R. Cross

“ I think we will have a dash of Gen Quarters, Just to shake the Boys up. the old man is anxious to have targate Practis, he believes this ship whips the shoes off any thing that floats in the line of Battle ships, of corse Baring a Torpedo if one should hapen to hit, and I think the old man is right too, for this crew feals scrapy now. ”

“ Every thing working smooth and nothing to stop, it is a beautyfull night and the Southern Cross looms up with more beauty than I ever seen befor. But the ships bum Boat is all right too, she loomed up with a big ketle of hot Steaming cocoa, Just the thing a man wants when he has the mid watch. the wether is very cold down hear. a few of the men is going ashore to morrow. I dont think I will be able to go as I will have the afternoon watch, any way I dont care much as I am use to the ship now. ”

“ The public hear speak nothing but Spanish and the Capt thinks there might be som sympathizers amongst Them, so we are keeping the strickest Kind of watch on the ship. We have two steam cutters pattroling the ship all night and men station in the fighting tops as sharp shooters. the steam cutters are armed with two automatic 22 m.m. Rifles, so that would more than be a match for a ordinary Torpedo Boat, and while all the Post on Deck were Double we consider our selves pretty safe. They are puting coal on board as fast as they can, working night and day to get it all on. ”

“ By 9.27 the Oregon fired the first shot of the Battle of July 3rd. 1898 at the first ship that come out of the Harbor. I dont remember the ships as they come out, But we went in to meet them and passed them som good shots as they cep coming. about 7 or 9 minuts after they got started good, one of our 6 inch guns blew up one of the Torpedo Boats, struck her squar amidships, she sunk like a rock with all on board. and right hear is where I had to stop for a moment to admire one of there Guners. I do think he was one of the bravest men I ever had the pleasure to look upon. ”

“ Every thing has settled down to the same old thing except when we have some Targate Practis By throwing boxes over board.
April 26. 8 A.M. All is well, same thing, Making 101⁄2 sometimes 11 knots. Had clear ship for action today.
April 27. Every body begins to feal the trip now, geting tiresome now. since they have taken all of our ditty Boxes and benches and all extra mess chests and stored them away, we have no place to sit down except on deck and let our feet hang over. then the men forward cant get enough water to keep themselves clean. ”

“ Huntington and his Marines of 800 Had a Brush with the Spanish, it is reported that 6 marines wer kild and Doctor Gibbs was shot through the head by accident. there is at Guantanamo Bay the Texas, Marblehead and Porter and 800 Marines; they expect to have the cable work soon and the Harbor well under Hand. I forgot to say the Vesuvius landed 3 shots of dinomite in the Harbor on the night of the 13th at Santiago and did great damage to the Shore Batterys; the latest report is that the Cubans are flocking in to Huntingtons camp. ”

“ Chili sent a company of Soldiers hear the 18th and they expect a Transport with som Soldiers from Argentine to night som time, so I for one would like to see a good scrap of som kind for an appetizer for us, Just to take the rough edge off you know. we are standing by our Guns all the time and sleep by them by night. While the Jackies coal ship all hands are doing there part and there is no fudging going on. of corse there is all kinds of War talk in the air. ”

“ Admiral Clark would be made of stolid stuff were he indifferent to the enthusiasm and loyalty manifest in the narrative in various ways, in none, however, more hearty and sincere than in the endearing designations of the "old gent" and "the old man." ”

“ We have to go slow on account of the Marietta. had some targate practis today with all the Guns. We travel at nights with all lights out now adays so as not to let any thing slip up on us, and at the same time slip up on them.
April 22. Wind is very high, lost a life Boat this morning at 5.20 A.M. from the after Davits, good thing the wind is head on, the Sea is runing high. 8 P.M. Sea and wind has gon down considerable. Making about 101⁄2 knots. Ellis is sick poor man, I am standing his watch to night. ”

“ I am more lucky than most of them for I have a chance to steal a Bucketful one every night. our cook is no good, he makes sour Bread and would make good schrapnel for clearing the decks, and of corse your humble servant has to chew Hard Tack. had more Targate practis to day. ”

“ But when they see her Signal they let her pass O.K. started to coal up at 8.25 P.M. and we get out of hear as soon as we can. I hear the Spanish has got one of our Merchant ships, the Shanandore, loaded with English goods. I wonder how that is going to com out. Every one on this ship is crasie to get at the Spanish.
May 1. Just com on watch. Beautyfull morning and still coaling ship. Hear is where you can get lots of sour frute and Bananas by the ship load for a little mony. But we are not aloud to Buy any thing that isent sour on account of Yellow Feaver at this place. ”

“ But I think that will be all right when the Marietta gets there to patrole the place for us. We expect to go out to night some time. 7 P.M. left Port. The Capt dont know wether to go round the Horn or not. But if we go, as the Dutchman says By the Horn around, we will get a shaking up. But every body seems to think we can take care of our selves where ever we go. Capt Clark is all right, we dont think he is afraid of the whole Spanish Navy. the wether is very fogy. Expect it to lift when we get a little ways.
April 9. Alls Well, every thing doing fine. ”

“ American Minerster Just com on board and told us the news of the Battle of Manila, the Yanks did up every thing there. coal is coming on very slow and the old man is geting ancious to get out.
May 3. going out tomorrow morning at 6. A.M. The crew is very enthusiastic over the war. got out this morning all right But going slow. I think we are fooling around hear. Have Nictheroy as a transport boat. She has 2000 tons of coal on Board for us and they say she is an 18 knoter. ”

“ March 19. 1898 Up anchor at 8 A.M. in San Francisco Bay. I had the 8 to 12 watch and we past through the Golden Gate at 9.15 A.M. and left the Fairwell Bouy at 10.5 A.M. and shaped our course for Callao, Peru, it being S.E. 1⁄2 E, and at the same time we drop over the Patent Log in the Briny. the Capt gave orders to give 75 turns and that brought her out about 11.5 knots. Every thing is runing smooth and all Hunk.
March 20. Sliding along at 11.8 knots gate. Every thing working beautyfull. ”