Harper's Encyclopedia of United States History
Benson Lossing, Ed.

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Cervera y Topeto, Pascual De, Conde De Jerez, Marquis De Santa Ana

Naval officer; born in the province of Jerez Spain, in 1833; was graduated at the San Fernando Naval Academy in 1851. He par ticipated in the expeditions to Morocco

Admiral Cervera.

in 1859 and Cochin-China in 1862, and in the blockade of Cuba against filibuster in 1870; and later became secretary o the navy. He was promoted admiral in 1888. In the war with the United State in 1898 he was given command of the fleet sent to operate in Cuban waters. After Hobson and his companions, who sunk the collier at the entrance of Santiago Harbor, were captured by the Spaniards, they were handsomely treated by Admiral Cervera till regularly exchanged. When the admiral received orders to attempt an escape from the harbor of Santiago he saw and reported the hopelessness of such an undertaking, yet when peremptory orders were received he did not hesitate to act upon them. The result was one of the most thrilling naval encounters in history, ending in the destruction of all his ships, on July 3. After his surrender his dignified bearing and high qualities as a naval officer, together with the remembrance of his kind treatment of Hobson and his companions, prompted marks of exceptional consideration from the United States authorities between the time of his surrender and his departure for Spain. See Cuba; Santiago De Cuba; Sampson, William Thomas; Schley, Winfield Scott.