GENERAL MAXIMO GOMEZ Y BAEZ - AUTOGRAPH LETTER SIGNED 05/03/1891 - HFSID 218090

MAXIMO GOMEZ
The Dominican General writes a letter to Colonel Juan Bravo with instructions to keep up the prestige of the army
Autograph Letter Signed: "M. Gomez" in iron gall ink. 6½x9. Fully Translated in English: "To Colonel Juan Bravo, Western Chief of the Brigade of Trinidad. Colonel, In order to keep up the prestige of our army this general barrack asks you to avoid the bad handling that could interfere in your barrack. Following orders from this general barrack, General Bandera must reunite with Major General Jose Maria Rodriguez without having to stay in his land. So, you must avoid the waste of elements of our prefectures, we would die in the army due to the supporting of the vicious ones, which degrades our army. It is necessary to intercede for the liberties because the revolution wants all of their brave soldiers to be good and careful, as brave as honest. All yours, Trilladeritas, May 3, 1891. The Chief General M. Gomez." Dominican Major General Maximo Gomez y Baez (1836-1905) was initially trained as an officer of the Spanish Army at the Zaragoza Military Academy, originally arriving in Cuba as a cavalry Captain in the Spanish Army before taking up the rebel cause in 1968. Gomez famously helped transform the Cuban Army's military tactics and strategy, teaching the guerrilla independence fighters, the Mambises, their most feared tactic: the "Machete Charge". Gomez worked odd military jobs for the next couple decades: he became involved with the independence of Puerto Rico when he sold most of his possessions to finance a revolution, even volunteering to lead troops (later deemed unnecessary when Spain intervened), as well as was promoted to General of the Cuban army, improving the military's guerrilla tactics most effective against the traditional Spanish forces. The Spanish-American War, the result of the United States interfering in the Cuban War of Independence, forced Cuba to decide if they should choose heritage over their New World partners (Spain vs. U.S.)He decided to fight solely for his adopted country's independence; he lost his most trusted officer Antonio Maceo, and his son Francisco Gomez in the war in 1896, but by 1898 Cuba had obtained independence and Gomez was offered the presidential nomination, but he refused due to his Dominican heritage. By that time his was 75 years old, having spent half his life dedicated to the liberation of Cuba, and he died in Havana in 1905. Multiple mailing folds. Heavily toned and worn. Pinhead-size holes at center and right lower side. 1½-inch and 1-inch tears at center fold. Otherwise, fine condition