1901 (26 page)

Wood gulped. “Yes, sir.” Longstreet smiled to himself. Wood was a capable administrator who also happened to be a close friend of the president’s. An unbeatable combination if Wood played his cards right, and Longstreet was confident he would.

Longstreet smiled benignly. “I’ve spoken with the president and Mr. Hay and we are in agreement about what the Germans are likely to do. In strictly European fashion, they’ve fought us for a particular goal. They do not want to conquer and occupy this country. They want exactly what they asked for, which is Cuba, Puerto Rico, and the rest of our possessions, as well as rights to the Isthmus of Panama and other intrusions into the New World. They’ve done this before and think this is the way to get what they want.

“Thus when they invaded New York and defeated us at Danbury, they fully expected us to cry uncle and wanted to talk about settling. Since we haven’t, we understand they are a little confused and frustrated. They know they can’t sustain their operation forever. It was not their intention to go to a full war of nations against us, and it still isn’t. They do not want an extended stay in New York.

“On the other hand,” he said with a grim smile, “we will do all in our power to make their adventure an uncomfortable and unpleasant one. Mac, I hate frontal assaults like what happened so tragically at Danbury. I have seen them fail everywhere. They cost too much in humanity and I will not have it. Some criticize me as a general who is overcautious. Well, I’ll accept that if the alternative is to be reckless.”

MacArthur nodded. “A siege then? Combined with irregular operations?”

“Exactly. And for however long it takes.”

“And what if they decide to continue toward Hartford and Boston instead of staying in their forts? At the rate they are enlarging their force and piling up supplies, they could soon be strong enough to do it.”

“If that happens,” said Longstreet, “then we will fight them in open battle and God help us. And please, General MacArthur, no frontal assaults. Let them come to us.”

The next day’s meeting had a significantly different cast and approach. Longstreet and Roosevelt were there, but Hay was not. Secretary of the Navy John Long attended, and Adm. George Dewey, the hero of Manila Bay and ranking naval officer, was the primary guest.

And “guest” was the proper term. Longstreet as a four-star general reported directly to the secretary of war; Dewey, the senior admiral, reported directly to the secretary of the navy. Thus the rivalry between the two services was legitimized and institutionalized by a table of organization that emphasized their separateness. It was somewhat affected too, by the fact that Theodore Roosevelt had served as assistant secretary of the navy and was sometimes accused of considering the fleet his personal toy.

Longstreet greeted Dewey cordially. It was the first time they’d ever met and they took stock of each other warily, like two dogs meeting on a street. Dewey was a trim and fit-looking man of average height and build but of impressive bearing and commanding presence. One could easily envision him on the bridge of the
Olympia
, white mustache flaring, while directing the battle and daring fate to get his white uniform dirty, much less harm him.

Dewey was sixty-four years old and smiled slightly behind his bushy mustache. “I am honored to finally meet you, General.”

“And I to meet you, sir.”

“General, if you are the slightest bit concerned that I may be difficult to work with, let me assure you of my fullest cooperation. Please recall that I serve in the same navy where Admiral Porter and General Grant worked wonders in cooperation, and I have assured both Secretary Long and the president that you will have that cooperation. Utterly and totally.”

Longstreet responded with mild sarcasm. “I seem to recall some of those wonders causing the fall of Forts Donaldson and Henry, as well as enabling the successful siege of Vicksburg. Don’t you wonder whether we’d be having this conversation if they hadn’t cooperated so fully?”

Dewey joined in the mild laughter. Good, Longstreet thought. Good. “Admiral, I know that you and Captain Mahan have been discussing possible actions. Would you be so kind as to share those thoughts with us?”

“Of course. Have you read Mahan’s books?” Dewey asked, and Longstreet nodded. Alfred Thayer Mahan’s texts were required reading for naval officers throughout the world, and it was rumored that the kaiser had tried to memorize them.

