Francisco Gómez Toro

Captain of the Liberating Army in the struggles for Cuban independence. Son of Major General Máximo Gómez. He fell in combat alongside his chief, Major General Antonio Maceo. Panchito constitutes, fundamentally for youth, an example of love for the homeland and loyalty to his leaders. José Martí referred to him as the human being with the fewest imperfections he had ever known. He was born in La Reforma, Sancti Spíritus, Las Villas, on March 11, 1876.

In 1894, during the preparation of the war, his father left him in New York, under the guardianship of José Martí. Panchito accompanied him on his trips to Tampa, Cayo Hueso, Costa Rica, Panama, and Jamaica.

He joined the Liberating Army as a member of the expedition of the fifth voyage of the steamship Three Friends, which under the command of Major General Juan Rius Rivera landed on September 8, 1896 at the cove of María La Gorda, Pinar del Río. He was designated as aide-de-camp to Major General Antonio Maceo, with the rank of lieutenant. Although he participated in the combats of Montezuelo and Tumbas de Estorino on September 24 and 26, 1896, his baptism of fire was at Ceja del Negro on October 4, 1896, as that was where he fired at the enemy for the first time. These were followed by Galalón, El Rubí, and El Rosario. On December 1, 1896, he was promoted to captain.

In the action of Bejerano (also known as La Gobernadora), on December 3, 1896, he received a wound in his left shoulder. The following day, December 4, he accompanied Maceo in crossing the Mariel to Majana trench, by sea.

An obelisk was dedicated to his independence work and love for the Homeland, located in La Reforma, Cristales (Jatibonico), Jatibonico, Sancti Spíritus, Cuba, the place where he was born.

When the combat of San Pedro took place on December 7, 1896, he received an order to remain in the camp, as he had an arm in a sling due to the wound; but upon learning of his chief's death, he set out toward where he was, and fell at his side. There are several versions of his death. The most accepted is that, after receiving two bullet wounds and faced with the impossibility of rescuing his chief's body, he preferred to die alongside him by taking his own life with his campaign knife. Nevertheless, the guerrilleros of Peral's band, who were acting in the enemy vanguard, found him still alive and severed his neck with a machete blow.

Revolutionary Club No. 40, which was organized and constituted in Cienfuegos in 1895, agreed on December 7, 1896, following the death of the undefeated Major General Antonio Maceo and his aide-de-camp Captain Francisco Gómez Toro, to name the Club "Club Panchito Gómez" in honor of the memory of this heroic young man and as a testament of respect and consideration to his illustrious father, the Generalissimo of the Cuban army Máximo Gómez.