Pike County press. (Milford, Pa.) 1895-1925, 1896-07-31
MACEO's HEROIC END.
HE GAVE HIS LIFE IN BATTLE FOR
cUBNs FREEDOM.

Periious Trip Of Cubnn Envoys In an Open
Boat-Bearing Messages From Gomez
20 the Junta In New York Damages
Against Spain.
NEW YORK, July 2s.-The Journals
correspondent, Grover Flint. sends the fol
lowing from Nassau, n P.
Colonel Enrique Cespedes, a nephew Of
Vice President Atasso Of the Cuban repub-
lio Captain Mario GARLIC, son nf IsAao
GARLIC Of New York Eduardo Laborde, a
brother of Captain Laborde who was
taken on the Competitor, and your corre-
suondent have reached hers in a 81 foot
whaeboat.
We made the trip from the Cuban coast
In three days, and the journey under the
biisterlng tropical sun was one nf most
awful hardship throughout. We left the
vicinity of Nuevitas on the gath, having
few days before parted from Commander
I'm Chief Maxine Gomez. We carry i'm
portant dispatches for the junta in New
York, the nature Of which cannot at pres
ent be disclosed 1t was necessary that
these dispatches should be delivered at the
earliest possible moment. We did not
dare attempt to bring them through Ha-
vana, and to wait for large vessel to
land an expedition and take us off on the
return trip was too uncertain and might
take too much time
We had pilots who knew the Antillian
sea as policeman knows Broadway, and
we felt no doubt of our ability to make
Nassau II we could avoid the blookading
Spanish ships.
The boat was hidden In AN inlet until
the lookouts from the highest peaks in
the vicinity reported the ocean was quite
clear of sails. Even then we waited for
dark
AT last we put out, and with oars and
an improvised sail made fair progress. We
were scantily provisioned, and before we
reached Nassau our drinking water was
in the condition to be expected after three
days exposure to the blazing sun. How
ever, we were used to hardship and ex-
posture.
jose Maceo's Heroic Death.
We had been for months marching
about in the interior of Cuba, now fight
ing, now retreating; short of provisions,
with staggering, sore backed horses hid
ing out in the canefelds with nothing be-
tween us and the pelting rains, which at
this season beat down on Cuba. We were
used to being hungry and used to being
cold, so we all stood the journey all right.
The last action l witnessed in Cuba was
| that at Lomo del Cato, where General
Jose Maeeo was killed. 1t was at the very
! hottest period of the battle The Spanish
infantry were directing a hot fire into the
| Cuban ranks, and 1t was absolutely neces-
sary chat they be dislodged from their po-
sition. The Cuban cavalry formed for a
machete charge General Maceo was not
the man to permit subordinate to lead
such n daring venture. He sprang to the
head of a column, and his fierce cry rang
out:
"Al machetel AL machetel"
His blade was waving above his head
when the sheet of lead from the Spanish
ranks found him Down he went, with
four bullets through his body. He raised
himself once after he fell and though the
blood was gushing from his lips, he cried
again:
"Al maohetel Al machete''
His mon charged on without him, and
| his death was many times avenged before
the Spanish lines broke Nothing could
stand before that charge of cavalry mad
dened by the loss of their leader.
From Nuevitas to Nassau il is 1870 miles,
Consequently the yenturesome party toiled
| along in their little craft at an average
speed of only 40 miles day
Nuevitas, on the north coast of Cuba, Is
the seaport of Puerto Principe city, the
capital of the province Of the same name.
Colonel Enrique Cespedes is veteran
of the ter years war. He was very badly
wounded In ono leg in an engagement at
Iguara Dec. 15 1895, and was specially
mentioned in the general order issued that
day for his bravery.