Cavada was born in Cienfuegos in 1831 and while a child, after his father
passed away, moved to the United States with his mother and settled in
Philadelphia where he graduated from the University of Pennsylvania in
Civil Engineering although he was also inclined in the arts influenced by
the landscape work of the Hudson River School.

At the age of 30 he registered in the US Army as a captain to participate
in the independence war.  He was promoted to Lt. Colonel and although he
was taken prisoner for a year by the opposition forces he was later
released in a prisoner exchange then he joined the troops once again and
fought until the end of the war.

The military training was essential for the future of Fernandez Cavada
when he returned to his country of birth and settled close to the city of
Trinidad.

The central province would be the scene of its artistic creativity when he
painted three small but significant paintings: Cuban Scene of Las Villas
and the San Juan River Study and San Juan River Trinidad.

But soon his artistic vocation was replaced by his revolutionary ideals.
Committed with the independence uprising he organized the people in the
Villa Clara region and on February of 1869 he proclaimed himself in arms:
established his camp in Macagua, Sierra de la Siguanea.

He was immediately named General of the Trinidad District and later
General Head of Las Villas.

Convinced in the need to deprive the Spanish forces from all type of aid
by the Cuban plantation owners, he proclaimed the manifest calling for a
war of extermination through the burning of the properties of the Cubans
that supported Spain:

“If the Cuban commercial sector opposes the path to liberty, then it will
be precise for the commerce in Cuba to perish.  The popular revolutions do
not know of insuperable obstacles”.

It was precisely this disposition and systematic and consequent
application that conditioned being named General Candela (Fire).

Time passed and on April of 1870, by a presidential decree, he was named
Joints Chief of the Liberation Army and after the resignation of Ignacio
Agramonte he became the Division Head of Camaguey.

He had to refuse to that responsibility due to the fact that the residents
of Camaguey did not want a leader that was not from their territory.

Fernandez Cavada was considered as a great strategist not only because he
was the first to attempt to carry out an invasion to the West but also the
use of guerrilla warfare.

He developed several theories in the books entitled Brief Guerrilla
Instructions and Guide for Chiefs and Officials, approved by the House of
Representatives to be used in the preparation of officials and troops.

Fernandez Cavada set the basis for the strategies for guerrilla warfare
and intelligence work.

He participated in several actions and audacity and during one of them was
wounded by a missile that pierced his foot disabling him for military life.

Despite the limitation he decided to leave the island in 1871 and carry
out a mission of the revolutionary state close to the American government.
 Taking advantage of these relations he attempted to obtain information
for Cuba and improve his health.

He later traveled to the northern coast of Camaguey and while waiting in
Cayo Cruz he was surprised by Spanish forces and taken to Nuevitas where
he was executed the following day and was denied a burial at the cemetery.
 
Federico Fernandez Cavada had the vocation of a warrior in his blood.His
decisions encouraged those that gave their lives in favor of the
independence of their homeland.