several days
attack after attack was made, every one being repulsed by Maceo with
heavy loss to the Spaniards, until at last, with a third of his army
destroyed, Weyler abandoned the attempt and retreated. Unfortunately, on
December 4 Maceo with his staff and a small force decided to undertake a
secret expedition to seek a conference with leaders in Havana Province.
They accordingly crossed the Bay of Mariel in a small boat and thus
reached the eastern side of the trocha. Messages were sent to
revolutionary chiefs in Havana and Matanzas, asking them to come to a
council of war at a designated point near Punta Brava, familiar to them
all as secure rendezvous. A few came promptly, but in some way the
secret of the meeting became known to the Spanish. In consequence, on
December 7, while he was expecting the arrival of more of his friends,
Maceo heard the sound of firing at the outposts of his camp. Riding to
the scene, he found Spanish troops attacking him. He rallied his troops
and under his directions they were soon mastering the enemy, when a shot
struck Maceo and he fell mortally wounded; his last words, referring to
the progress of the skirmish, being, "It goes well."

[Illustration: JOSE ANTONIO MACEO

Born at Santiago de Cuba in 1849, of a family of patriots and brave
fighters, and dying in battle at Punta Brava, near Havana, on December
7, 1896, Jose Antonio Maceo was one of the most gallant soldiers in the
Ten Years' War and one of the very foremost chieftains of the War of
Independence. Gifted with military genius and with leadership of men, he
was the greatest strategist and the most popular commander in the
Liberating Army, and the greatest terror to the foe. Partly of Negro
blood, he was an equal honor to both races, and finely typified in
himself their union in the cause of Cuban independence. A monument to
his imperishable memory crowns Cacagual Hill, where his remains were
buried.]

At his fall his troops were panic stricken and gave way, so that the
Spaniards occupied the field and plundered and stripped the dead. It was
said that they did not know that it was Maceo whom they had killed until
a native guide who was with them recognized his body. While they were
still plundering the dead Cuban reenforcements under Pedro Diaz came up,
furious at the loss of their peerless chief, and a desperate fight
ensued, which ended in the rout of the Spaniards and the recovery of
Maceo's body by the Cubans. When the