The Capture of the Island of Guam [pp. 225-233]

Overland Monthly
American travelers had given to the harbor of San Luis: On board the Charleston
was Captain Hallett, an old whaler, at the
time serving as second officer of the Australia, one of the transports in the Charleston's convoy. He came aboard the cruiser
to assist in finding and keeping the narrow channel that is the entrance to San
Luis. On Captain Hallett's last visit to
the Ladrones, San Luis had been strongly
fortified, both Fort Santa Cruz and the
battery on Point Orotre being manned and
equipped in what was then an efficient
was removed, and a part of it transferred
to Manila and part to one of the ports in
the Carolines.
It is therefore possible to clearly see
that while nothing of a formidable
nature developed to stay the Charleston's
entrance into the harbor of San Luis, there
was every reason to believe that her entry
might be met with considerable resistance.
In truth, four hardy men with an ordinary field-piece located on Point Orote
could have made it extremely warm for
the cruiser, and until she had entered the
Highway Between Piti Landing and Agafia, Island of Guam
manner. Corroborating his statement is
one made to me by Lieutenant-Commander Gutierrez, of the Spanish navy,
who at the time of the capture was Captain of the Port of San Luis. He confirmeed the story of the existence at one
time of modern guns at the Port. There
were, he said, four of them which had been
placed there when it was expected that
Spain would become entangled in a war
with Germany. After this war-cloud blew
over, said Signor Gutierrez, this battery
harbor far enough to get a proper distance
for so high a range she could have replied
with nothing larger than her small arms.
Of course, Captain Glass might have
waited outside and asked the Spaniards
to come out and capitulate or fight, but
that was not his mission. He, was sent to
capture and destroy all Spanish war-ships
and defenses, and he proposed to eltect
his object with as little loss of time as
pos,sible.
One thing which has been distinctly
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