twenty hours.

General Shafter at once cabled to the Spanish commander at Manzanillo that
peace had been declared,(35) and requesting him to advise the American
commander of the fact under a flag of truce, which he did, and the
shelling of the town ceased.

_August 16._ The following message was the first received in this country
from the territory so lately annexed:

[Illustration: U. S. S. SAN FRANCISCO.]

"HONOLULU, August 16.

"_Day, State Department_:--Flag raised Friday, the twelfth, at noon.
Ceremonies of transfer produced excellent impression.

(Signed) "SEWALL."

CHAPTER XV.

THE PORTO RICAN CAMPAIGN.

_July 20._ With bands playing and thirty thousand people cheering, the
first expedition to Porto Rico left Charleston, S. C., at seven o'clock in
the evening, under command of Maj.-Gen. J. H. Wilson. The Second and Third
Wisconsin and Sixteenth Pennsylvania regiments, and two companies of the
Sixth Illinois, made up the list of troops.

_July 21._ General Miles accompanied the expedition bound for Porto Rico,
which left Guantanamo Bay, made up of eight transports convoyed by the
_New Orleans_, _Annapolis_, _Cincinnati_, _Leyden_, and _Wasp_.

_July 22._ An expedition under command of Brig.-Gen. Theo. Schwan left
Tampa on five transports, bound for Porto Rico.

_July 25._ The expedition under the command of Major-General Miles landed
at Guanica de Porto Rico, the _Gloucester_, in charge of
Lieutenant-Commander Wainwright, steaming into the harbour in order to
reconnoitre the place. With the fleet waiting outside, the gallant little
fighting yacht _Gloucester_ braved the mines which were supposed to be in
this harbour, and, upon sounding, found that there were five fathoms of
water close inshore.

[Illustration: MAJOR-GENERAL MILES.]

The Spaniards were completely taken by surprise. Almost the first they
knew of the approach of the army of invasion was the firing of a gun from
the _Gloucester_, saucily demanding that the Spaniards haul down the flag
of Spain, which was floating from the flagstaff in front of a blockhouse
standing to the east of the village.

The first 3-pounders were aimed at the hills right and left of the bay and
in order to scare the enemy, the fighting yacht purposely avoiding firing
into