Henry Glass

Although he served in the U.S. Navy during the Civil War, even taking part in the attack on Fort Sumter and the capture of Georgetown, Henry Glass is most famous for the shocking ease with which he conquered Guam.

In 1898, in the midst of the Spanish-American War, Glass was commanding the U.S.S. Charleston when he was instructed to sail from Honolulu to Guam, the largest island of the Marianas in the Western Pacific Ocean. Guam was under Spanish rule at the time, and U.S. military planners considered it an easy target. They had no idea how easy.

Joining the Charleston on the journey were three troop transports, the City of Peking, the City of Sydney, and the Australia. Glass didn't open his sealed orders until they were at sea. And his orders were simple. Capture Guam.

Uncertain of the resistance they'd face, Glass had the crew of the Charleston take target practice on the way, preparing for any eventuality. When they reached the island, Glass targeted the fort of Santa Cruz and opened fire with the Charleston's three powder guns. There was no response. After several minutes, a small boat bearing a Spanish flag approached. The vessel's lone occupants were Lt. Garcia Gutierrez of the Spanish Navy and Dr. Romero of the Spanish Army. They inquired about the health of Glass and his crew and then asked to borrow some gun powder so they could return the Charleston's salute. Gutierrez and Romero, not to mention the other few inhabitants of the poorly-defended island, had no idea there was even a war.

When informed of the ongoing conflict, Guam governor Juan Marina surrendered the island without the slightest hint of resistance, giving the United States its first possession in the Pacific.

Labels: American history, U.S.S. Charleston, war heroes