While Céspedes retains civilian leadership, the military aspects of the war are under the leadership of the Dominican Maximo Gomez.

Unhappy with the treatment Dominicans had received from Spain during Spanish occupation of his own country (1861-65), and horrified by the exploitation of the black slaves, Gomez starts to conspire with the Cuban revolutionaries and joins Céspedes after the Grito de Yara.

His experience in military strategy was invaluable to the revolutionary cause, and he is soon promoted to the rank of general and later to commander of Oriente Province. 

A master of guerrilla warfare, Gomez alternates training the Cubans in this type of struggle with commanding his forces in numerous battles.