The 30 Minute Rule begins February 12 at 7:00 PM EST. An Initial Bid Must Be Placed By February 12 at 6:00 PM EST To Participate After 6:00 PM EST
Teacher and humanitarian (1821–1912) best known for founding the relief organization the American Red Cross. TLS signed “Lovingly, Clara Barton,” three pages, 8.5 x 11, The American National Red Cross letterhead, April 30 and May 4, 1898. Letter to Mrs. Harriette L. Reed, in full: "I do not know if Mr. Cobb has commenced the carrying out of his semiweekly promise, but I know he is not in reach of a type-writing machine, for we can rarely get hold of one, and he cannot write as much as he would under better conditions. Fearing he has not written, I want to say that our journey has been all pleasant. We have had no accident, no seasickness, no sickness of any kind and no trouble.
We reached Tampa about six o'clock Wednesday afternoon, found Dr. & Mrs. Gardner waiting for us, and all the others in good order and very happy. Found Tampa a fine little military camp, with several regiments, or nearly amounting to divisions, of regular troops under command of Brigadier-General Wade, the son of my old-time friends Benj. & Mrs. Wade, of the old army days. We made acquaintance at once, and our hostess made a fine reception of the church and military combined, and we had one of the most brilliant affairs you would every wish to see from four to six Thursday evening, and at seven we were packed and away on the train for Key West.
Our voyage was delightful, and on Friday afternoon at five we landed, meeting Dr. Hubbell, Mr. Duncan, the captain of the steamer 'State of Texas' and other persons, all waiting to receive us. We delivered our papers,—the official orders from the Secretary not yet having arrived, Mr. Cobb had taken the precaution to have three or four other copies made by Miss Graves, and we were ready to leave a copy with each officer we met. A copy has gone to Admiral Sampson in front of Havana, and we are expecting his reply shortly.
The 'State of Texas' is an admirable boat for our purpose. It is fitted up for an ocean steamer, lacking only the size and the newness of the steamers of today. The crew consists of some thirty or thirty-five men, and the discipline and the table are excellent.
Almost one week later, May 4, 1898.
My precious sister:
How you have been neglected in all these days, but we got shut off from all typewriting in moving from point to point, and so much was coming in every hour that I have only now gotten down to stenographic work. I am afraid that in all that time nothing has gone to you, and yet every hour in the day I am thinking of something that ought to go.
We are in the same good health and condition as when I commenced this letter, and I do not know that we are any nearer our point of destination. I have conferred with all authorities, visited Admiral Sampson at his flagship, and made known to the Committee in New York the purport of our interview. The blockade is firm in front of the north-east coast of Cuba, and feels it its duty to keep all food out. The result of this must be apparent to every thinking mind. We wait day by day to see if anything opens which will let us in with something for the starvlings.
The weather is beautiful to the eye, sun bright and on the water not too hot. On the land I suppose it is getting to be almost unbearable. The sands are deep and hot, the wells dry, no water in Key West, the cisterns all giving out, and we are warned that, if the water fails on our ship, we will have to get it somewhere else, perhaps steam into Tampa for it. At present, we have a supply.
Our company numbers seventeen, all in perfect accord, not a shadow that I know of between any of them. Our young ladies are patterns of modest decorum, and stand very high with the people on shore. Our ship being reckoned among the Government ships, cannot be run onto by every person who desires to, or any reporter who desires to pick up news. They can only enter by permission which is not copiously granted. I learn that the reporters of the press generally, especially New York, are very desirous of getting interviews with me, but they cannot reach me, which is certainly a triumphant comfort.
A word about personal matters: In the great haste of getting away, I took with me a large number of letters designed for Dr. Lesser, which should have been sent from there. The package has grown steadily larger, has been carefully overlooked, Mr. Cottrell will take care of it here today, and we shall probably send it by despatch to New York tonight or tomorrow. The letters that I did bring to be attended to personally, we are just getting to this day. I left some which I would have taken or would have been glad to take copies of, notably the letter of General Alger, containing the remarkable decision of the War Department. I would prefer if you will take the trouble to give me a copy of that letter. I do not care to risk the sending of the original here, but if you will have the kindness to keep it and send me the copy, I shall be very grateful. If there are others of a similar nature, such as you think I intended to take with me, but forgot, will you please send them also.
If we remain here a time as quiet as we now are, I shall have time to bring up all the correspondence and get ourselves in better shape than we have been for sometime. It is impossible for us to get a typewriting machine, but the use of one is secured, and Miss Graves and Mr. Cobb take everything that is prepared, man their little boat, and go over and use the typewriter, bringing home the results which we are putting through an improvised press, which is very excellent. Thus, little by little, we are surmounting the difficulties that at first confronted us very stoutly. We have telegraphed to New York for a typewriter to be sent, which we trust will be here in a few days.
If at any time you are sending a package, or, rather a package of printed matter could come at ordinary rates, I would like more of the Golden Rule slips. I took some, but I see we could use them very freely here. You will find them, I think, somewhere among the packed away papers; I do not quite know where they are, but somewhere we have quantities I think. I find a few checks here which I shall take the liberty of sending to you endorsed, and let you draw them and place them with your fund. Our address for the present will be 'Key West, S.S. State of Texas.'
Please give greatest love to all members of the family, always including our modest niece, and always remembering how hard it was for me to come away and leave you, and how longingly my thoughts turn back to you. This life is all well, everything about it is as pleasant as it could be, but still there is another I would rather live, and some day look forward to it. I shall not allow these long delays in your letters any more, for we are getting ourselves better in hand, and will not allow interruptions unless the sea and the army get between us in some way.
You will be glad to know what a comfort Dr. & Mrs. Gardner are to me. It carries one back to the old days, and I have such implicit trust and feel the same comfort there that I feel with you in my home. Accept my loving good-bye, with dearest memories." In fine condition.
This item is Pre-Certified by PSA/DNA
Buy a third-party letter of authenticity for
$100.00
*This item has been pre-certified by a trusted third-party authentication service, and by placing a bid on this item, you agree to accept the opinion of this authentication service. If you wish to have an opinion rendered by a different authenticator of your choosing, you must do so prior to your placing of any bid. RR Auction is not responsible for differing opinions submitted 30 days after the date of the sale.
