Ra l Eduardo Chao received his doctorate from Johns Hopkins University and after some time in industry spent 18 years in the academic world, as Full Professor and Director of the Departments of Chemical Engineering at the Universities of Puerto Rico and Detroit. Chao has written half a dozen books and numerous articles on science and business, as well as a score of books on the History of Cuba. He and his wife Olga live in Lakeland, Florida.

This book presents a series of what were confidential and classified documents and information gathered by the American Consulate in Havana during the days of the 1895 Cuban War of Independence. No one was better informed about this conflict than Fitzhugh Lee, an old Confederate cavalry General who had seen his first actions at the Battle of Bull Run in 1861. For a good many years he was the eyes, the intellect and ears of the United States as Our Consul in Havana.