Captain Henry Glass arrived with the newly recommissioned Charleston, transports, and troops, only to find neglected defenses and officials ignorant of hostilities. Thirteen cruiser rounds missed the fort so completely that Spanish officers interpreted the bombardment as a ceremonial salute and came aboard. American citizen Francisco Portus provided boats and lighters for moving troops and transferring coal from City of Peking, carried a Spanish threat of execution back to Glass, and helped with the surrender negotiations. Glass removed the Spanish officials, declined to demolish fortifications already in disrepair, briefly appointed Portus governor, and departed for Manila within three days.
Chapter · 1:27:48-1:41:21
Charleston captures an island unaware it is at war
Guam's officials mistook Charleston's ineffective bombardment for a salute, then surrendered an island whose defenses had been badly neglected.