[4] During his early years, Collazo lived in Spain and attended the Academia de Artilleria of Segovia, a Spanish military academy from which he graduated in 1866.

Collazo, along with José Martí and Gen. Máximo Gómez, signed the orders to commence the revolution.

[9] In 1898, he was appointed a brigadier general of the Mayarí brigade in the Cuban Liberation Army.

[10] Collazo was a member of the staff of the late Gen. Calixto García and his trusted aide.

[11] Preceding the outbreak of the Spanish–American War, he escorted U.S. Army lieutenant Andrew S. Rowan on his mission to Cuba to deliver a message to General García.