1915, July 28, 5:48 P.M.

1915, July 28, 5:48 P.M. – 7:00 P.M.: (The Marines Cross Port-au-Prince: Van Orden’s March, Polynice’s Welcome, and the Bivouac on the Champ de Mars): There was no time for parley. Captain van Orden, heading the Marine detachment, moving through Martissant with his force was disarming soldiers and civilians as encountered. At the southern end of town, Robin and Beach made contact with the Marines walking point, then joined van Orden and steered the advance through the city, dropping off guards for each of the foreign missions. At seven, just as the sun dropping behind La Gonâve silhouetted Washington’s tall stacks, the main body bivouacked on the Champ de Mars and under cover in the Marché de Fer. There was no resistance except for a few shots fired as a Marine patrol took over Fort National. The only U.S. casualties were two sailors of the landing force who managed to get killed by wild firing. Kohan summed it up concisely: the landing party put on shore at Port-au-Prince on July 28 was not strong, but a skillful show of strength was made, and by at once seizing all points of military importance together with practically all government arms and ammunition and disarming all Haitian military and civilians, the landing force was able to anticipate any serious resistance. Beach’s immediate errand was to find someone, anyone, ashore with authority — crowds of citizens were rushing about, some shooting weapons pointed upwards, soldiers wearing dungarees with red stripes were running up and down also shooting, and officers on small horses were dashing aimlessly through the streets. At the Palais National he found Charles de Delva and his fellows — Polynice, Delinois, Charles Zamor, Dalencourt, Étienne, and General Robin — and from the windows they could see the Washington close in, guns trained out. Beach told them that U.S. Marines and seamen were landing at Bizoton, their intent was friendly but resistance would not be brooked. Beach later recalled Edmond Polynice replying that they should tell the Admiral they thanked him and accepted his word that he was coming as a friend to help — they needed help and they needed friendship, and all that was asked should be done. Kohan, however, reporting at the time, noted significantly that the Haitians objected to the landing if for any purpose other than the protection of the legations and consulates.