▁was ▁a ▁strong ▁end or ser ▁of ▁the ▁liberal ▁Crist inos ▁and ▁the ▁reg ency ▁of ▁Maria ▁Crist ina ▁during ▁the ▁ 1 8 3 0 s . ▁When ▁General ▁Bald om ero ▁Es par tero ▁seized ▁power ▁during ▁ 1 8 4 0 , ▁O ' D onn ell ▁went ▁into ▁ex ile ▁with ▁Maria ▁Crist ina , ▁and ▁was ▁involved ▁in ▁an ▁attempted ▁coup ▁against ▁Es par tero ▁during ▁ 1 8 4 1 . ▁O ' D onn ell ▁was ▁soon ▁back ▁in ▁power ▁and ▁was ▁sent ▁to ▁Cuba ▁as ▁Captain ▁General ▁during ▁October ▁ 1 8 4 3 . ▁He ▁is ▁cred ited ▁with ▁the ▁mass acre ▁of ▁ 1 8 4 4 ▁known ▁as ▁the ▁repr ession ▁of ▁La ▁Es cal era . ▁Th ous ands ▁of ▁slaves ▁and ▁free - col oured ▁people ▁in ▁Cuba ▁were ▁conf ined ▁in ▁d unge ons , ▁were ▁tort ured ▁and ▁executed ▁in ▁what ▁became ▁known ▁as ▁the ▁' year ▁of ▁the ▁l ash '. ▁During ▁ 1 8 5 4 , ▁he ▁made ▁a ▁pron unci amiento ▁against ▁the ▁government ▁and ▁was ▁named ▁Prime ▁Minister ▁for ▁a ▁time . ▁He ▁served ▁as ▁War ▁Minister ▁of ▁the ▁Es par tero ▁government . ▁ ▁The ▁Crime an ▁War ▁caused ▁an ▁increase ▁of ▁gra in ▁prices ▁due ▁to ▁the ▁block ade ▁of ▁Russia , ▁causing ▁a ▁fam ine ▁in ▁Gal icia ▁during ▁ 1 8 5 4 . ▁Ri ots ▁against ▁power ▁lo oms ▁spread ▁through ▁Spain , ▁and ▁General ▁O ' D