Background
Calixto García e Iñiguez was born in Holguin on 4 August 1839.
Calixto García e Iñiguez was born in Holguin on 4 August 1839.
During both the Ten Years’ War and the final struggle that began in 1895, Calixto Garcia served as General Maximo Gómez’s second-in-command. In mid-1872 Garcia took over from Gómez command of the revolutionary forces in Oriente Province. In the fall of 1874, Garcia was captured by the Spaniards, and he remained in prison until cessation of hostilities in 1878. General Garcia then traveled to New York, where he organized the Comité Revolucionario Cubano to foster continuation of the revolutionary struggle against Spain.
Enlisting the support of Antonio Maceo y Grajales, García tried to organize another insurrection. Both had refused to recognize the peace agreement. In August 1879 Garcia met with Maceo in Jamaica, and from that meeting came the Kingston Proclamation which stated that the promised reforms had not been adopted by the Spanish in Cuba. This “call to arms” for what would come to be known as La Guerra Chiquita was doomed when Garcia removed Maceo from his command of forces in Oriente Province only days after outbreak of hostilities.
believing that Maceo’s color was a detriment to the success of the uprising. It was not until May 1880 that Garcia made his ill-prepared invasion of the island. He surrendered to the Spanish in August 1880 and was sent to prison in Spain.
In spite of Garcia’s dismal failure in the “little war,” he attained a measure of brilliance in the final struggle against Spain during 1895-1898. Once again, he found himself as Gómez’ second-in-command. His most memorable contribution was as intermediary between the U.S. government and the Cuban revolutionary forces symbolized in the famous “message to Garcia.”