Manuel Fernández Silvestre
Manuel Fernández Silvestre | |
|---|---|
Photograph by Kaulak | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Manuel Fernández y Silvestre December 16, 1871 |
| Died | July 22, 1921 (aged 49) |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance | Kingdom of Spain |
| Years of service | 1889–1921 |
| Rank | General |
| Battles/wars | Spanish–American War Rif War † |
Manuel Fernández Silvestre (December 16, 1871 – July 22, 1921) was a Spanish general.
Manuel Fernández Silvestre was the son of a lieutenant colonel of artillery, Victor Fernández and Eleuteria Silvestre. In 1889, he enrolled in the Toledo Infantry Academy, where he met with the future high commissioner of Spanish Morocco, Dámaso Berenguer. He served as commander of the Spanish enclaves in Morocco: Ceuta from 1919 to 1920 and of Melilla from 1920 to 1921. Afterward he commanded all Spanish armies in Africa during the opening phase of the Rif War in which his forces suffered a massive and disastrous defeat at Annual. With the battle lost, Silvestre was either killed or committed suicide on July 22, 1921. This is considered one of the worst defeats ever suffered by the contemporary Spanish Army.