Young Peoples History of the War with Spain | Page 5

the Maine, who was blown out of the stoke-hole of the ship
through the wreckage.
[Illustration: Wreck of the "Maine."]
After three volleys had been fired over the dead, and the bugles had
rung out the soldiers' and sailors' last good night, Captain Sigsbee

introduced Shea to President McKinley. Being asked for an explanation
of his escape, he responded, as he had done to Father Chidwick when
he visited him in the hospital in Havana, where he lay covered with
wounds and bruises, and with nearly every bone in his body broken:
"I don't know how I got through. I was blown out. I guess I must have
been an armor-piercing projectile!"
The work of saving the guns and other valuable things on the Maine
was carried on for some time. Among other things that the divers
recovered was a splendid silver service that had been presented to the
ship by the state of Maine. The keys to the magazines were found in
their proper places in the captain's cabin, and his money and papers
were also recovered. Finally, it was found that the hull of the great ship
could not be raised, and in April the United States flag, that had been
kept flying above the wreck since the night of the fatal explosion, was
hauled down and the ship formally declared out of commission.
Of course, the awful disaster caused deep sorrow in the United States.
There was great excitement also, for many persons thought that some
of the Spaniards had wrecked the Maine on purpose. The harbor was
full of "mines" or immense iron shells filled with stuff that will explode.
All countries at war protect their harbors in this way.
President McKinley appointed men to examine the wreck and find out
all they could about the explosion. They found that the ship was
destroyed by a "mine," but could not prove that the Spaniards had
purposely caused the "mine" to explode.
[Illustration: Captain-General's Palace, Havana.]
So there will always be a mystery connected with the horrible
destruction of the Maine.
On April 10th, Consul-General Lee and such Americans as wished to
do so, left Havana and returned to the United States. From that time on,
it seemed to the people of the United States that war with Spain was
inevitable, and preparations for it were carried on rapidly. On April

19th--which, by the way, was the anniversary of the first battle of the
war of the Revolution and also of the Civil War--Congress declared
that the United States must interfere in the affairs of Cuba and help the
Cubans to become a free and prosperous people. This declaration was
signed by President McKinley on the following day, and then our
minister to Spain, Mr. Woodford, was instructed to tell the Spanish
government what had been done, and also what would be done, if Spain
did not promise before the 23d to withdraw her soldiers from Cuba and
give up the island to the Cubans.
The message was sent by one of the submarine cables which connects
America with Europe, and the operator who received it told the Spanish
officials about it before sending it to its destination. So, before Mr.
Woodford could deliver his message, the Spanish government sent him
his passports, which was a polite hint to leave the country, and he did
so, at once. This action on the part of Spain was virtually a declaration
of war, and was so regarded by the President and the people of this
country. On the 22d, a blockade of Cuban ports was established by the
navy, and a Spanish ship was captured.
CHAPTER III.
THE BLOCKADE.
I have already told you that the Cubans, in their rebellion, had driven
the Spaniards out of many places in Cuba, but had not been able to get
possession of the chief harbors. So now it was thought best that our
ships should blockade the large harbors of Cuba. Do you know what
blockade means? It means to surround a place held by the enemy, and
stay there, doing any damage that can be done, cutting the enemy off
from outside help, and so, in time, if he is not strong enough to break
the blockade, he must surrender, as his supply of food will give out.
[Illustration: Rear-Admiral Sampson.]
On the morning of April 22d, a squadron under the command of Acting
Rear-Admiral Sampson sailed from Key West to establish a blockade
of the most important Cuban ports. The ships which were to be

stationed off Havana reached that port on the same day; others were
sent to different ports along the coast, and so the blockade was begun.
All kinds of vessels were employed in this blockading service. There
were huge battleships, splendid cruisers, and gunboats that could go
into shallower