A Gunner Aboard the Yankee

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About this book

The view from a gun port shapes Russell Doubleday's account of service aboard the Yankee during the Spanish-American War of 1898. Drawn from the diary of a member of the after port gun crew, the narrative follows New York Naval Reserves as civilian occupations give way to shipboard duties. Coal handling, watchkeeping and the demands of gunnery supply the practical background to the cruise.

At Santiago, the crew watches American warships exchange fire with shore batteries while keeping its own gun in action. Nicknames and brief exchanges among the men bring their excitement into the account, and one sailor compares the confusion of battle to a circus with too many attractions to follow. Readers interested in naval history or sea adventures will find a close view of the work, comradeship and patriotic enthusiasm of reserve sailors.