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oats was going to Key West； and I thought I would go with her if he would allow it。 He asked if I had seen the cable from Long； and I said I had heard of it； and that I was really going so as not to embarrass him with my presence。 He said； 〃I have received three different orders from the Secretary； one of them telling me I could have such correspondents on board as were agreeable to me。 He now tells me that they must all go。 You can do as you wish。 You are perfectly welcome to remain until the conflict of orders is cleared up。〃 I saw he was mad and that he wanted me to stay； or at least not to go of my own wish； so that he could have a grievance out of itif he had to send me away after having been told he could have those with him who were agreeable to him。 Captain Chadwick was in the cabin； and said； 〃Perhaps Mr。 Davis had better remain another twenty…four hours。〃 The admiral added； 〃Ships are going to Key West daily。〃 Then Chadwick repeated that he thought I had better stay another day； and made a motion to me to do so。 So I said I would； and now I am waiting to see what is going to happen。 Outside； Chadwick told me that something in the way of an experience would probably come off； so I have hopes。 By this time； of course； you know all about it。 I shall finish this later。
We began bombarding Matanzas twenty minutes after I wrote the above。 It was great。 I guess I got a beat； as The Herald tug is the only one in sight。
DICK。
Flagship…Off Havana April 30th； 1898。 DEAR FAMILY：
You must not mind if I don't write often； but I feel that you see The Herald every day and that tells you of what I am seeing and doing； and I am writing so much； and what with keeping notes and all； I haven't much time What you probably want to know is that I am well and that my sciatica is not troubling me at allMother always wants to know that。 On the other hand I am on the best ship from which to see things and on the safest； as she can move quicker and is more heavily armored than any save the battleships The fact that the admiral is on board and that she is the flagship is also a guarantee that she will not be allowed to expose herself。 I was very badly scared when I first came to Key West for fear I should be left especially when I didn't make the flagship But I have not missed a single trick so far Bonsal missed the bombardment and so did Stephen Crane All the press boats were away except The Herald's。 I had to write the story in fifteen minutes； so it was no good except that we had it exclusively
I am sending a short story of the first shot fired to the Scribner's and am arranging with them to bring out a book on the Campaign。 I have asked them to announce it as it will help me immensely here for it is as an historian and not as a correspondent that I get on over those men who are correspondents for papers only。 I have made I think my position here very strong and the admiral is very much my friend as are also his staff。 Crane on the other hand took the place of Paine who was exceedingly popular with every one and it has made it hard for Crane to get into things I am having a really royal time； it is so beautiful by both night and day and there is always color and movement and the most rigid discipline with the most hearty good feeling I get on very well with the crew too； one of them got shot by a revolver's going off and I asked the surgeon if I might not help at the operation so that I might learn to be useful； and to get accustomed to the sight of wounds and surgery It was a wonderful thing to see； and I was confused as to whether I admired the human body more or the way the surgeon's understood and mastered it The sailor would not give way to the ether and I had to hold him for an hour while they took out his whole insides and laid them on the table and felt around inside of him as though he were a hollow watermelon。 Then they put his stomach back and sewed it in and then sewed up his skin and he was just as good as new。 We carried him over to a cot and he came to； and looked up at us。 We were all bare…armed and covered with his blood； and then over at the operating table； which was also covered with his blood。 He was gray under his tan and his lips were purple and his eyes were still drunk with the ether But he looked at our sanguinary hands and shook his head sideways on the pillow and smiled 〃You'se can't kill me；〃 he said； 〃I'm a New Yorker； by Godyou'se can't kill me。〃 The Herald cabled for a story as to how the crew of the New York behaved in action。 I think I shall send them that although there are a few things the people had better take for granted Of course； we haven't been 〃in action〃 yet but the first bombardment made me nervous until it got well started。 I think every one was rather nervous and it was chiefly to show them there was nothing to worry about that we fired off the U。 S。 guns。 They talk like veterans now It was much less of a strain than I had expected； there was no standing on your toes nor keeping your mouth open or putting wadding in your ears。 I took photographs most of the time； and they ought to be excellentwhat happened was that you were thrown up off the deck just as you are when an elevator starts with a sharp jerk and there was an awful noise like the worst clap of thunder you ever heard close to your ears； then the smoke covered everything and you could hear the shot going through the air like a giant rocket The shots they fired at us did not cut any ice except a shrapnel that broke just over the main mast and which reminded me of Greece The other shots fell short The best thing was to see the Captains of the Puritan and Cincinnati frantically signalling to be allowed to fire too A little fort had opened on us from the left so they plugged at that； it was a wonderful sight； the Monitor was swept with waves and the guns seemed to come out of the water。 The Cincinnati did the best of all。 Her guns were as fast as the reports of a revolver； a self…cocking revolver； when one holds the trigger for the whole six。 We got some copies of The Lucha on the Panama and their accounts of what was going on in Havana were the best reading I ever saw They probably reported the Matanzas bombardment as a Spanish victory The firing yesterday was very tame。 We all sat about on deck and the band played all the time We didn't even send the men to quarters I do not believe the army intends to move for two weeks yet； so I shall stay here。 They seem to want me to do so； and I certainly want to But that army is too slow for words； and we love the 〃Notes from the Front〃 in The Tribune； telling about the troops at Chickamauga I believe what will happen is that a chance shot will kill some of our men； and the Admiral won't do a thing but knock hell out of whatever fort does it and land a party of marines and bluejackets Even if they only occupy the place for 24 hours； it will beat that army out and that's what I want。 They'll get second money in the Campaign if they get any； unless they brace up and come over I have the very luck of the British Army； I walked into an open hatch today and didn't stop until I caught by my arms and the back of my neck。 It was very dark and they had opened i