Elizabeth MacDonough

It was only six years since California had become United States territory, while there was as yet no transcontinental railroad.

At seventy-five, I am writing in the hope of giving some pleasure to my countrymen, from whom I have received such exceptional honors, and in the hope that my narrative may be of some value and inspiration to the young men of the Navy of today, who are serving with the same purpose that animated the men of Decatur's, Macdonough's, and Farragut's day, and later the men of our squadrons who fought at Manila and Santiago.

I may add that in everything that refers to my command of the Asiatic Squadron in eighteen ninety-eight and eighteen ninety-nine, the greatest pains have been taken to ensure the correctness of every detail.

But in the reminiscences of a more remote period, I must often depend upon my recollection of incidents which were not recorded at the time that they came under my observation.