U.S. troops first landed on Puerto Rican soil at the southern port of Gu?nica. They were originally supposed to disembark at Cape Fajardo in the east or Doraco to the north, but General Miles changed the landing site because of Gu?nica's proximity to Ponce (15 mi. west) and the improved road and harbor there.

General Miles left Guant?namo Bay, Cuba with 3,314 men, including a convoy, at 3 P.M. on Thursday, July 21. The gunboats arrived at Gu?nica on July 25, surprising the Spaniards. The first ship to land was the auxiliary gunboat Gloucester, (formerly the yacht Corsair, belonging to industrialist J. P. Morgan) captained by Adm. Richard Wainwright. Upon arriving in the harbor, the ship met with Spanish resistance the morning of August 26. General Henry accompanied General Miles, and the brigade of General Garretson, of General Henry's division, skirmished with Spanish troops in town. Four Spaniards were killed, and there were no American casualties. The American flag was raised over the city at 11 o'clock in the morning on August 26.