It is, however, a futile effort.

Years of bloodshed and war have left the Cuban forces exhausted.

Aid from exiles decreases, and Maceo now faces the bulk of the Spanish forces alone.

Realizing the hopeless situation, he leaves for Jamaica.

From there he travels to New York to raise money and weapons necessary to continue fighting.

He soon joins he activities of Major General Calixto Garcia, now organizing a new rebellion.

This uprising in 1879-80, known as the Little War (La Guerra Chiquita), will also end in disaster.

Maceo is kept in exile for fear of antagonizing the conservative elements in Cuba, and Garcia is captured soon after he lands on the island.

Exhausted and disillusioned after the long, bitter strug-gle and faced with a powerful and determined Spain, the Cubans ae in no mood to join this new and ill-prepared attempt.

The Cubans, after more than ten years of strife, are unable to overthrow Spanish power on the island.

The reasons for this failure are to be found partially in internal dissension, regionalism, and petty jealousies among the leaders, and partially in lack of internal organization and external support, which results in chronic shortages of supplies and ammunition.

The odds against the Cubans are also almost insurmountable.

They are fighting well-disciplined, well-organized, and well-equipped forces augmented steadily by reinforcements from Spain.

The Spaniards also control the seas, preventing the smuggling of reinforcements and weapons from abroad.

The Cubans are thus forced to carry on guerrilla operations in the hope of demoralizing the Spanish army or creating an international situation favorable to their cause.

The protracted war has a profound effect on Cubans.

Many Creoles fight in parts of the island they had never even seen before.

Gradually, regionalism collapses and a common cause emerges; the little homeland (patria chica), with its stress on local loyalties, gives way to the fatherland.

The war also forces many to take sides on issues, thus accelerating the process of popular participation and integration.

Finally, the war provides numerous symbols that become part of Cuba's historical heritage.

The national anthem and flag as well as the national weapon, the machete, come out of this war.

In particular, the dedication of the mambises, who abandon position and comfort to fight Spanish power, become for future generations an example of unselfish sacrifice for the fatherland.

The impact of the Ten Years War is particularly felt in the economic realm. 

The destruction caused by the fighting does away with the fortunes of many Cuban families.

Although the struggle is concentrated in eastern Cuba and many sugar plantations escape the ravages of war, the continuous development of a landed slavocracy in Cuba suffers a severe blow.

Numerous participants and sympathizers with the Cuban cause lose their properties.

Most Peninsulars side with Spain, and many estates pass from Creole to loyalist hands.

Because they have backed the Spanish cause, some Creole loyalists also profit from the losses of their brethren.

The growth and power of the Creole propertied class id further undermined in 1886 with the abolition of slavery.

Cuba’s decade-long uprising against Spain ends in 1878, after Spain makes guarantees of rights that they subsequently fail to carry out.

Calixto Garcia had traveled to New York following his release and organized the Cuban Revolutionary Committee with other revolutionaries.

He had issued a manifesto against Spanish rule of Cuba in 1878.

This having met with approval among other revolutionary leaders, a war began on August 26, 1879, led by Garcia, Jose Maceo (the brother of Antonio Maceo), Guillermo Moncada, and Emilo Nuñez.

The revolutionaries face many problems which have been difficult to overcome.

They lack experienced leaders other than García, and they have a dire shortage of weapons and ammunition.

Further, they have no foreign allies to help them, and the population is both exhausted from the Ten Years' War and lacks faith in the possibility of victory, desiring peace instead.

In the west of the island, most of the revolutionary leaders are arrested.

The remaining leaders are forced to capitulate throughout 1879 and 1880, and by September 1880, the rebels have been completely defeated.

A law is passed by the Spanish government n 1880 frees all of the slaves.

However, the slaves are required by law to work for their masters for a number of years.

Although the ‘emancipated’ slaves are to be paid for their work, the wages are so low that the slaves can barely afford to live from them.