Veterans Willow

New Ipswich Historical Society

Barr Estate with Veterans Willow on right

William Jurian Kaula diary

9 MAY 1898

The May Day battle of Manilla [sic] Bay was a glorious triumph for our new navy.  Accounts in detail are now being received.  The entire Phillipean [sic] fleet of Spanish warships has been destroyed and also all the shore batteries.  This brilliant feat did not cost us a single life.  The Spanish losses amount into the hundreds and the figures vary with each account.  There is a gloomy outlook in Spain but the defeat at Manilla [sic] will yet be a turning point of policy.  Courage is not wanting, it is the heroism of martyrs rather than champions.  They believe in vindicating their national honor even though the future of Spain is at stake.  The _______ations in Spain have aroused the people into riots.  They care but little about the war when bread is difficult to obtain.  A "short, sharp, and decisive war" is what they talk about in America, but we are enot prepared to strike such mortal blows in Cuba or with the rest of the Spanish fleet.  The invasion of Cuba as it was originally planned will not be carried out as soon as we imagined.  Meanwhile, several hundred thousand non-combatants in Cuba, whom we wished to relieve, will be dead from starvation.  The French liner Lafayette was captured while attempting to run the blockade into Havanna [sic].  The vessel was released and allowed to enter as permission had been granted before she sailed from Europe.  The seizure caused quite a sensation and our government was very prompt in overruling any technicalities and thereby saved international complications.

James Roger diary entry

9th May 1912

Fair and warm forenoon; thunderstorm in afternoon. David went to Dixon Wheeler's in the morning, also to Rafense (or Rafeuse ?) for fertilizer and in afternoon took oil drum to Prescotts’ and brought a load of lumber for Tuttle to Jenny Fox’s. Got letter from Jessie and papers. I fixed Hall for Grange tonight. 22 present