GENERAL MAXIMO GOMEZ Y BAEZ - AUTOGRAPH LETTER SIGNED 05/18/1901 - HFSID 217443

MAXIMO GOMEZ

The Dominican General writes a letter of recommendation to Vicente Morel for his friend Miguel Genener

Autograph Letter Signed: "M. Gomez" in iron gall ink. 8x10. Fully Translated in English: "Habana May 18, 1901.  Mr. Dr. Miguel Genener. Dear friend: I wish to obtain for Mr. Vicente Morel, who will be the person delivering this letter, a destiny that could be very well served in the municipality of La Habana, where I assume you will have to make many changes and even modifications. My recommended guy, as a clerk, not only is intelligent in the matter, but also never talks or stands up during time hours, circumstance not very common but demanded nowadays. I hope I can thank you for this new consideration that you may have with my recommended. I remain yours S.S. and A.M. M. Gomez". Dominican Major General Maximo Gomez (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.), Dios 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. Normal mailing folds. Heavily toned. Torn around edges. Upper left side corner has separated. Worn and slightly soiled. Ink shows through on verso. Extremely fragile. Otherwise, fine condition.