The career of this hero was suddenly terminated by death, due to the treachery of his physician Zertucha, who, under the guise of a proposed treaty of peace, induced him to meet a company of Spanish officers, at which meeting, according to a pre-arranged plot, a mob of Spanish infantry rushed in on General Maceo and shot him down unarmed.

It is said that his friends recovered his body and buried it in a secret place unknown to the Spaniards, who were anxious to obtain it for exhibition as a trophy of war in Havana.
Maceo was equal to Toussaint L'Overture of San Domingo.

His public life was consecrated to liberty; he knew no vice nor mean action; he would not permit any around him.

When he landed in Cuba from Porto Rico he was told there were no arms.

He replied, "I will get them with my machete," and he left five thousand to the Cubans, conquered by his arm.