Together with Carlos Manuel de Céspedes he founded,
"La Filarmónica", in 1851. It was a
great cultural centre in Bayamo and place of meeting
of illustrious personalities such as Juan Clemente Zenea,
José Fornaris, José Joaquín Palma,
José María Izaguirre and many others.
In these meetings, singing, declamation, and staging
of theatre plays, stating cubanship and hate to Spanish
colonialism, took place.
Since 1852 he was put under surveillance under suspicions
of being unfaithful to the Spanish Government. In 1854
he is forced to reside in Havana..
In 1857, together with José Quintín Suzarte
and Domingo Guillermo de Arozarena he published several
works in the newspaper El Correo
de la Tarde and in the siboneyista
magazine La Piragua. Some
of them, Excursión a la gran sabana de Yara
and La Piragua (counterdance). He wrote some
articles on Cuban daily customs. He wqas mason in the
Redención Lodge, presided by Francisco Aguilera.
He returned to Bayamo in 1858.
In 1861 he is sentenced to 14 months of house arrest,
making good use of this time studying Military Tactics.
His home became conspirative centre and venue of the
Comité Revolucionario de Bayamo (Bayamo Revolutionary
Committee).
“Perucho” Figueredo composed “La
Bayamesa” on the dawn of August 14th, 1867 It
was the war chant that would lead the rebel forces in
Bayamo, and that very night he himself played it on
the piano when constituting the Comité Revolucionario
de Bayamo. In June 11th, 1868, “La Bayamesa”
was played during Corpus Christi religious
celebrations at the Iglesia San Salvador de Bayamo Church.
It was conducted by master builder (construction foreman).and
orchestra conductor Manuel Muñoz
Cedeño. Shortly afterwards it was on the
city streets with the procession.
In October 10th, 1868, Carlos Manuel de Céspedes
uprose in La Demajagua sugarmill and Figueredo
decided to follow him, joining the Liberator Army, where
he became General.
In October 20th, 1868, when Bayamo City was seized,
the people asked Perucho the lyrics of that well-known
music, and everybody began singing.
Pedro Figueredo was made prisoner, sick of typhus,
when some rebel families were pursued by Spanish troops,
his among them, in August 11th, 1870.
So, it was executed together with Rodrigo and Ignacio
Tamayo, guilty of being “unfaithful” to
the country, in August 17th, 1870, the man, whose last
words were: ¡To die for our
motherland is to live!

Monument to Perucho Figueredo
i n Céspedes' Park , Bayamo |
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Back sight of the monument |
Plates of the monument
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