WAR IS DECLARED
Never was the temper and patience of the American people more sorely
tried than by the two months of waiting and suspense that followed the
destruction of their splendid battle-ship. The _Maine_ had entered
Havana Harbor on a friendly visit, been assigned to a mooring, which
was afterwards changed by the Spanish authorities, and three weeks
later, without a suspicion of danger having been aroused or a note of
warning sounded, she was destroyed as though by a thunder-bolt. It was
nearly ten o'clock on the night of Tuesday, February 15th. Taps had
sounded and the crew were asleep in their hammocks, when, by a terrific
explosion, two hundred and fifty-eight men and two officers were hurled
into eternity, sixty more were wounded, and the superb battle-ship was
reduced to a mass of shapeless wreckage.
It was firmly believed throughout the United States that this appalling
disaster was caused by a submarine mine, deliberately placed near the
mooring buoy to which the _Maine_ had been moved, to be exploded at a
favorable opportunity by Spanish hands.
The Spaniards, on the other side, claimed and strenuously maintained
that the only explosion was that of the ship's own magazines, declaring
in support of this theory that discipline on all American men-of-war
was so lax as to invite such a catastrophe at any moment.
To investigate, and settle if possible, this vital question, a Court of
Inquiry, composed of four prominent naval officers, was appointed.
They proceeded to Havana, took volumes of testimony, and, after six
weeks of most searching investigation, made a report to the effect that
the _Maine_ was destroyed by two distinct explosions, the first of
which was that of a mine located beneath her, and causing a second
explosion--of her own magazines--by concussion.
During these six weeks the country was in a ferment. For three years
war had raged in Cuba, where the natives were striving to throw off the
intolerable burden of Spanish oppression and cruelty. In all that time
the sympathies of America were with the struggling Cubans; and from
every State of the Union demands for intervention in their behalf, even
to the extent of going to war with Spain, had grown louder and more
insistent, until it was evident that they must be heeded. With the
destruction of the _Maine_ affairs reached such a crisis that the
people, through their representatives in Congress, demanded to have the
Spanish flag swept forever from the Western hemisphere.
In vain did President McKinley strive for a peaceful solution of the
problem; but with both nations bent on war, he could not stem the tide
of popular feeling. So, on the 20th of April he was obliged to demand
from Spain that she should, before noon of the 23d, relinquish forever
her authority over Cuba, at the same time withdrawing her land and
naval forces from that island. The Spanish Cortes treated this
proposition with contempt, and answered it by handing his passports to
the American Minister at Madrid, thereby declaring war against the
great American republic.
At this time Spain believed her navy to be more than a match for that
of the United States, and that, with nearly two hundred thousand
veteran, acclimated troops on the island of Cuba, she was in a position
to resist successfully what she termed the "insolent demands of the
Yankee pigs."
On this side of the Atlantic, Congress had appropriated fifty millions
of dollars for national defence, the navy was being strengthened by the
purchase of additional ships at home and abroad, fortifications were
being erected along the entire coast, harbors were mined, and a
powerful fleet of warships was gathered at Key West, the point of
American territory lying nearest the island of Cuba.
Then came the President's call for 125,000 volunteers, followed a few
weeks later by a second call for 75,000 more. This was the summons for
which our young friend, Ridge Norris, had waited so impatiently ever
since that February morning when he had arranged a bowl of roses and
read the startling news of the _Maine's_ destruction.
No one in all the country had been more impatient of the long delay
than he; for it had seemed to him perfectly evident from the very first
that war must be declared, and he was determined to take an active part
in it at the earliest opportunity. His father was willing that he
should go, his mother was bitterly opposed; Dulce begged him to give up
his design, and even Spence Cuthbert's laughing face became grave
whenever the subject was mentioned, but the young man was not to be
moved from his resolve.
Mardi Gras came and passed, but Ridge, though escorting his sister and
cousin to all the festivities, took only a slight interest in them. He
was always slipping away to buy the latest papers or to read the
bulletins from Washington.
"Would you go as a private, son?" asked his father one evening when the
situation was being discussed in the family circle.
"No, no! If he goes at all--which Heaven forbid--it must be as an
officer," interposed Mrs. Norris, who had overheard the question.
"Of course a gentleman would not think of going as anything else,"
remarked Dulce, conclusively.
