José Semidei Rodríguez
Encyclopedia
Brigadier General José Semidei Rodríguez (September 12, 1868 - February 19, 1958). Before becoming a Brigadier General in the Cuban National Army,
Semidei Rodríguez fought in the Cuban War of Independence
Cuban War of Independence
Cuban War of Independence was the last of three liberation wars that Cuba fought against Spain, the other two being the Ten Years' War and the Little War...

 (1895–1898) as a member of the Cuban Liberation Army, the rebel force which fought for Cuba's independence from Spanish colonial rule. After Cuba gained its independence he continued to serve in that country as a diplomat.

Early years

Semidei Rodríguez was born to Pascual Semidei and Celestina Rodríguez in the town of Yauco, Puerto Rico
Yauco, Puerto Rico
Yauco is a city and municipality in southwestern Puerto Rico located in the southern coast of the island by the Caribbean, south of Maricao, Lares and Adjuntas; east of Sabana Grande and Guánica; and west of Guayanilla. Yauco is spread over 20 wards and Yauco Pueblo...

. The Semidei's were among the hundreds of Corsican families which immigrated to Puerto Rico
Corsican immigration to Puerto Rico
Corsican immigration to Puerto Rico came about as a result of various economic and political changes in the mid-19th century Europe; among those factors were the social-economic changes which came about in Europe as a result of the Second Industrial Revolution, political discontent and widespread...

 as a result of the various economic and political changes in the mid-19th century Europe; among those factors were the social-economic changes which came about in Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...

 as a result of the Second Industrial Revolution, political discontent and widespread crop failure due to long periods of drought, and crop diseases.

Another influential factor was that Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...

 had lost most of its possessions in the so-called "New World
New World
The New World is one of the names used for the Western Hemisphere, specifically America and sometimes Oceania . The term originated in the late 15th century, when America had been recently discovered by European explorers, expanding the geographical horizon of the people of the European middle...

" and feared the possibility of a rebellion in its last two Caribbean possessions—Puerto Rico and Cuba. As a consequence the Spanish Crown had issued the Royal Decree of Graces (Real Cedula de Gracias) which fostered and encouraged the immigration of Catholics of non-Hispanic origin to its Caribbean Colonies. The situation and opportunities offered, plus the fact that the geographies of the islands are similar, were ideal for the immigration of hundreds of families, such as the Semidei's, from Corsica
Corsica
Corsica is an island in the Mediterranean Sea. It is located west of Italy, southeast of the French mainland, and north of the island of Sardinia....

 to Puerto Rico. Corsicans and those of Corsican descent have played an instrumental role in the development of the economy of the island, especially in the coffee industry. The Semidei's, as did the majority of the Corsican immigrants, settled in the southwestern town of Yauco which is located in the southern coast of the island by the Caribbean Sea
Caribbean Sea
The Caribbean Sea is a sea of the Atlantic Ocean located in the tropics of the Western hemisphere. It is bounded by Mexico and Central America to the west and southwest, to the north by the Greater Antilles, and to the east by the Lesser Antilles....

.

The Semidei's were dedicated to the cultivation of coffee and within a short period of time were very successful in their venture. Semidei Rodríguez received his primary education in his hometown and in 1879, he was sent to the Dominican Republic
Dominican Republic
The Dominican Republic is a nation on the island of La Hispaniola, part of the Greater Antilles archipelago in the Caribbean region. The western third of the island is occupied by the nation of Haiti, making Hispaniola one of two Caribbean islands that are shared by two countries...

 to continue his academic training in that country's educational institutions.

Cuban War of Independence

The Cuban War of Independence
Cuban War of Independence
Cuban War of Independence was the last of three liberation wars that Cuba fought against Spain, the other two being the Ten Years' War and the Little War...

(1895–1898), was the last three liberation wars, that Cuba fought against Spain which started on October 10, 1868 when sugar mill owner Carlos Manuel de Céspedes
Carlos Manuel de Céspedes
Carlos Manuel de Céspedes del Castillo was a Cuban planter who freed his slaves and made the declaration of Cuban independence in 1868 which started the Ten Years' War...

 and his followers proclaimed Cuba
Cuba
The Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...

's independence from Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...

