The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1897-01-18
MACEO'S DEATH.
Described by Lieutenant Colonel
Andrero Hernandez.
Was Ambushed by 1900 Spaniards
Body Recovered and Buried in
an Obscure Place, Which Will Be
Revealed in Due Time.

New York, Jan. 1g-A Tribune
special from Jacksonville, Fla, says:
y letter was received here on Fri
day from Colonel Andrew Hernandez,
now in command of the Cuban army
encamped near Havana, giving the
true account of Maceo's death, and his
subsequent burial. AS he says that ne
was in command of the Cuban detach-
ment that recovered the body from
Major Cirujedas' command and after
ward buried it, his statement should
settle the matter. The letter was sent
To J. A. Huau. the Florida representa-
tive of the New York junta 1t came
through the underground channel" 1t
is dated Jan. 9, from the "encamp-
ment near Havana After extending
TO Mr.. Huau thanks for past favOrs
the letter goes on:
1t was on Dec. that we suffered
a great misfortune in the tragic death
(by ambush Of our leader MaceO. This
is the greatest misfortune we have
suffered since the beginning of the war.
but it only encourages us to fight Fne
harder and aVenge his death. We
were encamped near the fight that
day and heard the firing. Maceo came
across the trOcha, unknown to us,
with but 40 men. More than 800
Spaniards, who had been informed of
his trip, ambushed him. He rode into
it and was shot at the first fire.
We heard the firing and. thinking
that some of our friends were attacked
by the Spanish guerillas. started off at
once to their aid though we had but
400 men. When we reached the scene
of the slaughter. it was mostly over
and then we were told that MaceO was
dead and that the enemy had his body
tied to a horses tail and were taking
it off. Our men were perfectly frantic
over the report and begged to be led
against the Spaniards. We dashed
forward with drawn machetes and
what a fight that was!
The SpariardS met us, and the en-
counter was horrible. Our men fought
to kill, only bent on aVenging Maceo.
Our trusty and sharp machetes fell
with regularity, and l think / killed
more than 200 of the enemy; and what
is worse, we had the consolation of re-
covering the body of our beloved leader
AGaceo. The Spaniards fought hard
again to regain ii, charging on US re-
but our machetes We're too
much for them, and they sullenly re-
treated.
Our little force suffered terribly.
Our cavalry, which went in 80 strong.
came out with only % men and the
suffered almost in the same
But for all that. we were
by the fact that our brave
brothers gave up their lives in a good
.ause, and to save the body Of our la
nented Maceo from the desecration the
SpaniardS would have inflicted We
buried the body in a secret and secure
place. Only myself and a few selected
Zen and officers knew the location.
In due time, it viii be marked Poor
Maceo sleeps in peace, but his brothers
'emain TO avenge him. and that they
ire doing daily. l have a good many
important things to tell you in con
lection with this, but / do not care
o put them in this, as | am not posi-
i've that the letter will get through
safely
ANDRE HERNANDEZ,
Lieutenant Colonel Regiment Cue
'Uria, commanding department of Ha-
ana