This collection of postcards and correspondence is a rare chance to follow the experiences of a sailor during the Fleet's cruise through the written and photographic mail sent to his family.  As with the other collections on this site it contains the personal account of Milton Willard and his experiences during the cruise.  He was a typical sailor enjoying an experience of a lifetime.  His corresponence home include letters, postcards and real photo postcards produced by shipmates and photographers from other units within the fleet.  Interestingly enough, Milton was onboard the USS Georgia as were two musicians, Brown & Schaffer.   The photographs of these two shipmates was more than half of the current collection of have of these cards sold to sailors of the fleet and later used by H. H. Stratton to make widely produced color postcards at the end of the cruise.  This portion of my site does not repeat the card from Milton that were Brown & Schaffer cards unless they were personnally annotated.

Letters from December 1st and 5th.

These two letters were written in the previous two weeks to the Fleet's depature while the USS Georgia, Milton's ship was at Philadelphia Naval Shipyard making preperations for the deployment.  They described the impending departure on the 6th to meet the rest of the fleet, the movement of the officers in command and the changing of the flagship from the Virginia to the Connecticut.  They also described the freezing weather in which "I nearly froze to death"  and that they took on 1800 tons of coal before departing.

The letters describe planning on taking on ammunition in Hampton Roads and that they planned to depart for the West Coast on December 16th.

                                                          Port of Spain

                                                          Trinidad,  B. W. I

                                                         December 27,1907

Dear Folks,

Did you all have a Merry Xmas.  I am sure I did.  I can not say I received your welcome letter yet as I have not, or rather, we have not had no mail since leaving the Roads.  We expect some Jan. 12, 1908 but that is all we can do is expect.  How is everything in the store.  I hope you had a good xmas trade.  Now is just about the time you are most busy straightening up.  We leave here Sunday for Rio and we have a long trip before we see any land after we leave here.  We will cross the equator January 2, 1908 and then is when I will get initiated into the Independent Order of the Deep.  I will send you my certificate which I want you to keep for me because I may want to use it again.

Wishing you su8ccess and happiness I am,

Brother and Son

Milton,    c/o PM NY/NY

Rio de Janero

The cards that Milton forwarded from his visit to Rio were each from the Brown and Schaffer postcards.  Each was annotated with a personal not of the observations of the sender.  The final card in the group shows the Yankon alongside the USS New Jersey.

At Sea

January 9, 1908

Dear Folks and All,

Am going to start this letter a little ahead of time so you will receive a nice long letter when you get it.  Well we left Trinidad on a Sunday afternoon at 4 oclock, December 29, 1907.  We expected to leave at 5:30 am but the Maine who is always behind had not got all her coal aboard  held us until 4 oclock.  We were not sorry when we left.  Everybody was anxious to push out to sea again.  We kept in sight of land till dark when we arose next am.  There was not land in sight.  The first day out we did not do much in the line of dirll as everybody turned to and cleaned ship.  Before we left the Port of Spain the Governor of Trinidad visited all flagships and told the commander in Chief (R. D. Evans) or I should say congratulated him on how the men of the fleet conducted themselves while ashore.  It was getting nearer New Years every day until at last we found ourselves many miles at sea and New Years.   The day following on New Years I began a New Year all over and made a few resolutions.  Will tell you what they are if I don't forget sometime.  Of course there was no doings and we did not have a feast but the same time is is a holiday.  It is very warm here and you can hardly find a cool spot on the ship.  Most of the time we have been goinng SE by E but on January 2, 1908 we changed our course to South.  and aat present are going S by SE.  We came very near ramminng the Louisiana's stern.  We

