In the early part of 1894 there was a civil war in Brazil.  The entire Brazilian navy had taken sides with the insurgents and completely blockaded the harbor of Rio de Janeiro.  Ships of all nations were there, waiting to enter the harbor, but the insurgents would not let them.  Admiral Benham was sent there to look after American interests, with his flagship, the San Francisco; and Captain, then Commander, Brownson, was there with his ship, the Detroit.  The blockade had to be broken, and Brownson was selected as the man to do it.

One morning there was a stir on board the Detroit.  The awnings came down, her flag was sent aloft and her guns were shotted.  Brownson ordered the anchor hoisted, and, with the men at the guns, the cruiser headed towards the city.  The flags of the English, German and Italian ships were dipped in salute as she moved ahead.  Two American ships, the Amy and the Good News, were anchored under the guns of two of the insurgent fleet.  As the Detroit passed close by the Trajano, a marine on that ship raised a musket and fired a bullet over the heads of the sailors on the Amy, which was following close behind the Detroit.

[Illustration:  Capt.  Willard H. Brownson.]

When the shot was fired Brownson turned to a gunner and ordered him to shoot into the Trajano at the water line and about six feet from the stern.  The order was misunderstood and was sent across the Trajano’s bow instead.

“Trajano, ahoy!” hailed Brownson.  “If you fire again I will sink you.”  Not a shot was fired.

“You go ahead,” shouted Brownson to the Amy, “and I’ll protect you”; and although there were insurgent ships all about, the Amy passed into the harbor unmolested, with the ships of other nations closely following her.  Then the Detroit returned to her anchorage.  Brownson had raised the blockade.

Guantanamo Bay is one of the most famous harbors on the southern coast of Cuba.  It is deep, wide and smooth as a mill pond.  At the entrance the harbor is broad and open, but afterwards it is narrower, and in this place the Spaniards had placed a lot of mines and two little gunboats.

[Illustration:  A Marine.]

When the Marblehead and the Yankee steamed into the bay they began to make trouble for the Spaniards at once.  There was a blockhouse on a hill, but they quickly knocked that to pieces.  Then they silenced the fire of the fort and chased the gunboats as far as they could go.  Next they shelled the woods, and, having made a general cleaning out, they sent word to the fleet that they could land the marines at any time.

On June 10, a detachment of marines from the Oregon landed, and soon afterwards six hundred more were landed from the troop-ship Panther.  They found plenty of evidence that the Marblehead’s shells had induced the Spaniards to depart in a hurry.  Watches, hammocks, two field guns, and a lot of ammunition, were lying around.  There were a few buildings left, but the marines soon set fire to them.  They then drove off a few Spaniards who were about, and then pitched their tents.  Pretty soon they were attacked by a large body of Spaniards, but they drove them off after having several men killed and quite a number wounded.  The place of encampment was named Camp McCalla, in honor of the gallant commander of the Marblehead.