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166 this detail was revoked and he was appointed adjutant of the artillery school. While on duty at Fort Monroe he was detailed as a member of the joint board to investigate and report upon the possibility and expediency of constructing an interior coast line of waterway for the defense of the Atlantic and Gulf seaboard, in compliance with Act of Congress, April 5, 1884. In 1885 he was appointed professor of military science at the Naval war college, Newport, Rhode Island; and in the same year was ordered to Europe to report on the military and naval schools of England, France and Germany. He continued to deliver lectures on military science at the Naval war college until May, 1888, when he was detailed assistant professor of natural and experimental philosophy at West Point, but at the request of General John M. Schofield this order was revoked and he was detailed aide-de-camp on staff duty at army headquarters, and made inspector of rifle practice for the army. He was made commissary of subsistence with rank of captain in 1892. In 1895 he was detailed on fortification and ordnance service at the office of the secretary of war.

In June, 1897, he was appointed military attache to the United States legation at Madrid, Spain; and he left Spain with United States Minister Woodford, April 21, 1898, at the outbreak of war. He was made commissary of subsistence with rank of major, April 30, 1898, and chief commissary of subsistence sixth army corps with rank of lieutenant-colonel, May 9, 1898; and on July 5, 1898, he left Chickamauga, Georgia, with the first division first army corps under orders for Santiago, Cuba. The division was sent to Porto Rico and fought at Coamo, capturing the Spanish forces; and Colonel Bliss carried the flag of truce to the Spanish commander at Aibonito, demanding surrender of the Spanish troops at that place. Immediately thereafter, on receipt of word that the protocol was signed, further operations were suspended.

He assisted in organizing civil government in the district of Ponce, and in October, 1898, he was again sent to Cuba as one of a board of officers to select sites for occupation by the American army. He was appointed chief of the customs service on the island and collector of customs at Havana in December, 1898, where he completely reorganized the Cuban customs service and handled over $100,000,000.00. He was appointed brigadier-general of volunteers, April 26, 1901, and was promoted to the rank of brigadier-general