On Lusitania — August 8, 1914.
[DEAR CHAS:]
We got off in a great rush, as the Cunard people received
orders to sail so soon after the Government had told them to
cancel all passengers, that no one expected to leave by her,
and had secured passage
on the Lorraine and St. Paul.
They gave me a "regal" suite which at other times costs
$1,000 and it is so darned regal that I hate to leave it. I
get sleepy walking from one end of it to the other; and we
have open fires in each of the three rooms. Generally when
one goes to war it is in a transport or a troop train and the
person of the least
importance is the correspondent. So, this way of going to war
I like. We now are a cruiser and are slowly being painted
grey, and as soon as they got word England was at war all
lights were put out and to find your way you light matches.
You can imagine the effect of this Ritz Carlton idea of a ship
wrapped in darkness. Gerald Morgan is on board, he is also
accredited to
The Tribune, and Frederick Palmer. I do not
expect to be allowed to see anything but will try to join a
French army. I will leave Bessie near London with Louise at
some quiet place like Oxford or a village on the Thames. We
can "take" wireless, but not send it, so as no one is sending
and as we don't care to expose our position, we get no news.
We are running far North and it is bitterly cold. I think
Peary will sue us for infringing his copyrights.
I will try to get in touch with Nora. I am worried lest
she cannot get at her money. As British subjects no other
thing should upset them. Address me American Embassy, London.
I send such love to you both. God bless you.
DICK.
Richard arrived in Liverpool August 13, and made
arrangements for his wife to remain in London. Unable to
obtain credentials from the English authorities, he started
for Brussels and arrived there in time to see the entry of the
German troops, which he afterward described so graphically.
Indeed this article is considered by many to be one of the
finest pieces of descriptive writing the Great War has
produced.
For several days after Brussels had come under the
control of the Germans Richard remained there and then decided
to go to Paris as the siege of the
French capital at the time seemed imminent. He and his friend
Gerald Morgan, who was acting as the correspondent of the
London
Daily Telegraph, decided to drive to Hal and from
there to continue on foot until they had reached the English
or French armies where they knew they would be among friends.
At Hal they were stopped by the German officials and Morgan
wisely returned to Brussels. However, Richard having decided
to continue on his way, was promptly seized by the Germans and
held as an English spy. For a few days he had a most exciting
series of adventures with the German military authorities and
his life was frequently in danger. It was finally due to my
brother's own strategy and the prompt action of our Ambassador
to Belgium, Brand Whitlock, that he was returned to Brussels
and received his official release.
On August 27, Richard left Brussels for Paris on a train
carrying English prisoners and German wounded, and en route
saw much of the burning and destruction of Louvain.