come so close we got here "patent log fouled.  (patent log is a string fastened to a dial which drags in the water to tell the distance of travel.)  This nearing the time for us to cross the line and then is when we get initiated.  Tonight Jan 3, Neptune ahoyed us and told the men that he was coming aboard at 9 oclock on the next day.  And he certainly did come aboard and we had great sport that day.  I got mine and am not a bit sorry.  I was up on the focastle and one of the equator police spied me and he run me up to a fellow who took my name then I was turned over to the doctor who gave me a "phony" pill.  Then a fellowed me on the head with a mallet to see if it was sound.  I was then turned over to a fellow who had a lot of yellow stuff in a barrel and had a big brush also helooked at me and asked me a question when I answered he daubed the brush in my mouth and another fellow with a big sponge rubbed the same stuff all over my head face neck sholders and then shoved me to the barber who made a few passes at me with a big wooden razor and another fellow grabbed me and threw me into a big tank foll of water where some more had the pleasure of giving me a duckinng.  I was glad to get out when they let me.  I got my certificate and will mail it with this letter.  (Sat, Afternoon, Jan 11)  As this is Sat. and a half holiday am going to write some more on this letter I started a few days ago.  Just wish you could see me as I don not know whether my skin thatt is face arms sholders and hands will ever get white again they are pretty brown now and goodness knows what they will be when wwwe reach Frisco.  I tried to sleep a little while this pm but it ws so hot every place I got I finnially gave it up as a bad job.  I am anxious for now as it has been over a month since we have had mail.  There will be plenty when we get to Rio but I can hardly wait.  We are still at sea and making a little better than 11 knots.  Yesterday I worked pretty hard.  You do not know hwat rain is until you get down in this climate.  It come up a rain yesterday right after dinner and the drops were as big as hens eggs.  It did not last long but later it started in again and kep at it all night lonng.  As yet we have seen no land that none that we could see with the naked eye.  A few nights ago we came very near running into a sailing ship but lucky enough for them we sheered to port and came in front of the Rhode Island who nearly run into us.  That same night a fellow was dreaming and hollered "man overboard" in his sleep.  This ship signalsed all other and all ships came to a halt.  We all turned on our search lights also lowered a launch.  We had beenhunting about 1/2 hour when the guilty party awoke and explained matters to the officer of the deck and got 2 days in the brig.  I have been in my turret for about 1 hour writing and am wet through with sweat.  How is everything in Bellefonte now.  Is business as good as ever.  I think Pop struck a pretty good thing there to what I seen but is his business advertised further into the country.  You know advertising does not cost so much but always pays in the long run.  Will have to quit now and write some more Sunday.  (Tuesday evening Jan 14, 1908)  I am going to try and finish this letter now I have not had a chance since Saturday to write to anybody.  We got mail today and out of it I got five letters, two postcards and a little package.  I flet pretty glad when I heard mailo.  Well we came in sight of land Sunday morning and came in to single file.  The Yanktoon steamed to the Connecticut and put the harbor pilot aboard.  We stayed in sight of land till we dropped anchor.  It is certainly a pretty place and at the entrance to the harbor there is three forts and they fired a salute and we answered them.  The harbor is a very spacy place and was full of pleasure boats when we arrived.  Three Brazillian man-of-war escorted us in to the harbor.  They cme out to meet us about 1 oclockand after saluteing turned around and came into the harbor.  There are 2 German battleships and a number of Brazillian battleships, also some French.  Some of them look funny and none are as large as our smallest ship in the fleet.  We did not drop anchor till 4 oclock and then officers from foreigh ships were coming aboard to visit and that same day we rigged up coaling gear.  I had to run a search light till 10  oclock and then turned in only to get up at 4:30 and run a deck wench for coaling purpose all day. and at night went on my searchlight.  We did not get through till 2 oclock Tuesday morning after taking on 1600 tons of coal.  The crew all slep in till 7 oclock and then went to cleaning ships and I haave been at it all day.  I am pretty tired now.  I don't know whether I can bet ashore or not.  Got 3 letters from Lucy and they are pretty nice.  Guess I will close now with love to all .  I remain well and happy.  M H. Willard, USS Georgia.

Activity in Rio Harbor

Much of a sailors life during the cruise was spent aboard ship in the harbor.  Rarely did more than 1/3 of the fleet sailors go ashore at one time.  Instead they were aboard ship cleaning, repairing, or standing watches.  Many awaited their turn for liberty based on good behavior to earn their liberty card.  The sites became the activities around the ship including the photos of the torpedo launches within the harbor of Rio and the foreign officers visiting the ship.

Callao, Peru

February 27, 1908

Dear Folks and all

We all piled in the street car and went out to the bull ring and got off.  Then we formed in to column of squads and marched into the arena.  The officers of the fleet was at one side while the jackies occupied two sides and on the other side was Presidents, Admirals & Captains in boxes.  The price of admission for civilians or outsiders was 30 to 40 soles which is 30 – 40 dollars in their money and $15 to $20 in our money. 

