José Martí Dead -- May 19, 2020

Wheeling Register, 22-May-1895

125 years ago, on 29-May-1895, José Martí, Cuban rebel and poet died in the Battle of Dos Rios.

JOSE MARTI DEAD.

The Cuban Leader, the Man Who

Was Recently Proclaimed President,

Killed in an Engagement

With the Spaniards—The Body

Identified Important Documents

Captured.

Havana, May 21.—An engagement disastrous to the rebels was fought to-day in Eastern Cuba, in which Jose Marti, who was proclaimed president of the revolutionary party, was killed and his dead body positively identified. Col. Salcedo received positive information that a band of insurgents under the command of the well-known leaders, Jose Marti, Maximo Gomez, Masso and Barrero, had taken up a line of march to pass the river Neuto, thence to proceed in the direction of Victoria do Las Tunas with the design of marching upon Puerto Principe. Col. Salsedo dispatched a detachment of troops to march in pursuit of the rebels and Col. Sandoval found the enemy encamped at a, point between Bijas and Botca de Dostrios on the right side of the Contramaestre river, near the Canto river. The strip of land between the two rivers is high, thus making a strong position.

Nevertheless Col. Sandoval attacked the camp and found his troops harassed by a scattering fire of single shots from covert. The fight lasted for an hour in this manner, at the end of which time the Spanish troops advanced and took the enemy’s position and compelling the rebels to fly in different directions. The Spanish troops hotly pursued and came upon the body of Jose Marti, which was later positively identified.

Of the rebels twenty were killed and many of their number wounded when they took flight. The Spaniards found some correspondence of the rebel leaders. among which are some important papers. The booty of the camp, arms and horses of the insurgents were also taken.

The Spaniards lost five killed and seven wounded in the engagement.