ABSTRACT
In January of 1906, after a hiatus of fifteen months, Charlie writes Clare, now a faculty member of the University of South Dakota at Vermilion. Charlie begins writing on January 24, 1906 in Cavite, Philippine Islands (PI), while he is attached to the battleship Oregon. He will finish on February 18, in Canton, China, after he transfers to the USS Monadnock, a harbor defense monitor showing the flag along the river. The letter extends through 206 pages of clear, compact, handwritten script spanning his recruit training and first year of his assignment to the Asiatic Squadron. Recalling Fred Harrod's observations about sailors' writing skills, it could well be the longest, most articulate, and comprehensive letter about enlisted life and times ever written by an American sailor. Aside from minor punctuation changes to enhance clarity, no changes have been made to Charlie's writing style and grammar. What you see is precisely as Charlie wrote it.