Dewey continued. “Specifically, his theories hold that we should take aggressive action with our main battle fleet as soon as possible. Second, he has felt that a war against an enemy’s commerce is a waste of time. Needless to say, I do not totally agree with him. It is now my goal and obligation to find ways in which the American navy can help win a land war against the Germans, and those ways include cutting off their supply lines and starving them to death.”

Dewey walked briskly to the map. “We have right now about a hundred ships in our navy that can be classified as warships. Most, however, are small, and a disturbing group are old as well. Further, not all are in the Atlantic. A significant number of smaller warships are still on the West Coast or in the Philippines. Frankly, I see no reason to bring them here. Some are so decrepit they might not make the passage around Cape Horn.

“However, the key to our fleet is the existence of our eleven capital ships. These are nine true battleships, including the ancient
Texas
, and two armored cruisers. They have all successfully made their way to the Gulf of Saint Lawrence and are now protected by the British fleet under Admiral Fisher. We also have about two dozen other ships—monitors, cruisers, and gunboats—up there as well, and a few more are scheduled to arrive as soon as and as best they can. The way the British have defined the gulf and excluded the Germans from entering, we are safe in a fairly large body of water.

“Unfortunately, the German navy is larger than ours. They have sixteen capital ships in our waters. If we were to force a fleet action right now we would lose. If that were to happen, we would be opening our shores to bombardment again. It would even permit the Germans to simply take by force the lands they covet without fear of retribution. Without a navy, we could do nothing about it, either now or in the future. They also have about thirty smaller ships—cruisers and the like. One cruiser squadron is in Long Island Sound; the main portion of their fleet is either in New York harbor or just outside it. Quite frankly, I believe they are waiting for us. They know we will have to come to them sooner or later, and they would be able to fight close to their own base and not risk missing us in the Atlantic.”

Dewey paused and took a sip of water. “Other than our fleet in Canada, we have a half dozen older cruisers, about a score of torpedo boat destroyers, and one submarine in various Atlantic ports. There are also some naval reserve ships available, but I would consider these obsolete and useless.”

Longstreet raised an eyebrow. “A submarine?”

“Yes, we took possession about a year ago. A certain John Holland has been trying to build and sell us submarines for a few years now. Some of the European navies have them, so why not us?”

“Do the Germans have any of the things?”

“Not that I am aware of. I also have no idea how well a submarine might work under actual combat conditions.”

“Ah.”

Dewey continued. “Now, our fleet in Canada has not been idle. We have been working with the British under Admiral Fisher and practicing long-overdue fleet maneuvers. We have also been working hard to improve our gunnery techniques. I assume you are aware that a very small percent of our shells fired against the Spanish actually hit them, even though many of their ships were stationary targets.” He sighed. “Despite the victory, it was not an inspiring performance. It seems the technology of the gun has outstripped our ability to use it effectively. Well, a young British officer named Percy Scott has been working with one of our naval officers, William Sims, and they have established both a friendship and a professional rapport. They have also developed a gun-firing technique that appears to improve matters. Evans used it against the German cruisers off Florida, and we are practicing it intensely.”

“Excellent. Are the Germans using it?”

Dewey smiled. “Again, not that we are aware of.”

Dewey returned to a map, this time one of the world. “Germany’s naval ambitions puzzle me. I am a fighting man and not a military philosopher, but I do not understand the Germans. Naval theories say that the oceans can be either a moat or a highway, or, in special cases, both. England is such a special case. The waters around her are her protective moat, which is constantly patrolled by the Royal Navy. Thus any increase in the size of the German fleet is an immediate threat to England’s moat and will be matched by England. Therefore, Germany will never be permitted to catch up to England. Obviously too, the waters of the world are England’s highway and enable that small island to carry on commerce with her far-flung empire and other lands, thereby making her rich and powerful.

“The situation is similar with us. We have long considered the oceans our moat, but they also function as our commercial highways. The fact that our moat has been breached, we hope temporarily, is a sobering lesson.

“Yet Germany is a land power, not a naval power. England is a naval power and not a land power.” Dewey chuckled. “Until the recent war in Africa, England’s army was about the size of ours; thus England’s source of protection was its navy and not its army.

