From the quarter of the flag-ship there was a signal, by a vigorously wigwagged letter, and a few minutes later, from a clump of green at the water’s edge, came an answer from the army. This was the first coöperation for offensive purposes between the army and navy. [pg 239]The landing of the army at Daiquiri and Altares was purely a naval affair.
U. S. S. NEWARK.
With the flag in his hand, the soldier ashore looked like a butterfly.
“Are you waiting for us to begin?” was the signal made by Rear-Admiral Sampson to the army.
“General Duffield is ahead with the scouts,” came the answer from the shore to the flag-ship.
By this time it was seven A. M. The admiral ran the flag-ship’s bow within three-quarters of a mile of the beach. She remained almost as near during the forenoon, and the daring way she was handled by Captain Chadwick, within sound of the breakers, made the Cuban pilot on board stare with astonishment.
The Suwanee was in company with the flag-ship, still closer inshore, and the Gloucester was to the westward, near Morro Castle. From the southward the Newark came up and took a position to the westward. Her decks were black with fifteen hundred or more troops.
She went alongside of the flag-ship, and was told to disembark the troops at Altares.
Then Admiral Sampson signalled to General Duffield: