Some are still on it
but as they are unloading all the horses and mules from the other
transports fifteen having died from the heat below deck and as they
cannot put them on again under a day, I am up here to get cool and to
stretch my legs. The transport is all right if it were not so awfully
crowded. I am glad I held out to go with the Headquarter staff. I
would have died on the regular press boat, as it is the men are
interesting on our boat. We have all the military attaches and Lee,
Remington, Whitney and Bonsal. The reason we did not go was because
last night the Eagle and Resolute saw two Spanish cruisers and two
torpedo boats laying for us outside, only five miles away. What they
need with fourteen ships of war to guard a bottled up fleet and by
leaving twenty-six transports some of them with 1,400 men on them
without any protection but a small cruiser and one gun boat is beyond
me. The whole thing is beyond me. It is the most awful picnic that
ever happened, you wouldn't credit the mistakes that are made. It is
worse than the French at Sedan a million times. We are just amateurs
at war and about like the Indians Columbus discovered. I am
exceedingly pleased with myself at taking it so good naturedly. I
would have thought I would have gone mad or gone home long ago. Bonsal
and Remington threaten to go every minute. Miles tells me we shall
have to wait until those cruisers are located or bottled up. I'm tired
of bottling up fleets. I like the way Dewey bottles them. What a
story that would have made. Twenty-six transports with as many
thousand men sunk five miles out and two-thirds of them drowned.
Remember the Maine indeed! they'd better remember the Main and brace
up. If we wait until they catch those boats I may be here for another
month as we cannot dare go away for long or far. If we decide to go
with a convoy which is what we ought to do, we may start in a day or
two. Nothing you read in the papers is correct. Did I tell you that
Miles sent Dorst after me the other night and made me a long speech,
saying he thought I had done so well in refusing the commission. I was
glad he felt that way about it. Well, lots of love. I'm now going to
take a bath. God bless you, this is a "merry war."

RICHARD.

In sight of Santiago--

June 26th, 1898.

DEAR CHAS.:

We have come to a halt here in a camp along the trail to Santiago. You
can see it by climbing a hill. Instead of which I