Adolfo Jiménez Castellanos

Adolfo Jiménez Castellanos (1844 – January 18, 1929) was a Spanish military man who was the last Spanish Governor General of Cuba. On January 1, 1899 he turned Cuba over to the United States.

Early Life and Education

Born in Montilla, Córdoba, Spain, and, after completing studies as a Cadet in the Infantry Corps School (later Academy) of Toledo, was posted in 1865 to Cuba where he joined the garrison of Puerto Príncipe (Camagüey).

Military Career

In 1868, with the outbreak of the 1st war of insurgency, known as the " War of the Ten Years", he already holds the rank of Captain and assists in important military actions within the Central Department, the largest of the three regions into which the island is divided. He marries a Camagueyan, with whom he has six children. Once this war is over, other campaigns follow: the " Protest of Baragua" and the "Little War", and, as Commander of the Central Department, he returns to the Spain in 1882.

Between 1883 and 1886, again in Cuba, he is Secretary of Sub-inspection of Infantry and Militia in Havana, after which he returns again to Spain. Widowed and with six children, he spends the following nine years in charge of the Campaign section of the War Ministry in Madrid, until 1895 when, Cuba's "War of Three Years" begins. Captain General of the Island Arsenio Martínez Campos requires his immediate presence in his capacity as a strategist with great knowledge of the country, accumulated seniority, and experience in war and Cuba’s famous Mambisa wars and circular campaigns.

He takes command of the Port-au-Prince Commandancy and participates in several major and important campaigns throughout the territory under his command, until April 1898 when he takes command of the Trocha Division. With the American intervention in the conflict, the land battles in Santiago take place, as well as the sinking of the Cervera squadron in the bay, after which the Spanish surrender. He handles the repatriation of the troops from Trochas until November, when he takes over as Captain General in Havana.

He attends to the repatriation of the 87,000 Spanish soldiers who still remain on the island, personally ensuring good behavior, accommodations, and provisioning, as well as to the return of those hospitalized. He liquidates what is possible, pays what he can, and maintains the soldier as his priority. He is the Spanish President of the Evacuation Commission, slowing the American rush to take over, since he wants to leave done as much as possible and make sure that the troops when boarded are not overcrowded.

Handover to America

On 1 January 1899 he has the sad mission - "in the name of his King" - to carry out the official handover of the island to the Americans:

Sir, in compliance with the Treaty of Paris, as agreed by the military commissions of the Island and the orders of my King, at noon today, 1 January 1899, Spanish sovereignty over Cuba ceases to exist and that of the United States begins ...

(Excerpt from his speech)

He embarks on the steamship Rabat and proceeds to Matanzas and Cienfuegos to complete the repatriation. On February 6 he returns to Spain with the last contingent of troops on the steamship Catalonia.

He is the youngest Lieutenant General in the Spanish Army and holds, successively, the command of the Captaincy of New Castile and Extremadura, New Castile, Galicia, Old Castile and Valencia, until 1910 when he is appointed Advisor to the Supreme Council of War and Navy.

Retirement and Death

In 1916 he retired. He dies in Madrid on 18 January 1929 at the age of nearly 85. He has numerous descendants on three continents.