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Isn't that a pitiable situation when a captain of an English company happens to stray into the war office； and happens to have a good heart and busies himself to see that our own men are supplied with hammocks and spending money。 None of our officers had ever seen khaki until they saw Lee's； nor a cork helmet until they saw mine and his； now； naturally； they won't have anything else； and there is not another one in the country。 The helmets our troops wear would be smashed in one tropical storm； and they are so light that the sun beats through them。 They are also a glaring white； and are cheap and nasty and made of pasteboard。 The felt hats are just as bad； the brim is not broad enough to protect them from the sun or to keep the rain off their necks； and they are made of such cheap cotton stuff that they grow hard when they are wet and heavy； instead of shedding the rain as good felt would do。 They have always urged that our uniforms； though not smart nor 〃for show；〃 were for use。 The truth is； as they all admit； that for the tropics they are worse than useless； and that in any climate they are cheap and poor。
I could go on for pages； but it has to be written later； now they would only think it was an attack on the army。 But it is sickening to see men being sacrificed as these men will be。 This is the worst season of all in the Philippines。 The season of typhoons and rainstorms and hurricanes； and they would have sent the men off without anything to sleep on but the wet ground and a wet blanket。 It has been a great lesson for me； and I have rubber tents； rubber blankets； rubber coats and hammocks enough for an army corps。 I have written nothing for the paper； because； if I started to tell the truth at all； it would do no good； and it would open up a hell of an outcry from all the families of the boys who have volunteered。 Of course； the only answer is a standing army of a hundred thousand； and no more calling on the patriotism of men unfitted and untrained。 It is the sacrifice of the innocents。 The incompetence and； unreadiness of the French in 1870 was no worse than our own is now。 It is a terrible and pathetic spectacle； and the readiness of the volunteers to be sacrificed is all the more pathetic。 It seems almost providential that we had this false…alarm call with Spain to show the people how utterly helpless they are。
love；
DICK。
TAMPA； June 9th； 1898。
Well； here we are again。 Talk of the 〃Retreat from Ottawa〃 I've retreated more in this war than the Greeks did。 If they don't brace up soon； I'll go North and refuse to 〃recognize〃 the war。 I feel I deserve a pension and a medal as it is。 We had everything on board and our cabins assigned us and our 〃war kits〃 in which we set forth taken off； and were in yachting flannels ready for the five days cruise。 I had the devil of a time getting out to the flagship； as they call the headquarters boat。 I went out early in the morning of the night when I last wrote you。 I stayed up all that night watching troops arrive and lending a helping hand and a word of cheer to dispirited mules and men； also segars and cool drinks； none of them had had food for twenty…four hours and the yellow Florida people having robbed them all day had shut up and wouldn't open their miserable shops。 They even put sentries over the drinking water of the express company which is only making about a million a day out of the soldiers。 So their soldiers slept along the platform and trucks rolled by them all night； shaking the boards on which they lay by an inch or two。 About four we heard that Shafter was coming and an officer arrived to have his luggage placed on the Seguranca。 I left them all on the pier carrying their own baggage and sweating and dripping and no one having slept。 Their special train had been three hours in coming nine miles。 I hired a small boat and went off to the flagship alone but the small boat began to leak and I bailed and the colored boy pulled and the men on the transports cheered us on。 Just at the sinking point I hailed a catboat and we transferred the Admiral's flag to her and also my luggage。 The rest of the day we spent on the transport。 We left it this morning。 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 am now sitting by a fine stream on a cool rock。 I have discovered that you really enjoy things more when you are not getting many comforts than you do when you have all you want。 That sounds dull but it is most consoling。 I had a bath this morning in these rocks that I would not have given up for all the good dinners I ever had at the Waldorf； or the Savoy。 It just went up and down my spine and sent thrills all over me。 It is most interesting now and all the troubles of the dull days of waiting at Tampa and that awful time on the troopship are over。 The army is stretched out along the trail from the coast for six miles。 Santiago lies about five miles ahead of us。 I am very happy and content and the book for Scribners ought to be an interesting one。 It is really very hard that my despatches are limited to 100 words for there are lots of chances。 The fault lies with the army people at Washington； who give credentials to any one who asks。 To The Independent and other periodicalsin no sense newspapers； and they give seven to one paper； consequently we as a class are a pest to the officers and to each other。 Fortunately； the survival of the fittest is the test and only the best men in every sense get to the front。 There are fifty others at the base who keep the wire loaded with rumors； so when after great difficulty we get the correct news back to Daiquire a Siboney there is no room for it。 Some of the 〃war correspondents〃 have absolutely nothing but the clothes they stand in； and the others had to take up subscriptions for them。 They gambled all the time on the transports and are ensconced now at the base with cards and counters and nothing else。 Whitney has turned out great at the work and I am glad he is not on a daily paper or he would share everything with me。 John Fox； Whitney and I are living on Wood's rough riders。 We are very welcome and Roosevelt has us at Headquarters but； of course； we see the men we know all the time。 You get more news with the other regiments but the officers； even the Generals； are such narrow minded slipshod men that we only visit them to pick up information。 Whitney and I were the only correspondents that saw the fight at Guasimas。 He was with the regulars but I had the luck to be with Roosevelt。 He is sore but still he saw more than any one else and is proportionally happy。 Still he naturally would have liked to have been with our push。 We were within thirty yards of the Spaniards and his crowd were not nearer than a quarter of a mile which was near enough as they had nearly as many killed。 Gen。 Chaffee told me to…day th