The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1898-07-06
INVESTMENT
OF HAVANA
Paper by Col. Asa Bird
Gardiner Of New York.
ENGLAND'S WAR OF 1862.
Spaniards Then as Now Succu mbed
TO the AngI0-Saxons.
HISTORY IS REPEATING ITSELF.
HISTORY is REPEATING ITSELF.

There was a large attendance at the
cabinet of the Rhode Island Historical
Society yesterday afternoon, ana
great deal of interest was manifested
in a paper read by Col. Asa Bird Gardi-
ner, district attorney Of Greater New
York and vice-president Of the Rhode
Island Order OF Cincinnati. Hon. John
II. Stiness was In the chair, ana, In
introducing Col. Gardiner, he remarked
that the subject to be listened to was
one OF far more than ordinary interest
particularly at this time.
Col. Gardiner prefaced his paper,
which was on 1.-THE Investment of Ha-
yana In the War OF 1852" by stating
that it was written several years ago
under difficulties. for very little, out
side of the newspapers of that time and
few private letters. have been acces-
sible. He said, in substance, referring
to tie present conflict with spain:
1--WE old officers of the regular army
ard navy knew two years ago that TINS
war was coming on. 1t came, though'
with this peace-loving nation unpre-
English, we shall rise to the emergency
and conquer.
ION the 18th of May, 1856, England
declared war against France. A strug-
gle, the greatest in glory for England
and waged under the greatest or her
statesmen, William Pitt, then followed.
Maj. Gen. James Abercrombie, who ar
rived in New York, March, 1756, took
command. Massachusetts,. Rhode ISL
and, Connecticut and other colonies
raised extremely large quotas. The
wonder through these times was how
the Americans could furnish so many
able bodied men. The speaker then
commented on the present situation
about Santiago. He had noticed that
not very large number OF men on our
side had been killed, but among them
was high percentage Of officers. The
Spaniards were picking Off the COM
manders, and this would probably be
continued until the War Department
changes the bright shoulder-strapped
uniforms to something more subdued
and more adapted for warfare.
SPANISH TREAcHERY.
"At the close of the campaign of 1851
England, always coveteous OF the
West Indies. decided to attack her enc
my's possessions in this archipelago.
Exhausted France sought peace. Spain
sent an agent to the meeting, where
negotiations were about to be conduct
ed. He insisted on Spain being allowed
the privileges of guaranteeing the con-
ditions of peace between the belliger-
ents. and of receiving back from Eng
land a few possessions taken from the
Spanish kingdom. Pitt Indignantly re-
fused. The English premier saw that
war was inevitable, and that Is why he
ordered the expedition which took the
IT, n In hA Nj
in order to put England into better
military position. Before Spain de-
clared war, which she proclaimed De-
cember 25, 1861, this nation, which had
been noted to our time for treachery,
detained English ships in her harbors.
an act only differing In degree from
the act of blowing up the Maine In
Havana harbor.
THE first Cuban expedition had
started a number of years before.
Massachusetts sent 1000 men, OF whom
about 100 returned, and Connecticut
about 500 OF whom 100 came back alive.
| 1t attempted to capture Santiago. then
the capital of Cuba. The troops dis
embarked, but the camp was so un-
healthy and the narrowness of the de-
| Tended harbor so forbidding to the
| ships, which could not cooperate, that
| the men had to go back home. In 174S
| this war ended. The conflict in which
| we are most interested, that directly
| with Spain, as I have said, began In
| 1852. On April of that year the pro-
| clamation was read on Bowling Green
| New York city. before cheering crowds
| Soon after this announcement Gen. JEFF.
| fries Amherst then in command of His
! Majesty's forces in North America
wrote to each of the governors a de-
l ceiving letter. The colonists were al.
ways willing to fight for the mother
L l. \.
| could not be induced to fight on foreign
| soil.
DESTINATION A SECRET.
'Knowing this, and knowing tn,
deceiving. non-commital note. Thus
of year he intended to use the troops
he informed each governor of tn,
quotas they would be expected to pro
vide for an expedition, the destination
OF which must be kept secret. Eacl
governor wrote back stating that th
men were afraid they were going L
leave the shores of North America. II
them the general replied again in
receiving, non-commitai note. Tnus
think we may See that those American
4 who went to Cuba did not know ol
what mission they were bent Bountie
| and supplies We're voted by the colonie
for those who enlisted. Already in tn
French war acquisitions had been mad
| on the colonies, ana Surprisingly
large fraction of the male population
had been turned into soldiers. A larg
feet sailed from England. 10 ships o
the lire. rs frigates and transports
Just 26.6l0 men. not including Ameri
can reinforcements, were on board
MORO Castle was defended by $50 gun
and II mortars. making Havana one o
| the best fortified cities I'm the world.
had then some 10000 Inhabitants.
II
ATTACK ON HAVANA.
"On June Z the troops disembarke
six miles from MORO Castle withou
opposition. Col. Guy Carleton, distin
guished for his bravery on the l1tf
took some commanding heights tina
) for some poor reason had not been de
Tended. Spain had sunk a number G
ships i'm the channel, thus keeping ou
! the war vessels The English no'
showed the bulldog tenacity and stron
. purpose that are their characteristics
. They endured almost maddening hard
ships. The water. that had to
brought from long distances. finall
gave out and had TO be procured froI
the ships. The Spanish. too. shove
unexpected courage. Their fire Mt fir'
WAS much more dangerous than the
4 4 ~