Pascual Cervera y Topete

Admiral Pascual Cervera y Topete was a Spanish Navy officer and politician who served in a number of high-ranking positions within the Navy and fought in several wars during the 19th century. Having served in Morocco, the Philippines, and Cuba, he went on to serve as Minister of the Navy, Chief of Staff of the Navy, naval attaché in London, the captain of several warships, and most notably, commander of the Cuba Squadron during the Spanish–American War. Although he believed that the Spanish Navy was suffering from multiple problems and that there was no chance for victory over the United States Navy, Cervera took command of the squadron and fought in a last stand during the Battle of Santiago de Cuba, where he was decisively defeated.