Gomez, Maximo

(1836–1905), born in the Dominican Republic, was trained in Spain as an officer of the Spanish Army. He originally arrived in Cuba as a cavalry officer in the Spanish Army, but took up the rebel cause in 1868, helping transform the Cuban Army’s military tactics and strategy. He gave the Cubans their most feared tactic: The ‘Machete Charge’.
Following the death in combat of Ignacio Agramonte in 1873, Gómez rose to the rank of Generalísimo of the Cuban Army. He was wounded only twice during 15 years of guerrilla warfare against an enemy far superior in manpower and logistics. By contrast, his most trusted officer and second-in-command, Antonio Maceo, was injured more than 25 times in the same span of time. Gómez refused the presidential nomination that was offered to him in 1901, mainly because he always disliked politics and, even after 40 years of living in the country, he still felt that being Dominican born he should not be the civil leader of Cuba.