Free 1882: Custer in Chains by Robert Conroy Page A

like it, but is it well defended?”
    Hunt winced. “We’ve just established a naval intelligence unit headed by one Lieutenant Theodorus Mason, but I’m afraid we know very little about the defenses at Matanzas.”
    “Who would?” asked Custer.
    Secretary of State Blaine smiled. “Why, I suppose the Cubans would.”
    * * *
    James Kendrick rapidly came to the conclusion that Salazar was serious about having Spain’s side of the story told. He was put up in a small suite of rooms at one of Salazar’s mansions on the outskirts of Havana. He was only a few minutes ride from the harbor and wasn’t particularly surprised when, the day after his arrival, his host practically ordered him to ride with him to the harbor. The Spanish fleet was arriving.
    They left their horses a few blocks from the waterfront and walked the rest of the way, along with just about everyone in the city. What they saw truly was impressive. Both of Spain’s battleships had made port and they were accompanied by a number of steam sloops and smaller gunboats. The battleships were the Vitoria and the Numancia . Salazar proudly informed him that they displaced more than seven thousand tons and had a number of cannons that fired shells of more than six inches. He added that four cruisers were also en route to reinforce the Spanish fleet.
    Kendrick had to admit that the grey bulk of the warships was menacing. The ships were functional and, in his opinion, ugly. They had none of the graceful lines of the sailing ships that had become obsolete. A pity, he thought, but why should the instruments of war and killing be graceful and lovely?
    More important, the Spanish warships had escorted several transports that were disgorging a large number of soldiers. A second convoy, this one escorted by the cruisers, would dock tomorrow or the next day.
    Salazar was practically giddy with happiness and pride. “I hope you do not take offense, Kendrick, but you will see how the pride of Spain will crush the United States.”
    “It is very impressive indeed. I wonder how long it will take for President Custer to find out about this.”
    Salazar laughed. “I would say about ten minutes. The telegraph lines between here and Florida must be burning up. If you’d like, you can write a story about your impressions and I’ll see to it that it is given priority.”
    “Would you want to clear it first?”
    “Of course not. There’s not much to hide, is there?”
    Kendrick agreed. He didn’t add that the two Spanish battleships were on the small side in comparison with most of the battleships of the Royal Navy. Nor did he add that the U.S. was attempting to buy some British ships of roughly similar size. He was fairly certain that the Spanish knew all about it. He now believed the rumors that Spain was attempting to buy warships from France were true.
    Salazar took his arm. “Come, we shall go back to my home and have a good meal along with some excellent wine, perhaps a lot of excellent wine. I will introduce you to my family and you will see that I am not a total barbarian, merely a devoted Spanish patriot.”
    Yes, Kendrick thought, and a Spanish patriot who murders prisoners and slaughters innocent Cubans. In preparing for the trip, he’d done some more homework on Salazar and found a number of stories in which his personal army had killed numbers of Cubans that he’d arbitrarily named as insurgents.
    It occurred to him that Salazar might just become an embarrassment to the Spanish government. But not just yet, he thought.
    * * *
    Ryder laughed at the surprise on Sarah’s face. “It’s true. Since we’re at war, President Custer no longer wishes to be called president. He’d directed everyone to call him general.”
    “That is incredibly pretentious.”
    “Agreed, but I’m not going to be the one to tell him. I like being a full colonel. Perhaps I’ll even become a general before this is over.”
    “How many would have to die for that to happen?”
    He