"Lafayette Street Bridge,
"Tampa, Fla., June 5, 1898.

"Respectfully referred to Lieut. John H. Parker for his information.

"Jno. T. Thompson,
"1st Lieut., Ordnance Dept, U. S. A."

It will be seen from the first endorsement that a certain amount of
discretion was left to the detachment commander. He was authorized to
take action if he could make the arrangements suggested within. Lieut.
Thompson had authorized an escort for the reserve ammunition, if it
was considered necessary. The detachment commander resolved to take
action by using his whole detachment as an escort, putting it on board
the Cherokee, with the reserve ammunition, and accompanying it to its
destination--in Cuba, trusting to the future to enable him to complete
the detachment according to the first endorsement.

It was now 11 o'clock in the forenoon. Between that time and 4 o'clock
it was necessary to obtain two freight cars, have them placed upon the
siding at a convenient point, have more than twenty wagon-loads of
ammunition, camp equipage, etc., placed in these cars, have the four
guns with their limbers placed on board, and, more difficult than all
the rest, go through the necessary red tape at the quartermaster's
office in order to get the two cars moved to Port Tampa. It was all
accomplished.

The general freight agent was bluffed into believing that unless the
two cars were instantly set where they were wanted his whole railroad
would be tied up. The quartermaster was hypnotized and dropped