GENERAL MAXIMO GOMEZ Y BAEZ - AUTOGRAPH LETTER SIGNED 07/02/1902 - HFSID 217438

MAXIMO GÓMEZ Y BÁEZ
The General, who led Cuban forces in their fight for independence, promises to review recommendations for the military's rural guard
Autograph letter sigend: "M. Gomez," in black ink. 2 page front and verso, 5x8 folded, 10x8 flat. Havana, Cuba. 1902 July 2. To Mrs M. Abreu. In Spanish, with translation. In full: "Yesterday in Calabazar, I received your letter and I want to let you know that I have the same feeling for you. While I seek for my destiny and serve you, I want to serve the interests of my country. I wish that you would send me a note with the names of the individuals that you want to be assigned to the Rural Guard. I promise that if they meet the conditions that we will determine necessary, they will be placed in the positions that you have recommended. We need many men to build a good Corp, but they have to be men with special convictions, because we will entrust to them the respect of society, and they will be the trustees of the homes while everybody sleeps. If things don't go as planned, everything will be just a myth because we will have what we always have, a Rural Guard and Police, that nobody respects. They will be like matte-colored bodies that do not reflect light or heat. Tell Don Luis that I keep our dear memories." 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.Lightly stained throughout. Ink shows through on verso. Slightly worn and soiled. Toned. Otherwise, fine condition.