New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-01-18
HOW MACEO WAS KILLED.
A CUBAN ACCOUNT OF THE FIGHT Fer
HIS BODY.
LIEUTENANT COLONEL HERNANDEZ SAYS HE
BURIED THE DEAD LEADER IN a SECRET
PLACE-BoNFIREs FOR THE BENEFIT
OF THE sPANIARDs IN HAVANA

OF THE SPANIARDS IN HAVANA.
[BY TELEGRAPH THE TRIRuNEl
Jacksonville. Fla, Jan. IA letter
ceived here on Friday from Lieutenant Colonel
Andre Hernandez. now in command of the de-
partment of the Cuban Army encamped near
Havana. giving The true account Of Maceo's
death and his subsequent burial. AS he says
that he was in command of the Cuban detach-
ment that recovered the body from Major
Cirujeda's command. and afterward buried II.
his statement should settle the matter The
letter sent TO J. 4. Huau. the Florida repre-
sentative of the New-York Cuban Junta II
came through the Underground channel" 1t is
dated January o. from the "Encampment near
Havana" After extending to Mr.. Huau thanks
for past favors. the letter goes
Many things have happened. my true friend.
since the last time I saw you have heard the
hum Of the bullet and the whirr of the cannon
ball pass by me, but the good God has further
use for me. and they have passed me by I'M
scathed. ! cannot tell If the same good fortune
will follow me later hot work is in store for
us II signs fail not am now Leutenant-Colo-
mel in the Regiment Goecuria cavalry. / have
been here ever since / saw you except two months
| was In the provinces Of Matanzas and East
Havana. We doing very well. and fare toll
erably we'll also. provisions being abundant and
easy for us to secure.
The greatest desire Of our enemies here is to
make it appear. and make you fellows in the
United States believe that the provinces Of Pinar
del Rio and Havana are without insurgents and
in fair way to be pacfed: but this Is wrong.
with not word Of truth in IT. Aye, the only
pacification we offer is liberty gained by our
trusty machetes. The revolution in this depart
ment is gaining more and more each day. and our
friends increase Our enemy we'll know. to their
sorrow, that are here. ] take particular
pains every night to burn everything In sight
that come across so as to give enemies in
Havana a brilliant Illumination. and don't sup
pose they will much longer doubt oNr being here
1T December : that we suffered great
misfortune in the tragic death (by ambush of
our leader. Maceo This is the greatest misfort-
une we have suffered since the beginning Of the
war; but 1t only encourages US to fight the harder
and avenge his death Cuba Libre" is the only
shout we have now We were encamped near
the fight that day and heard the firing. Maceo
came across the trocha. unknown to us. with but
forty men, More than 800 Spaniards who
had been informed Of his trip. ambushed him.
lie rode into It. and shot at the first fire.
1--WE heard the firing and thinking that some
of our friends attacked by the Spanish
gueras. started off at once to their aid. though
we had but 400 men, When we reached the
scene Of the slaughter 1t mostly over. and
then we were told that Maceo was dead. and
that the enemy had his body tied to horses
tail and were taking It off. Our men were
perfectly frantic over the report and begged to
he led against the Spaniards. We dashed for
ward with drawn machctes. and what fight
that was.
THE spaniards met us. and the encounter was
Lin. iapt
avenging Maceo. Our trusty and sharp machetes
fell with regularity. and think we killed more
than 200 of the enemy and. what is more. we
had the consolation Of recovering the body OF
our beloved leader Maceo The Spanards fought
hard again to regain 1t. charging upon us repeat
eGly. but our sharp machetes were too much
for them. and they sulleny retreated.
"Our little force suffered terribly. our caval
~. which went in eighty strong came out with
only twenty-five men. and the infantry suffered
almost I'm the same proportion. But for all that
We were consoled by the fact that brave
brothers gave up their lives in a good cause and
to save the body OF our lamented Maceo from
the Dissertation that the Spaniards would have
inflicted.
I'VE buried the body in a secret and secure
place. Only myself and few selected men
and officers know the location. In due time 1t
will be marked. II known now, the murderous
SpdnarQS would Try 10 get H. anu pdTdue IL as
showing their great triumph. Poor MaceO sleeps
In peace but his brothers remain to avenge him
and that they are doing daily. ] have a good
many important things to tell you I'm connection
with this, but don't dare TO put them in this
not positive that the letter Will get
through safely. With best wishes and regards
to yourself and your family and my many friends
in Jacksonville, from your true friend who sends
YOU a good huggnb from Cuba Iibre.
ANDRE HERNANDEZ,
Lieutenant c. lionel Regiment Guccuria. com
manding Department OF Havana. near Havana