters were the Battle of Cerrito Búcaro in 1904 and the Battle of San Pedro Day in 1912. Both were under the command of General Desiderio Arias.
Penal Code reform bill provides for a reduction of sentences for sexual violators in certain circumstances.
Penal Code reform bill provides for reduction of penalties for sexual violators in certain circumstances.
What immortalized Carlos Daniel was the Battle of La Barranquita where 80 brave Dominican Patriots of the Northwest Line faced 837 American Marines in La Barranquita Hill near Guayacanes on July 3, 1916.
On June 26, 1916, Colonel Joseph H. Pendleton began his march from Montecristi to the city of Santiago where General Desiderio Arias was stationed. Carlos Daniel received a telegram telling him that the Marines had already begun their march towards Santiago and to confront them. Immediately 80 brave men from the Northwest were assembled to assist in this confrontation.
On July 2nd the Marines were in Laguna Salada about 6 kilometers from La Barranquita. On July 3rd when the Marines arrived at the Baitoa tree, they tried to move it to make way. At that moment Carlos Daniel fired the first shot and at the same time in his Cibaeño dialect shouted, “Tiro poi caco!” There some of the Marines took cover behind the Baitoa tree and some behind the bee barrels. As the Marines fired, the bees got angry and started stinging the Marines.
This served as an advantage to our men as the Marines were better armed and outnumbered. The battle lasted about 4 hours. 27 of the 80 Dominicans died that day including Captain Maximo Cabral who arrived dressed in full dress uniform.
Trujillo, now president, took all of Daniel’s relatives out of Mao. His wife Doña Lesbia Ramirez was exiled to Haiti along with two of Carlos Daniel’s children. Then Carlos Daniel and his wife left for Cuba.
In 1955 after 24 years and at the age of 76, Carlos Daniel returned to the Dominican Republic, Trujillo granted him entrance to the country to see his family but then asked him to come to his office in the National Palace for a supposed “interview”.
The day of the “interview” Carlos Daniel, suspicious of the “interview” decided not to go to the appointment and went to Cibao. Carlos Daniel was again under house arrest and with his mental faculties already deteriorated, he died on October 18, 1957, of a heart attack in Villa Gonzalez, Santiago. He was 78 years old.
