<P> On June 20, a U.S. fleet commanded by Captain Henry Glass, consisting of the protected cruiser USS Charleston and three transports carrying troops to the Philippines, entered Guam's Apra Harbor, Captain Glass having opened sealed orders instructing him to proceed to Guam and capture it . Charleston fired a few cannon rounds at Fort Santa Cruz without receiving return fire . Two local officials, not knowing that war had been declared and believing the firing had been a salute, came out to Charleston to apologize for their inability to return the salute as they were out of gunpowder . Glass informed them that the U.S. and Spain were at war . </P> <P> The following day, Glass sent Lt. William Braunersruehter to meet the Spanish Governor to arrange the surrender of the island and the Spanish garrison there . Some 54 Spanish infantry were captured and transported to the Philippines as prisoners of war . No U.S. forces were left on Guam, but the only U.S. citizen on the island, Frank Portusach, told Captain Glass that he would look after things until U.S. forces returned . </P> <P> Theodore Roosevelt advocated intervention in Cuba, both for the Cuban people and to promote the Monroe Doctrine . While Assistant Secretary of the Navy, he placed the Navy on a war - time footing and prepared Dewey's Asiatic Squadron for battle . He also worked with Leonard Wood in convincing the Army to raise an all - volunteer regiment, the 1st U.S. Volunteer Cavalry . Wood was given command of the regiment that quickly became known as the "Rough Riders". </P> <P> The Americans planned to capture the city of Santiago de Cuba to destroy Linares' army and Cervera's fleet . To reach Santiago they had to pass through concentrated Spanish defenses in the San Juan Hills and a small town in El Caney . The American forces were aided in Cuba by the pro-independence rebels led by General Calixto García . </P>

After the spanish american war cuba and puerto rico