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specially as I had a chance of a life time； and declined it。 I'll always feel I lost in character by not sticking to it whether I had to go to Arizona or Governor's Island。 I was unfortunate in having Lee and Remington to advise me。 We talked for two hours in Fred's bedroom and they were both dead against it and Lee composed my telegram to the president。 Now； I feel sure I did wrong。 Shafter did not care and the other officers were delighted and said it was very honorable and manly giving me credit for motives I didn't have。 I just didn't think it was good enough although I wanted it too and I missed something I can never get again。 I am very sad about it。 I know all the arguments for not taking it but as a matter of fact I should have done so。 I would have made a good aide； and had I got a chance I certainly would have won out and been promoted。 That there are fools appointed with me is no answer。 I wouldn't have stayed in their class long。
DICK。
TAMPA； May 29； 1898。 DEAR CHAS。：
The cigars came； they are O。 K。 and a great treat after Tampa products。 Captain Lee and I went out to the volunteer camps today： Florida； Alabama； Ohio and Michigan； General Lee's push； and it has depressed me very much。 I have been so right about so many things these last five years； and was laughed at for making much of them。 Now all I urged is proved to be correct； nothing our men wear is right。 The shoes； the hats； the coats； all are dangerous to health and comfort； one…third of the men cannot wear the regulation shoe because it cuts the instep； and buy their own； and the volunteers are like the Cuban army in appearance。 The Greek army； at which I made such sport； is a fine organization in comparison as far as outfit goes； of course； there is no comparison in the spirit of the men。 One colonel of the Florida regiment told us that one…third of his men had never fired a gun。 They live on the ground； there are no rain trenches around the tents； or gutters along the company streets； the latrines are dug to windward of the camp； and all the refuse is burned to WINDWARD。
Half of the men have no uniforms nor shoes。 I pointed out some of the unnecessary discomforts the men were undergoing through ignorance； and one colonel； a Michigan politician； said； 〃Oh； well； they'll learn。 It will be a good lesson for them。〃 Instead of telling them； or telling their captains； he thinks it best that they should find things out by suffering。 I cannot decide whether to write anything about it or not。 I cannot see where it could do any good； for it is the system that is wrongthe whole volunteer system； I mean。 Captain Lee happened to be in Washington when the first Manila outfit was starting from San Francisco； and it was on his representations that they gave the men hammocks； and took a store of Mexican dollars。 They did not know that Mexican dollars are the only currency of the East； and were expecting to pay the men in drafts on New York。
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 Fre