rently armed and with only a few pounds of gunpowder. For several
days the French vessels lay off Santiago, frequently firing upon the
town at a range at which their own cannon were effective but at which
the Spaniards, with far inferior guns and little ammunition, were quite
helpless. However, the French made no attempt at landing, a circumstance
which for a time puzzled the Spaniards. Then came the explanation. While
their fleet lay directly before Santiago the French had put 150 men
ashore at Zuragua, and these were advancing upon Santiago over land. As
soon as this was known a little force of 20 Spaniards and 10 Indians was
sent out to meet them, with only two or three rounds of ammunition to
each man. They met in unequal battle and the Spaniards lost five men.
But they killed twenty Frenchmen before they were completely exhausted
and were compelled to surrender. Another detachment of thirty Spaniards
kept up a good fight at the landing place in Santiago until their
ammunition was exhausted and then they retreated to the hills. The
French fire from the ships destroyed more than half the town, and the
troops who were then landed demolished most of the remaining buildings.
Then a hasty retreat was made, presumably through fear of the rumored
approach of the powerful Spanish fleet, which unfortunately did not
materialize.

Gomez de Rojas had been at Bayamo when this attack began. As soon as he
heard of it he hastened on horseback to Santiago, but arrived in time
only to see the last French sail vanish in the distance. Had he been
there it is not certain that he could have saved the town. Indeed it is
probable that he could not have done so. But it is certain that he saved
it after the event. So completely had Santiago been demolished by the
French that many of the people were determined not to attempt to rebuild
but to abandon the place and go elsewhere. A council of war was held on
May 25, at a country house a league inland from the ruined city, at
which all the officials and most of the citizens of Santiago were
present. Rojas was, fortunately, the presiding officer. The military
commander, Captain Camacho, told of what had happened and what the
condition of the place was. It had no military strength. There was not a
pound of powder or shot left. The few pieces of artillery which had not
been captured or destroyed were concealed in the woods, but were of
course useless without ammunition. Fewer than a score of houses