A massive fleet, consisting of two menacing warships and dozens of cargo ships, suddenly appeared in the calm waters of the Caribbean, startling the United States Navy fleet tasked with enforcing the blockade. If it weren't for the fact that the flags flying above this fleet also bore the stars and stripes, they might have doubted their intelligence. The Spanish fleet might have some unknown strength, and who knows what plans they had in mind.
The reports eventually reached Fleet Commander Thompson's hands aboard the armored cruiser USS New York. Thompson, a native of New Orleans, listened in astonishment to the reports from his naval staff and asked, "Such a large-scale operation? Do they belong to the United Fruit Company?"
"Yes, General Thompson," one of the naval staff members replied, equally surprised. "Due to the prevailing sentiment for revenge against Spain throughout the United States, many individuals have voluntarily organized armed forces to participate in the war in their personal capacity. Our Assistant Secretary of the Navy, Mr. Roosevelt, is one of them. However, such a large-scale volunteer force like this is indeed quite unusual."
Unusual was an understatement. Thompson himself had never seen such a large volunteer force. He turned to his officers in the command chamber and inquired, "Do any of you have any knowledge about this company?"
"I'm from New Orleans, and the United Fruit Company is a domestic company operating in Central American countries. It has numerous shareholders, including Texas's largest company, Sheffield United, and investments from other companies such as McHale Mining, and Gale International Trade. Many Southern plantation owners are among the shareholders, and the ones I mentioned are just some of the more well-known ones," another naval staff member explained, sharing all the information he knew.
With that, the entire flagship command room erupted in cheers. In the eyes of many, this was an unparalleled display of patriotism by United States citizens. Not to mention the addition of such an armed force; no matter how you looked at it, it was a good thing.
They had come at great risk of war, and as active-duty military personnel from their respective countries, they couldn't very well turn them away from thousands of miles away. Soon, the USS New York armored cruiser made contact with these civilian volunteer forces rushing from Haiti to join the fight. After some customary words of encouragement, they lifted their state of alert.
"These timid Yankees are being overly cautious with nearly three times the number of warships," John Connor muttered, raising an eyebrow as he addressed the radio operator. "Thank you, General Thompson, for your concern. We, overseas citizens, are also very angry about the tragedy of the Maine battleship and are willing to contribute our strength to this war. But we can't stay at sea for too long. Fortunately, the Spanish fleet has already been blockaded by the mighty United States Navy. Now, we, the civilian armed forces, will find a suitable place to land."
"Let's convey our predicament in the telegrams; I believe the real navy will understand," Brown added, "A large portion of us don't have experience living at sea for extended periods."
That was the truth. Except for the armed forces of Black Gold Corporation, most other company's armed forces had not lived at sea for extended periods. What was it like to stay in a constantly swaying tin can? Many of them probably hadn't experienced it. Although Brown had personally experienced this feeling more than once, this time, even though it wasn't the most intense shaking, it still felt uncomfortable. Mild dizziness, nausea, and even unintended encounters with hard objects were not uncommon.
Even someone like him, who frequently traveled between both sides of the Atlantic, experienced these reactions during two days of turbulence. For this armed force of over ten thousand people, it was easy to imagine the majority's reactions. Now, as long as they could find a piece of land to land on, even if they immediately went into battle, it was acceptable. Anything was better than continuing to sway on the sea, they all agreed.
In this situation, everyone understood the meaning of "time dragging on like years," and every minute felt like centuries. They were private armed forces, driven by a sense of patriotism to participate in the war, but expecting them to follow orders was a bit challenging. Each person had to take responsibility for their own lives. For people like John Connor and his associates, fighting for the country was a side job. They needed to be accountable to their respective employers, after all, the employers were the ones paying their wages, not the so-called United States federal government.
And the main mission of this armed force was to quickly find a suitable place to land, seize all the property of the Spanish nobility on the island of Cuba, as their bosses had instructed. Although many businesses weren't slower than robbery, if the conditions were right for looting, who could say no?
After a lengthy exchange of telegrams, John Connor had learned that there was indeed no Spanish force at sea, eliminating the biggest obstacle. And Cuba was a large island, so with patience, they could certainly find a suitable landing point. How could such a long coastline not have a place to land?
Inside Cuba, the situation of Spain's more than two hundred thousand troops was not very good. The massive American naval fleet had turned Cuba into an isolated island. Internally, the Cuban rebels were everywhere, making the powerful Spanish army exhausted. As a result, more and more people were expressing pessimism about the prospects of the war.
