That same year, General Jordan, with his lengthy administrative and combat experience, was appointed as chief of staff of the Cuban insurgent army. In May 1869, as General-in-Chief of the Cuban Liberation Army, he landed at Mayarí with 300 men, and with enough arms, ammunition and supplies for the 6,000 additional men whom he hoped would rise to join the rebellion. In December 1869, Jordan became military head of the Cuban Mambi army, who were fighting for Cuban independence from Spain in the Ten Years' War. He scored a significant victory over superior enemy forces at Guaimaro in January 1870. Extremely short of supplies, Jordan resigned from his Cuban post a month later and returned to the United States, ending his long military career.