Cervera y Topete, Pascual

Cervera y Topete, Pascual päskwälˈ thĕrvāˈrä ē tōpāˈtā [key], 1839–1909, Spanish admiral. During the Spanish-American War of 1898 he was given command of the Atlantic fleet and sent, against his own advice, to Cuba. He was blockaded by the American fleet in the harbor of Santiago de Cuba from May until July 3. Then, in an attempt to run the blockade, he lost his entire fleet and was captured. After his release he was tried and absolved from responsibility for the disaster.

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