Manuel Lechuga de La Torre

Colonel.

He was born in Puerto Príncipe, Camagüey. He participated in the War of 1868. As a Commander, he led the action at Mamoncillo, in Morón, on June 9, 1875, twenty days later he was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel.

In 1876 he was in Las Villas with the invading forces of Major General Máximo Gómez. He opposed the sedition of Santa Rita on May 11, 1877. In the War of 1895 he arrived in Cuba leading the expedition of the eleventh voyage of the steamship Dauntless, for which he departed on February 14, 1898 from Fernandina, Florida, with 24 expeditionaries, and disembarked on the 20th at Nuevas Grandes, Camagüey.

After transitioning through the 2nd Corps General Headquarters, the Government Council, the 3rd Corps General Headquarters and the 3rd Division 2nd Corps Staff, successively, without a defined position assignment, on May 6, 1898 he received promotion to Colonel. Ten days later, Major General Calixto García, chief of the Eastern Department, ordered the creation of the Guáimaro Cavalry Regiment and recommended that Lechuga be its commander. With this unit he integrated the flying division that was organized under the command of Colonel Carlos García Vélez, to participate in the Santiago de Cuba Campaign.

Later that regiment received the name Federación (2nd Brigade 3rd Division 2nd Corps), in which the war ended. During the North American military intervention he was appointed mayor of Puerto Padre.

He was elected to that position by the people on June 16, 1900.