76 THE POLITICS OF INTERVENTION(some 120 men) and three field pieces ashore to prevent an
uprising in Havana. The landing party took up positions in
the Plaza de Armas which controlled the main thoroughfares
and, not incidentally, protected the President's palace. No
sooner were the sailors ashore than two things happened: a
delegation of the Liberal's Central Revolutionary Committee,
led by Zayas, approached Colwell and offered to surrender
their forces to him, and Sleeper learned that Roosevelt did
not want any Americans to land without his orders.^63 The
new order read: "Vessels sent to Cuban waters are under
orders of the President, who will determine when and how
they shall be used for protection of American life and prop
erty. Ships may be used for asylum." Sleeper tried to get
the sailors back aboard "Denver" that night, but Colwell put
him off until the next morning because he believed his men's
presence had stopped mob rule in Havana and because he
thought he could negotiate the rebels' surrender.^64 Colwell
admitted, however, that the government had used the time
the Americans were ashore to regroup its troops, distribute
more arms and to continue fortifying the city. During the
night a force of Rural Guards under General Alejandro
Rodriguez sallied out to meet the rebels, but were scattered
in a skirmish near Wajay. The fight was most notable because
General Rodriguez had his monogrammed raincoat captured
by the rebels and Loynaz del Castillo was brained with a
machete by one of his own men.
On September 14, also, Estrada Palma convened a special
session of congress, but his message to them was not a call
for peace or compromise. Rather, he asked for support and
approval of his war decrees.^65 By that afternoon, however,
"Denver's" landing party was gone from the Plaza de Armas.
Estrada Palma was most disturbed. He had asked for open
intervention on September 13. Americans had come ashore
(albeit to protect lives and property), but Roosevelt had
withdrawn them. His reaction was to increase the pressure
on Roosevelt. Steinhart broke the news to the President:
Estrada Palma, Mendez Capote, and the cabinet were deter
mined now to resign and have the congress adjourn. "The