. The final three months of the last conflict escalated to become the Spanish–American War. Semidei Rodríguez became involved with the Cuban independence movement. In June 5, 1895, he participated in the armed expedition headed by Generals Carlos Roloff
Carlos Roloff
Carlos Roloff - was Cuban general and liberation activist, fighting against Spain in Ten Years' War and Spanish–American War....

, Serafin Sánchez and Aurelio C.Rodríguez. According to a New York Times article, published on August 1, 1895, the Roloff, Sánchez, Rodríguez expedition carried 280 men, 2,800 rounds of ammunition, 350 rifles 4,700 pounds of dynamite
Dynamite
Dynamite is an explosive material based on nitroglycerin, initially using diatomaceous earth , or another absorbent substance such as powdered shells, clay, sawdust, or wood pulp. Dynamites using organic materials such as sawdust are less stable and such use has been generally discontinued...

, one Gatling gun
Gatling gun
The Gatling gun is one of the best known early rapid-fire weapons and a forerunner of the modern machine gun. It is well known for its use by the Union forces during the American Civil War in the 1860s, which was the first time it was employed in combat...

 and one cannon. The expedition landed near Sagua Lachico, in Santa Clara. The final three months of the last conflict escalated to become the Spanish–American War.

Among the battles in which Semidei Rodríguez fought were the Battles of "Las Villas", where the rebels had 41 encounters with the 40,000 Spanish soldiers, cavalry and infantry, and the Battle of "Sagua la Grande". The war did not end with the death of Cuban Rebel leader General Antonio Maceo Grajales
Antonio Maceo
Antonio Maceo may refer to:*Antonio Maceo Grajales, commander in the Cuban revolutionary army*Antonio Maceo, a municipality of Santiago de Cuba named for the general*Antonio Maceo Airport, serving Santiago de Cuba...

. Even without the Bronze Titan (as Maceo is remembered) the Cubans were more than the Spaniards could handle. Spain was finally defeated when the United States intervened in 1898.

Post war and final years

After the hostilities between Spain, Cuba and the United States came to an end and Cuba was granted its independence, Semidei Rodríguez entered the Cuban National Army with the rank of Captain. In 1905, he was promoted to Commandant. He continued to serve and in 1913 was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel and in 1919 to Colonel. On August 19, 1921, Semidei Rodríguez was promoted to Brigadier General. Semidei Rodríguez retired from the military in 1932 and in 1933 served as a diplomat representing Cuba. He was the appointed Cuban Ambassador to the Dominican Republic and Haiti. On February 19, 1958, Semidei Rodríguez died in Havana, Cuba.

Further reading

  • "Historia militar de Puerto Rico"; by Héctor Andrés Negroni
    Hector Andres Negroni
    Colonel Héctor Andrés Negroni is a historian, senior aerospace defense executive, author and the first Puerto Rican graduate of the United States Air Force Academy...

     (Author); Publisher: Sociedad Estatal Quinto Centenario (1992); Language: Spanish; ISBN 8478441387; ISBN 978-8478441389

See also

  • Military history of Puerto Rico
    Military history of Puerto Rico
    The recorded military history of Puerto Rico encompasses the period from the 16th century, when Spanish conquistadores battled native Tainos in the rebellion of 1511, to the present employment of Puerto Ricans in the United States Armed Forces in the military campaigns in Afghanistan and...

  • List of famous Puerto Ricans
  • List of Puerto Rican military personnel
  • Corsican immigration to Puerto Rico
    Corsican immigration to Puerto Rico
    Corsican immigration to Puerto Rico came about as a result of various economic and political changes in the mid-19th century Europe; among those factors were the social-economic changes which came about in Europe as a result of the Second Industrial Revolution, political discontent and widespread...

  • Juan Ríus Rivera
    Juan Rius Rivera
    General Juan Ríus Rivera , was the General of the Cuban Liberation Army of the West upon the death of General Antonio Maceo.-Early years:...

  • Francisco Gonzalo Marín
    Francisco Gonzalo Marin
    Lieutenant Francisco Gonzalo Marín, also known as Pachín Marín , considered by many as the designer of the Puerto Rican Flag was a poet and journalist who fought alongside José Martí as a member of the Cuban Liberation Army....

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