The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1859-12-16
The New Captain General Of Cuba.

General Francisco Serrano, the successor
of Concha as Captain General of Cuba, is
politician as well as military officer, and
his name is quite familiar to every student
of Spanish history. BE was born on the
18th of September, 1910, in the island Of
Leon, bis father being Senior Don Francisco
Serranoly Cuencas, Field Marshal of the
national armies, and his mother Sonora
Donna Isabel Dominguez de Guevara, from
whom he received the high education which
cerresponded to his station. He received
his preparatory instructions in the celebrated
College of Vergara, and at twelve years oil
age he entered the profession of arms as a
Cadet in the cavalry regiment of Sagunto
in which he rose to the rank of Ensign iu
1928. After five years retirement, he re.
turned to the service in 1929, passing from
one regiment to another, and at last taking
part in the campaign begun in the north Of
the peninsula as aid camp to the Com
der-in- Chief, Don Francisco de Espoz y
Nuna. His intelligence and bravery soon
gained for him the rank of Cap tain and the
cross of San Fernando of the first class. In
the army of the north, as we'll as in that of
the centre, and in that of Catalina, Serrano
added lustre to the Spanish cavalry, to be
chas and the Zavalas. His bravery in the
battle of ARGOS de la CAMERA obtained for
him the rank of Lieutenant Colonel, accorded
on the field of battle. In 1889 we find him
ranking as Brigadier, and decorated with
the cross of San Fernando. In 1910 he was
promoted to the rank of Field Marshal, and
appointed second in command in the Cap
tain Generalship of Valencia, and shortly
after Commander-in-Ch Chief of Corona and
Chief of the first division of the armory of
Catalina. In 1849 he refused the grand
cross of Isabel the Catholic, with which
the government desired to decorate him.
His political career may be said to have
commenced in 1912. In May, 1913, he was
called to the Office of Minister Of War. He
was Inspector of Cavalry in 1874, Senator
in l845, Captain General of Granada in
l848, and during his command he founded
the establishment of Las Chafarinas, a
services for which the Queen rewarded him
with the grand cross of Charles III. In
1849 he made long journey to foreign
parts, occupied principally in military stud.
les. In 1856 be was Captain General of
Madrid, and he afterwards became her
Majestys Ambassador in Paris.
Devoted from the beginning of his career
to the interests of Maria Christina, he was
one Of the first who, in lS43, proclaimed the
downfall of Espartero at Barcelona. After
the restoration of the Queen mother, Gen.
Serrago united with Narvaez to combat and
destroy the influence of the Minister Olo-
zaga. In 1916, sometime after the mar
riage of the Queen, the extraordinary influ-
ence which she accorded to the General in
affairs OF the government led to family dis
putes between the King and herself, which
we're soon brought to light by public events.
The whole of the influence of Gen. Serrano
may, in fact, be traced to his great intimacy
with his Royal mistress. The Minister
Sotomayer endeavored to estrange NJ. Ser
rano, and was overthrown by him. The
Minister Pacheco Salamanca, of mournful
memory, supported him by his influence, and
fell before the general cry of public opinion.
In view of the growing popularity of Mar.
vae2, N. Serrano, who had become liberal,
induced him to recall Olozsga and Espartero
from exile. On the accession of Narvaez to
power, be was forced to accept the post of
Captain General of Granada, the duties of
which removed him from the Court. From
that time he made the greatest opposition in
the Senate to the various Ministers who
followed, until the revolution of July, 1854.
In the month of February of that year, he