d by Admiral Sir George
Pocock, and the army by General the Earl of Albemarle. Lord Albemarle
was descended from that Arnold van Keppel who came into England, not
with William the Conqueror, but with William of Orange, and who, through
the favor of the Dutch King of England, founded one of the most
respectable of British patrician houses. He was a good soldier, and in
Cuba he showed considerable energy; but his name is not high in the list
of commanders.

It is uncertain whether the Spaniards had knowledge of the intentions of
the English, who, in those days, did not announce their points of attack
to the enemy; but the Captain-General, Don Juan de Prado Porto Carrero,
found it so very difficult to believe that the English would attack his
Government, that even so late as the 6th of June, when the invaders were
within a few hours of landing, he insisted that their fleet was a
homeward-bound convoy from Jamaica; and he found fault with one of his
officers who had taken some precautionary measures. The next day he was
compelled to admit that he was mistaken, for then the British troops had
landed. He could not have been more blind to the coming storm, had he
lived in 1861, and held a high post in the Government of the United
States. Once convinced of his error, he went vigorously to work, and
prepared for defence. He had 27,610 men, including soldiers, seamen,
marines, militia, and negroes,--for, in those days, it was not thought
wise to refuse the services of black men, and even slaves were allowed
the honor of being slain in the service of their masters. There were,
however, but few regular troops at the command of the
Captain-General,--only 4,610; but the seamen and marines, who numbered
9,000, helped to make the deficiency good. The Spaniards were situated
somewhat as were the Russians, the other day, at Sebastopol. Their naval
force was too small to have any chance whatever against that of the
English, and the men who belonged to it were employed on land, where
they behaved bravely. The best officers among the defenders were from
the fleet. The Morro was put under the charge of Don Luis de Velasco,
captain of a line-of-battle ship, who maintained the credit of his
ancient name; and he was well supported by the Marques de Gonzales,
another naval officer. Don Manuel Brizenio, also from the fleet, with a
brother-officer for his lieutenant, had charge of the Punta castle. The
army-officers did not like these arrangements