hiefly two. One was a certain praiseworthy pride in Cuban
achievements and a desire to retain for Cubans the credit of winning
their own independence. Gomez and his comrades had been fighting to that
end for years, and they wanted the satisfaction of completing the job
and of gaining for Cuba herself the glory of victory. The other reason
was the very natural fear that American invasion and occupation of the
island would mean American annexation, or at least perpetual American
domination of Cuban affairs. It seemed contrary to human nature,
contrary to all the experience and examples of the past, that it should
not be so. Of course, there was the promise in the act of intervention,
that the United States would leave the government of the island to its
own people. But it is probable that only a very small percentage of
Cubans ever so much as heard of it, while it would be surprising if more
than a small minority of those who did know of it had any real
confidence that it would be fulfilled. It will be recalled that a very
considerable proportion of the people of the United States regarded that
pledge as mere "buncombe" and declared unhesitatingly that it would not
be permitted for one moment to stand in the way of the annexation of
Cuba. Truly, it would have been miraculous if Cubans had esteemed the
integrity of an American promise more highly than Americans themselves.

[Illustration: ADMIRAL CERVERA]

[Illustration: ADMIRAL SCHLEY]

The first weeks of the war were confined chiefly to naval operations. A
blockade of Cuban ports was established and pretty well maintained,
beginning along the central and western part of the north coast on April
22. A number of small Spanish vessels were captured, and there were some
bombardments of shore towns and exchanges of shots with Spanish
gunboats. Despite the vigilance of the American scouts and blockading
squadrons, Admiral Cervera with several powerful Spanish warships,
sailing from Cadiz on April 8 and touching at Martinique on May 11,
succeeded in entering the harbor of Santiago on May 19. There he was
soon besieged by a more powerful American fleet under the command of
Commodore, afterward Admiral, Schley; who on June 1 was joined by
Admiral Sampson, who thereafter took command. Lieutenant Victor Blue was
sent ashore on June 11, to make a long detour to the hills back of the
city, from which he was able to see and identify the Spanish ships.
Meantime Lieutenant Richmond P.