history of those days. It is our part to keep
as clearly, truthfully, and kindly as possible, the record of the little
that fell to us to perform in this great drama.

Weighing anchor at Key West the State of Texas steamed for the open
Caribbean, we having first taken the official advice of Commodore Remy
to find Admiral Sampson and report to him.

Sunrise of the twenty-fifth gave us our first view of the water at
Santiago. Our transports and battle-ships were gathered there. The
advice of Admiral Sampson was that we proceed to Guantanamo, where the
marines had made a landing and were camped on the shore. There had been
some fighting at Guantanamo. The naval hospital ship Solace was there.

Whoever has enjoyed this quiet, sheltered harbor, protected on three
sides by beautiful wooded hills, will not require to be reminded of it.
At six o'clock our anchor sunk in the deep, still waters and we had time
to look about and see the beginning of the war. The marines were camped
along the brow of a hill. On our right a camp of Cubans, and all about
us the great war-ships with their guns, which told of forthcoming
trouble. Captain McCalla, who was in command of Guantanamo, had sent his
compliments and a launch, leading us in to our place of anchorage. The
courtesies of the navy so early commenced at Key West were continued
throughout the war.

By invitation of Commander Dunlap our entire company visited the Solace
the following day. If that beautiful ship or its management had left
room on the records of our country's meed of gratitude, for more words
of appreciative praise, I should be glad to speak them. Only those
familiar with the earliest history of the Red Cross in our country, and
the methods by which our navy alone--of all the Red Cross nations--had
gained even an approximately legal place, can judge what the sight of
that first naval relief ship in American waters was to me. It brought
back so vividly the memory of the day in 1881 when President Arthur
called me to him to carefully explain the conditions of the treaty which
he had just signed, and that, Congress having generously included the
navy in its treaty for war, he would provide to hold it carefully until
the probable widening of the original treaty would include the _navies_
of the world, as well as the armies.

Before the day closed news came to us of a serious character. The daring
Rough Riders had been hardly dealt by. Hamilton Fish and Allyn Capron
ha