Begun Saturday June 23
Finished Monday June 25
My Dear:-
I don’t know whether or not your received the two letters I sent
from the boat before leaving New York, one on Wednesday, the other on
Thursday. For fear you didn’t I shall repeat some of the things
that were contained therein.
After telephoning to you from Hoboken Tuesday evening, I went to a hotel
and spent the night. The next morning about 9 o’clock I got a
small boat which took me to the Saratoga, then anchored in the middle
of the Hudson, opposite 71st St. It was impossible to get off again.
You can easily imagine my chagrin, knowing you were so near and not
being able to see you. At that time, however, there was still hope
of seeing you for I thought we might pull into some other place in
New York or go to New Port News. Thursday morning about 6 o’clock
we started down the river, going very slowly because of the fog and
stopping very often. About noon we passed through New York Harbor and
launched out into the ocean. I was soon confident that we were headed
for France and what would I would not have given to be able to inform
you! It would have spared you so much anxiety. But alas! I could not.
I was too late. How I felt for you, Dear, left all alone in New York,
not knowing what had become of me, what you should do. Just one day
together! What a beautiful day it was! I have wondered whether we would
have spent it differently if we had known that it would be the last.
I doubt if we would. To be together was the best and most beautiful
thing. It was a great sacrifice for you to come so far to see me for
just one day and I appreciate it so much. It was worth so much to me.
It would have been so hard to go without seeing you. I shall never
cease blessing you for coming.
On the whole, the trip has been a very pleasant one although rather long.
It was nine days today (Saturday) at noon since we left and it seems
that we will not arrive before Monday. The first day the sea was somewhat
rough and many of the boys were sick, but following that, for several
days, it was the most beautiful weather I have ever seen on the ocean.
The last few days it has not been so favorable, but not bad enough to
complain about. I have been very well with the exception of feeling
a little bit feverish because of the typhus vaccine. I have taken the
third and last and am glad. There will be, however, more stabs for other
diseases. When I get through with it all I should be a well man or a
dead one. Ha! Ha!
You remember I told you that we might go to New Port News in order to
give the gunners some target practice. This exercise was accomplished
on the ocean after having sailed two or three days, the guns were uncovered
and the men began to fire. Could you guess what the target was? Each
boat in the expedition drags by means of a long rope, a log which is
made in such a way as to resemble the periscope of a submarine. These
logs serve as targets. The shooting was very exciting. It was my first
time to see it done on such a big scale. Of course, these guns are not
supposed to be big only six inch, but seems pretty large to me. That
means that the bullets are six inches in diameter and I suppose they
are about 9 feet long. This boat was not constructed to serve as a war
vessel and so there was considerable jarring when the discharges were
made. I was very well satisfied with the showing our gunners made. Those
on our boat seemed to be the best, a thing for which I am thankful.
If they can do as well at a submarine it will be fine.
The trip has been made more pleasant by the good luck of meeting some
very fine fellows, some of whom will probably be counted among my permanent
friends. We have six at our dining table and it seems that we have the
jolliest crowd of all. My stateroom mate is Mr. Legget, a junior from
Harvard and a very nice boy. I rather hope we can stay together all the
time. Of course it is impossible to tell just now. He is going as a stenographer
and typewriter.
I have been able to accomplish something in the way of study also despite
the fact that after two or three days out, we have not been permitted
to have any light at night. That means that all study must be done during
the day. I have been pegging away slowly at Russian. It is a very tedious
language and I shall not put too much time on it. But by going at it gradually
I shall finally learn enough to profit if I should have the chance of
going to Russia. Besides this, I have done considerable work on my text,
the one I am going to edit provided permission can be secured. Also I
have done a little with French and Spanish conversation as there are both
Frenchmen and Spaniards on the boat.
Soldiers, soldiers, soldiers! I have seen more soldiers since I’ve
been on this boat than I ever saw before. Everywhere. They drill everyday
and almost all day, that is, at almost anytime some squad is drilling
and you can imagine how much noise it would make if it happened to be
just over your head. One gets used to almost anything though and doesn’t
mind it.
The trip has not been entirely wanting in excitement, expected and unexpected.
Before we were half way over in the day time, word was given that a
submarine was sighted. You should have seen every body going for his
life preserver. The gunners arrived and were ready to fire when it was
decided that it was not a submarine at all. The real fright came Friday
night, Mr. Leggett and I lay down about 10 o’clock. Before doing
so, we arranged our clothing, life preserver and everything in the handiest
position. And also we planned just what we would do in case of accident.
After a few moments of conversation in our beds, we had ceased to talk
and were about to go to sleep when a whistle sounded several times.
I said to Leggett
‘Did you hear that?” He thought it was the wind. Then I told
him that it reminded me of a whistle which I had seen and heard and
which belonged to one of my friends (Mr. Atkinson) and which was used
to give warning against submarines. Before I had stopped talking, we
heard several shots from the cannon. Then we were up like a slash and
raised the shutters which we were not permitted to keep open at night.
From the window we saw the flash from the last fire of the cannon which
was fired from one of our neighboring boats. In less than a minute we
were dressed, our life preservers on and upstairs ready to get iln our
life boats in case it was necessary. I might add here that the officers
and clerks are supposed to use the lifeboats whereas the soldiers have
rafts. Then we were advised to go back to our staterooms, that nothing
had happened. I knew better than that. Next morning the official report
was that a torpedo had been fired at us and went just a little in front
of our boat. You can imagine that we have been very careful since then.
The most dangerous time for submarines is at night. In the day time
we can see them and the destroyers can drive them away but at night
it is very hard to see anything. One of the ways to avoid them is to
change the speed of the boat, go very fast for a time and then go more
slowly. Also the boat follows a zigzag course all this makes it very
hard for the submarine to get a correct range to discharge the torpedo
which goes very slowly. The next morning after the great scare we were
very glad indeed to see five other destroyers added to our force. These
are our own. They have been over for some time. Indeed I hope you reached
home safely and that you will have a pleasant summer with your mother
and friends.
Ben
My Darling, I have no idea when you will get this, maybe never, as it
is pretty long to get thru the censor. If mail doesn’t come regularly
you may know the reason. Don’t worry. All danger is passed. It
is now Monday June 25 and we can see the French coast. Vive la France!
With worlds of love.
Ben
Love to Mrs. Lowell
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