The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1898-05-16
ENSIGN BAGLEYs LETTERS.
Some Extracts Showing the Hidden Beauty Of
This Hero's Life.

This Hero's Life.
II it be delicate duty it is no less
a duty to take advantage of permission
hardly obtained of printing this morning
some extracts from recent personal let
ters of Ensign Baglcy.
If these letters are sacred with the in
ner perfume Of the heart, it has been
urged by many that those who love the
memory of the young hero have some
right to share in the fragrance with
which these letters envcIop that memory
The extracts have been taken freely
with reference to going to the sources
from which Powered that performance at
Cardenas.
1t is much for the youth specially of
this State, to know, and to know well
that the highest heroism is born
from out Of that tenderness
which, while hidden to the out
or world, perhaps is a part of the
heart-throb that makes home thing Of
life and love. If this much may be inn
pressed upon those of the youth who
read, there should be no twinge at break
ing the seal Of what otherwise would
have been forever hidden in the hallowed
casket of mothers heart.
OFF Matanzas, Cuba, May Z, 1898.
From his last letter written to his
mother which was received after the tel
egram announcing his death:
I'VE are now lying off Malanzas in the
middle of the entrance to the harbor
three miles further in. a mile and half
away on one side are the Panic Garda
and Sabanilla batteries, and at the same
distance on the other are the Maya and
other batteries Matanzas is town of
about $4,000 inhabitants with an ante
bellum commerce of some value. 1t lies,
as said before. three miles inside the
entrance at which we are lying, around
Il horse shoe or bend, which makes it not
visible from our position. The batteries,
however, are here at the entrance and
made themselves very much in evidence
yesterday by firing at the Dupont, which
was lying too close under their fire. She
got away quickly and in return for hay
ing to run. went up the coast two miles
and lcveled q Spanish block house. The
Winslow has not been fired at. All the
large ships here left the blockade, the
gunboats and torpedo boats remaining
to hold it. No ship has so much as hove
in sight of this entrance for days. So
you may judge for yourself whether the
blockade is effective.
THE work. | must say, is extremely
tough and unpleasant. We are in great
luck when we receive newspapers from
the news correspondents three days after
they are published, and read news
greedily.
Being without news and nothing hap
pening within our own little sphere the
monotony is absolutely painful. There
are two other warships here, the torpedo
boat Dupont, and the armed yacht H0r-
net These two boats lie over at the cas-
tern entrance, while we guard the ives
term OF course it is necessary to keep
a very careful lookout at night on ac-
count of the Spanish gunboats i'll these
waters The caliber of their guns is
greater than that of our three little l.
Founders, hut we wish they would come
out just the same, for we would use our
torpedoes and sink them. 8 You
may be sure | am well. The weather
is not half bad, as we use the awnings
now and get all the breeze without the
sun. 1t is nearly always perfectly clear
and Il light passing shower this morning
is the first rain ! have seen since the
beginning of the war.
NO one knows where the armored ships
Of our squadron have gone, but it is sup
posed that they have left to intercept The
Spanish fleet off San Juan. should that
port prove to be its destination.
The nation as a whole from the tenor
Of the papers, has realized that the navy
is our defense, our real fighting body.
''1'he Dupont is coming this way, SO I
must have my letter ready for her and
close now feel that | will hear from
you when the next mail comes. Bless
you. dear, fror your goodness
Love to each one. and don't forget
that / am in perfect safety.
"Deyotedly
WORTH"