José de la Gándara y Navarro

Who is José de la Gándara y Navarro?

José de la Gándara y Navarro was a Spanish soldier, born in Bilbao. He entered the military College as a cadet in 1832, joined the army in 1834 as sublieutenant, and served in the campaign against the Carlists till 1839, participating in all the battles. Afterward he served with distinction in the colonies, and, after reaching the rank of brigadier, was appointed, in 1857, governor of the islands of Fernando Poo and Annobón y Corisco. In 1862 he became major general, and in November of that year was made military governor and commander-in-chief of the province of Santiago de Cuba. The insurrection against the Spanish domination of Santo Domingo, which had been annexed in 1861, began in the department of Cibao in February 1863; the troops were soon driven into the coast-towns, and the interior cities wrested from them. Gandara, without waiting for orders from the home-government, despatched reinforcements to his comrades by the frigate Isabel II, then in port. He afterward received orders to march with all the forces at his command to the assistance of the commander-in-chief.