"I believe there were gentlemen privates on both sides during the Civil
War," said Spence Cuthbert, quietly.
"Of course," admitted Dulce, "but that was different. Then men fought
for principles, but now they are going to fight for--for--"
"The love of it, perhaps," suggested the girl from Kentucky.
"You know I don't mean that," cried Dulce. "They are going to fight
because--"
"Because their country calls them," interrupted Ridge, with energy,
"and because every true American endorses Decatur's immortal toast of
'Our Country. May she always be in the right; but, right or wrong, our
country.' Also because in the present instance we believe it is as
much our right to save Cuba from further oppression at the hands of
Spain as it always is for the strong to interpose in behalf of the weak
and helpless. For these reasons, and because I do not seem fit for
anything else, I am going into the city to-morrow to enlist in whatever
regiment I find forming."
"Oh, my boy! my boy!" cried Mrs. Norris, flinging her arms around her
son's neck, "do not go tomorrow. Wait a little longer, but one week,
until we can see what will happen. After that I will not seek further
to restrain you. It is your mother who prays."
"All right, mother dear, I will wait a few days to please you, though I
cannot see what difference it will make."
So the young man waited as patiently as might be a week longer, and
before it was ended the whole country was ringing with the wonderful
news of Admiral George Dewey's swift descent upon the Philippine
Islands with the American Asiatic squadron. With exulting heart every
American listened to the thrilling story of how this modern Farragut
stood on the bridge of the Olympia, and, with a fine contempt for the
Spanish mines known to be thickly planted in the channel, led his ships
into Manila Bay. Almost before the startled Spaniards knew of his
coming he had safely passed their outer line of defences, and was
advancing upon their anchored fleet of iron-clad cruisers. An hour
later he had completely destroyed it, silenced the shore batteries, and
held the proud city of Manila at his mercy. All this he had done
without the loss of a man or material damage to his ships, an exploit
so incredible that at first the world refused to believe it.
To Ridge Norris, who had spent a week in the Philippines less than a
year before, the whole affair was of intense interest, and he bitterly
regretted not having remained in the Far East that he might have
participated in that glorious fight.
"I would gladly have shipped as a sailor on the _Olympia_ if I had only
known what was in store for her!" he exclaimed; "but a chance like
that, once thrown away, never seems to be offered again."
"But, my boy, it is better now," said Mrs. Norris, with a triumphant
smile. "Then you would have been only a common seaman; one week ago
you would have enlisted as a common soldier. Now you may go as an
officer--what you will call a lieutenant--with the chance soon to
become a captain, and perhaps a general. Who can tell?"
"Whatever do you mean, mother?"
"What I say, and it is even so; for have I not the promise of the
Governor himself? But your father will tell you better, for he knows
what has been done."
So Ridge went to his father, who confirmed what he had just heard,
saying:
"Yes, son; your mother has exerted her influence in your behalf, and
procured for you the promise of a second-lieutenant's commission,
provided I am willing to pay for the honor."
"How, father?"
"By using my influence to send Herman Dodley to the Legislature as soon
as he comes back from the war."
"Is Dodley going into the army?"
"Yes. He is to be a major."
"And would you help to send such a man to the Legislature?"
"If you wanted to be a lieutenant badly enough to have me do so, I
would."
"Father, you know I wouldn't have you do such a thing even to make me
President of the United States!"
"Yes, son, I know it."
And the two, gazing into each other's eyes, understood each other
perfectly.
"I would rather go as a private, father."
"I would rather have you, son; though it would be a great
disappointment to your mother."
"She need not know, for I will go to some distant camp before
enlisting. I wouldn't serve in the same regiment with Herman Dodley,
anyhow."
"Of course not, son."
"I suppose his appointment is political--as well as the one intended
for me?"
"Yes; and so it is with every other officer in the regiment."
"That settles it. I would sooner join the Cubans than fight under the
leadership of mere politicians. So, when I do enlist, it will be in
some regiment where the word politics is unknown, even if I have to go
into the regular army."
"Son, I am prouder of you than I ever was before. What will you want
in the way of an outfit?"
"One hundred dollars, if you can spare so much."
"You shall have it, with my blessing."
So it happened that, a few days later, Ridge Norris started for the
war, though without an idea of where he should find it or in what
capacity he should serve his country.