# José Marcelino Maceo Grajales

**Date of birth:** February 2, 1849

**Date of death:** July 5, 1896

**Categories:** Society, Patriot, independence soldier, military

Son of Mariana Grajales and Marcos Maceo, José was born in February 1849 in Majaguabo, San Luis, Oriente, four years after his brother Antonio.

He was a symbol of courage and valor for Cubans. Character, firmness of ideas, intransigence and temperament were traits that distinguished him. Protagonist of the most heroic actions. The renowned Lion of the East was the only one of his lineage who fought in all three military conflicts; of the 30 years that the independence struggle lasted, he participated in 28, for only death could bring him down from the horse of war.

At the conclusion of the Ten Years' War he was already a colonel. After being among those who protested at Mangos de Baraguá against the ominous Pact of Zanjón, he did not leave Cuba, and worked actively alongside Guillermón Moncada, Quintín Banderas and Bartolomé Masó, in the eastern zone, to create the favorable conditions for the new insurrectional outbreak.

At the end of the Little War, with the rank of Brigadier General, he arrived imprisoned in Chafarinas (Africa) in 1880, and achieved his escape two years later. Fleeing and in exile he came to know Algeria, New York, Kingston, Panama and Costa Rica.

He was part of the expedition led by Flor Crombet that disembarked at Duaba on April first, 1895. From that date until he made contact with the forces of Periquito Pérez he staged his incredible "Odyssey", surviving alone with one hundred bullets and his Winchester, eluding the tremendous persecution of the guerrilleros of Yateras, feeding himself on sour oranges and walking approximately forty leagues.

José Maceo always fought at the head of his troops, revolver in hand that from time to time he fired while turning back to his men to give them courage.

The day of his fall at Loma del Gato was close to an encounter with the Generalissimo Máximo Gómez. He had earned the respect even of his enemies who feared him; by his decisiveness and courage he turned apparent defeats into victories.

He participated in more than 1500 combat engagements and had on his body 19 bullet marks like medals of an tireless fighter for the independence of Cuba