“But now the kaiser, under the prodding of von Tirpitz, is trying to make Germany a naval power as well. It is most puzzling.”

Longstreet humphed. “Are you doubting their ability to succeed?”

Dewey nodded. “Most assuredly, yes. They do not have a great maritime tradition on which to draw. Germany herself is only forty years old, and her coastline, although densely populous and containing key ports, cannot compare with either ours or Britain’s. Further, since they are a land power with arguably the best army in the world, there is the nagging feeling that most of their better military talent naturally gravitates to the army and not the navy.” Dewey smiled genially. “Unlike here, where the navy definitely gets the best.”

Longstreet laughed. “Horseshit.”

Dewey continued. “People like Diedrichs, who commands their North Atlantic Fleet, and von Tirpitz are first rate. I nearly went to battle with Diedrichs after Manila Bay when he and his fleet tried to take control of the city. He and many others are, indeed, very good. Yet I still have doubts as to the depth of that talent. I think this may have manifested itself in their actions since losing those three cruisers. Please recall that forty years ago there was no such thing as a German navy, except as a minimal coastal defense force, and any expansions have been very, very recent. Thus until the Florida battle, no German ship had ever fired a shot in anger against a major power.”

Longstreet saw where Dewey was going. “And they lost badly. Must’ve done wonders for their confidence.”

“Exactly. Right after that, they pulled all their patrolling ships back to Mother and the main fleet. They didn’t even make any effort to interdict our ships on the way to Canada. So far we have lost nothing!”

“Incredible.”

“General,” continued Dewey, “consider also how their ships were built and for what purposes. The German warships are heavily gunned brutes that were designed to take punishment while doing battle against Britain in the rough confines of the Baltic. Unlike our warships and those of England, which are designed for worldwide travel, the German warships do not fare well over great distances. They cannot carry much in the way of supplies and are incredibly cramped. When in port, the luckier crews live in barracks and not on ship in order to prevent disease and dissatisfaction. Our ships are certainly cramped, but theirs are absolutely barbaric in comparison.”

“No pun intended, Admiral,” Longstreet injected, “but it sounds as though you are saying their fleet is an imperfect vessel.”

Dewey nodded. “But potentially a lethal one. It is up to us to devise a way of defeating it while staying away from its claws. I have, of course, the broad outlines of such a plan.”

Dewey glanced around the room. He was relieved that his naval theory lecture had not yet put anyone to sleep. “First, I would like to know from Secretary Long whether our fleet can realistically be enlarged in a short period of time.”

Long took a second to gather his thoughts before responding. “Prior to the Spanish war, we inquired of certain countries whether we might buy ships from them, and we did succeed in purchasing two cruisers from Brazil. One of these was already commissioned and the other was nearing completion in English yards. Although some lesser ships are currently available, as well as older and obsolete ships, there are no foreign capital ships or, for that matter, any modern major ships at all for sale to us.”

“Why?” asked Roosevelt, obviously surprised.

“Sir, none of the European powers, other than England, wishes to risk offending Germany. The South Americans were delighted to help us against Spain, their hated colonial enemy, but they do not love us, have been intimidated by the Germans, and don’t want to wind up on the losing side. Therefore, they will do nothing. Their fondest hope may well be that we destroy each other.”

“Bastards,” muttered Roosevelt.

Dewey ignored the comment. “Mr. Long, what about the
Illinois?
”

Long brightened. “Of course. She has her engines and her big guns, along with much of her crew, and is scheduled for commissioning in a few weeks. That can be expedited and she will be sent immediately to the Saint Lawrence.”

“Sixteen to twelve,” muttered Longstreet. “The ratio is getting better.”

“Almost better,” chided Dewey. “It will take a while to get her in fighting trim. Thus we will go for now with what we have. I will be dividing our fleet into unequal parts while still maintaining overall control. We will also be addressing the officer shortage problem in much the same manner as the army: by recalling ex-officers, promoting underclassmen at the academy, and, if necessary, promoting some enlisted men.