The fighters was all from Spain and the bulls were named after the Admirals.  Admiral Emory’s bull being named “Teddy”.  Then there was a bull named after the officers of the fleet and also one for the bluejackets.  They made short work of the first bull because he was not very large.  The second they had quite a time with.  When he came into the ring he was followed by 4 men on horseback and they threw little spears into him to anger him.  After he was pretty mad they left and the fighters came on.  They had big red capes and kept waving them in front of the bulls.  They were not on horseback and they had to kill the bull with swords and in order to kill him or reach him they had to get pretty close.  At last he made a plunge for a fellow and the fellow just jumped aside and made one plunge with his sword and the bull was done for.  Then some men came in on horse back dragging a two wheeled truck and rode around the arena and then put a rope around the bull horns raised his had up on the truck and dragged him off.  The third bull was more vicious yet and one follow was caught in the under the chin by a horn and it come out up by his nose.  He is not dead yet but there is not hopes.  After he got hurt he jumped up and run off the ring holding his chin while blood was running all down his arm.  Another fellow went out and me just ade one pass at the bull and killed him.  They made short work of the 4 & 5^th bull but when it came to the 6^th one which was named after the bluejackets they were certainly up against the real thing.  One fellow got right in under the bull and if it had not been for another fellow who got the bulls attention that first man would be hooked right through but this second man got the b ull away and the bull charged and caught this fellow right in the leg above the knee and tore his leg up to his thigh.  Laid it right open to the bone and then sheered off and run it into his stomach and for awhile I thought he was dead.  When the bull got his horn in his stomach he just picked him  up and spun him around in the air four or five times and then let him down and they carried him off to the dressing room.  Another fellow went in and put the bull out of business.  There was only six bulls and the fight was interesting but none of it for “Muh”.  We left there about 5 p.m. and got back to the ship at 8 bells. 

Tuesday I went over to an island to play baseball.  They claim here that this island came up in one night.  Their story says that a fisherman ws fishing and this island rose up out of the water in under him.  This island is lake a desert and is used as a store place for explosives.  They have a few soldiers on guard over there and also an armory.  They speak Spanish but we met one man who could say some few words in English.  I got some very pretty shells on the beach and will send them when I reach Frisco. 

Wednesday we went ashore to play ball again and had the electrical gunner with us.  They were going to charge us two soles for four in a cab to take us out there to the bull ring.  A man came up and he heard us trying to talk to the Peruvians and he told us in good English he would direct us to where we could get an electric car.  He did that and got on with us and payed for the whole bunch, 13 in all, and took us on out to the bull ring.  He then bid us good bye and shook hands and before he left we asked him where he lived and he told us in Callao.  He went 15 miles out of his way to show us to the bull ring. 

After our game we came back to Callao and had a look around the place.  I wanted a basket of fruit and there was a lady who was standing right there waiting for a car.  She was good looking and swell dressed and I went up and asked her if she spoke English and Spanish.  She says Oh ! Yes I am from the States myself.  They priced the fruit and I got a basket which cost me 1 sol and ½ sol.  I offered her the basket of fruit and she said she had plenty of them growing up to her home.  After than I left and we all went down to the dock got in the boat and came back to the ship. 

Thursday there was another bull fight but did not go as we are going to illuminate ship tonight. 

Guess I will ring off now with love to all I am as ever

Your Son & brother

Milton Willard

San Diego, Cal.

April 17, 1908

Dear Folks,

As I have nothing to do at present will start a letter to you.  I have looked for a letter from you every day but have not received one as yet.  We left Magdalena Bay on Saturday morning and was at sea till Tuesday afternoon at 12:45 when we dropped anchor just off Coronado Beach at San Diego.  They certainly gave us a hearty welcome and will send you a paper telling you all about it.  As soon as we arrived and dropped anchor the officers extended greetings to each other.  We illuminated ship at night and the people say that it beat anything they ever saw.  Wednesday was the big naval parade and I of course took part in it.  We carried rifles, canteen belts, and bayonets.  The distance was about ten miles.  The people cheered us all the way.  The parade marched past the reviewing stand and then to the plaza for rest.  We stacked arms and drank lemonade till the battalion was called to attention and then we got back into company and marched back to the landing to pile in our boats and then go back to the ship.

Our money was no good in San Diego as everything was free.  Thursday was visiting day and a good many visitors were aboard.  Some brought lunches and did not leave until 5:30 p.m.  I did not go ashore only in the parade as only special first class men got liberty and I am only first class.  Friday, today was visiting day and I met some very fine people from Los Angeles.  They want me to come and visit them when we get to Long Beach.  I am very nearly run out of news and nothing to write about.  Seen a few cowboys and I was talking to a couple of them and they said they rode 400 miles to see us.  People even came from New York to see the ships.  We take up anchor at 6:30 a.m. and as I will have to be up early will close now and write again from Long Beach.

Love to all,

Milton