vesselwouldnothavebeenaformidablefoetoanyantagonistsofmuchmoremodernconstructionthanthegalleysofAlcibiadesseemedtodisturbnobody。
Thiswasonesideofthepicture。Theothersidewasthatthecrisisatoncebroughttothefrontanyamountoflatentfightingstrength。
TherewereplentyofCongressmenwhoshowedcool-headedwisdomandresolution。Theplainpeople，themenandwomenbackofthepersonswholosttheirheads，setseriouslytoworktoseethatwedidwhateverwasnecessary，andmadethejobathoroughone。Theyoungmenswarmedtoenlist。Intimeofpeaceithadbeendifficulttofillthescantyregulararmyandnavy，andtherewereinnumerabledesertions；
nowtheshipsandregimentswereover-enlisted，andsomanydesertersreturnedinordertofightthatitbecamedifficulttodecidewhattodowiththem。England，andtoalessdegreeJapan，werefriendly。ThegreatpowersofContinentalEuropewereallunfriendly。Theyjeeredatourshipsandmen，andwithfatuouspartisanshipinsistedthattheSpaniardswouldprovetoomuchforour“mercenaries“becausewewereacommercialpeopleoflowidealswhocouldnotfight，whilethemenwhomweattemptedtohireforthatpurposewerecertaintorunonthedayofbattle。
AmongmyfriendswasthethenArmySurgeonLeonardWood。Hewasasurgeon。Nothavinganincome，hehadtoearnhisownliving。HehadgonethroughtheHarvardMedicalSchool，andhadthenjoinedthearmyintheSouthwestasacontractdoctor。Hehadeveryphysical，moral，andmentalqualitywhichfittedhimforasoldier’slifeandfortheexerciseofcommand。IntheinconceivablywearingandharassingcampaignsagainsttheApacheshehadservednominallyasasurgeon，reallyincommandoftroops，onmorethanoneexpedition。HewasasanxiousasIwasthatiftherewerewarweshouldbothhaveourpartinit。IhadalwaysfeltthatiftherewereaseriouswarIwishedtobeinapositiontoexplaintomychildrenwhyIdidtakepartinit，andnotwhyIdidnottakepartinit。Moreover，IhadverydeeplyfeltthatitwasourdutytofreeCuba，andIhadpubliclyexpressedthisfeeling；andwhenamantakessuchaposition，heoughttobewillingtomakehiswordsgoodbyhisdeedsunlessthereissomeverystrongreasontothecontrary。Heshouldpaywithhisbody。