1795: Governor Juan Baptista Vaillant reported that a new wave of liberation rumors was sweeping the east coast of Cuba, leading to a surge in plantation des…

1795: Governor Juan Baptista Vaillant reported that a new wave of liberation rumors was sweeping the east coast of Cuba, leading to a surge in plantation desertions. Vaillant attributed this unrest to the wide circulation of letters sent by Gregorio Cosme Osorio from Spain. At the same time, the El Cobre settlement had become a refuge for all types of fugitives and several individuals who had been on the run for years. These developments occurred as Cuban officials closely monitored the progress of the Jamaican Maroon War for fear of regional contagion.