Dearest,
I sent you two cablegrams
last night telling you of my safety, and before they both reached you before
the morning papers, and that you were spared theagony of suspense and uncertainty.
It seems almost selfish
to speak of ourselves even when so many hundreds are mourning lost dear
ones. Still I could only give you the brief statement that I was
safe and unhurt.
I can not tell you now
of my miraculous escape, as the scene is still too terrible to recall,
even had I the time. I will only say that I was in my room, writing
to you when the ship blew up, and that when I rushed for the ladder leading
on deck I found the door closed. In pitch darkness, with explosion
following explosion, and expecting each second to be blown into the air,
or drowned by the inrushing water, I found the other door and reached the
ladder - probably the last.
The whole ship was blown
into the air, except the officer’s quarters - which explains why so many
of them were saved. In fact we only lost two, and only our [unreadable]
was slightly wounded. Among the men all [underlined] were blown up,
but we saved about 50, leaving about 250 dead. I can not write of
the horrors now. Each man lived a lifetime of horror in a few seconds
and allwould like to forget it if possible.
Whether we were torpedoed
by the Spanish, blown up by a mine, or whither the Cubans did it to bring
on a war - or whether it was one of these spontaneous explosions, we do
not know. I hate to suspect the Spanish, and their actions, sympathy
and [unreadable] seems to indicate that they [underlined] are ignorant
of the cause. For the present we must withhold our .... [part missing]
It is almost certain
that Congress will declare war today, without waiting -and it is possible
that we may be prisoners before night. If so you must not worry,
as we are sure to relieve good treatment on account of the sympathy of
the people.
I escaped in my trousers,
undershirt and [unreadable]. Of course lost my glasses and haven’t
a cent in the world. [unreadable] will look out for us when he gets
time. At present we have other and sadder duties to our lost shipmates.
do not worry about me
darling, for I am strong and able to stand whatever may come - be it what
it may. If we were destroyed by treachery, we must avenge our dead
when the opportunity occurs.
In my struggle in the
darkness and water, you and the babies were in my mind, dearest.
I found time to help our poor devil to climb to a place of safety. Whether
he escaped or who he was I do not know. Nearly all the saved among
the crew were people who had blown overboard and afterwards picked up.
One man was picked up a hundred yards away.
The mail steamer has
arrived and brought me your two dear letters of the 9th and 10th.
As the mail goes out again immediately I must stop and read them and see
if they require immediate answer.
Well, dearest, I have
read the letters and find they contain good news so I will not attempt
to answer them now.
God bless you dearest.
He has been very good to us.
Love and kisses for the
dear little ones and a heart full to bursting of love
and longing for you my darling.
I must go to work, love
to all, Preston
