▁the ▁Car list ▁ins ur gency ▁rock ed ▁Vas co - Nav ar res e ▁provinces ▁in ▁ 1 8 7 2 ▁he ▁p onder ed ▁upon ▁joining ▁the ▁reb els , ▁the ▁idea ▁which ▁soon ▁became ▁his ▁ob session . ▁In ▁June ▁ 1 8 7 3 ▁the ▁ 1 7 - year - old ▁Rafael ' s ▁brother ▁José ▁was ▁dispatch ed ▁North ▁to ▁agree ▁the ▁log istics ▁and ▁learn ▁the ▁war ▁craft . ▁Upon ▁his ▁return ▁to ▁March ena ▁in ▁October ▁ 1 8 7 3 ▁Cort ina ▁C err ato ▁formed ▁a ▁family - based ▁group , ▁consisting ▁of ▁the ▁father , ▁Rafael ▁and ▁his ▁two ▁brothers , ▁his ▁cousin , ▁few ▁family ▁associ ates ▁including ▁a ▁chap lain ▁and ▁a ▁lawyer , ▁some ▁servants ▁and ▁a ▁hand ful ▁of ▁volunte ers . ▁The ▁ 2 0 - men ▁unit , ▁of ▁which ▁Rafael ▁was ▁the ▁young est ▁member , ▁head ed ▁North . ▁In ▁two ▁weeks ▁they ▁covered ▁some ▁ 3 5 0 ▁kilom eters ▁across ▁the ▁provinces ▁of ▁C ór dob a , ▁Ja én , ▁Ciudad ▁Real ▁and ▁C á cer es , ▁finally ▁joining ▁the ▁ 3 0 0 - men ▁column ▁of ▁general ▁Vic ente ▁Sab ar ieg os . ▁ ▁S urr ounded ▁by ▁family ▁members , ▁starting ▁November ▁Cort ina ▁comm enced ▁combat ▁during ▁failed ▁sk irm ishes ▁at ▁Ret am osa ; ▁upon ▁death ▁of ▁Sab ar ieg os , ▁command ▁was ▁assumed ▁by ▁general ▁Vill ar ▁y ▁Pere z .