Havana, as the economic center of Cuba, boasted the best urban areas, the most modern public transportation system, and the envy-inducing cleanliness. Many Spanish nobles, wealthy merchants, missionaries, officers, and professionals had flocked to this largest city in Cuba to escape the ravages of war. It seemed like the only place where they could find some comfort.
From the beginning of the war until now, the Spanish had never heard any good news. The Spanish fleet that had come from overseas was their hope for a turnaround, but the subsequent news shattered their recently raised hopes. This was a cruel blow for many. From the news of the complete annihilation of the Philippine fleet to the blockade of Cuba and the entire Caribbean, the support fleet that had arrived in Cuba was now trapped.
The miracle in many people's hearts was gradually turning into despair. Initially, they could console themselves by thinking that the timing was wrong or that the international community was intervening. But now, there was no reason for consolation. These people had become like lambs to the slaughter, and their fate depended on how the increasingly apparent victors would arrange things.
Thinking back to how they had treated the Cubans, many Spaniards were now praying to God not to let them suffer the same fate.
The Spanish fleet blockaded in the harbor was also helpless. Although they had successfully supported Cuba through tactical maneuvers, there were some things that couldn't be changed by individual efforts alone. They also had to consider historical processes. If the Spanish fleet had desperately fought the initial American naval blockade, they might have had a chance. But now, that opportunity was gone.
With the arrival of reinforcements from the mainland, the American naval blockade fleet around Cuba had grown to twenty-four ships, more than three times the strength of the Spanish fleet. While the USS New York armored cruiser, weighing eight thousand tons, served as the flagship of this fleet, it played a rather inconspicuous role in terms of tonnage and firepower. However, even this armored cruiser was no match for any of the Spanish warships.
Among the American naval blockade fleet, there were also numerous battleships. The three Indiana-class battleships were the latest additions to the United States Navy's main fleet, each with a displacement of ten thousand tons. The USS Iowa battleship was the newest and most advanced battleship in the United States, equipped with twelve-inch main guns and a displacement of eleven thousand five hundred tons. It was an unstoppable behemoth for the current Spanish fleet.
In the face of this visible disparity, the Spanish sailors who had set out with great confidence were forced to acknowledge that their past glory had been overshadowed by the cold reality. Compared to this fleet exuding the aura of an industrial powerhouse, the sailors of the Spanish Empire did not seem much stronger than the indigenous people who had fallen under the Spanish colonial army centuries ago. In fact, they appeared even weaker.
Amid this atmosphere of uncertainty, a debate was raging within the blockade fleet on the open sea, a debate that the Spanish sailors would never have anticipated. If they knew that there was now discord within the American military, it might have given them a slightly more optimistic outlook.
It all stemmed from the fact that the American expeditionary force had not yet completed its assembly. However, a supposedly well-organized private armed force hired by domestic companies, with a substantial number of troops, had already arrived.
The procrastination of the second-tier army was making the first-tier officers very dissatisfied. According to the current telegrams, it might take another ten days for the American expeditionary force to arrive.
"Cuba is an island, and the Cuban rebels already control most of the territory. But now, the army is dragging its feet, and if we delay any longer, things might get out of hand."
"Didn't they say the private armed force hired by the joint companies has over ten thousand people? I think we can completely do without waiting for the army. We can annihilate the Spanish fleet and have these private armed forces land from the other side at Guantanamo."
Inside the blockade fleet, various voices were transmitted to the command room of the USS New York through telegrams. The general sentiment was that the navy could completely replace the army. With the formidable strength of the naval fleet, they could eliminate the Spanish fleet and provide cover for this armed force to land.
Commander Thompson fell into deep thought. This was not as simple as it seemed on the surface; it also involved the military budget dispute between the navy and the army. If they could prove that the army was not needed, it would ensure the continued growth and strengthening of the navy.
Through John Connor, this move was quickly known to Sheffield, and the atmosphere suddenly eased. He thought only Japan had such naval and army conflicts, but it seemed that every country had them, only to varying degrees. The navy, it seemed, believed it could handle Cuba without the "army deer."
"Agree with the navy; the army indeed doesn't seem to serve much purpose," Sheffield readily agreed, instructing Jesla to send a telegram to John Connor, emphasizing that the lower the army's status, the better.
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