Letter from Dwight to Mother - May 10, 1915
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Monday, May 10th, 1915. Jury
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[page 2] ship was listing well over to starboard. I was afraid to go into my cabin as I thought she was going down so made for the bow! I climbed over the railing and down on the deck- I cold hardly stand the ship was listing so - so I took off my shoes and threw away my over coat and hat and book. Then I took a look at things and decided I must have a life belt so I climbed up again and rushed to my cabin, secured the life belt I got at Wanamaker
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[page 3] wreakage! The bubble got bigger and bigger, and fortunately only came to within twenty yards of me shoving wreakage with it. I was making for an overturned life boat when I heard a little boy screaming for his father. I swam to him and told him not to cry and to take hold of my collar which he did -the bravest little chap I ever saw. I managed to reach the upturned boat, got the little chap on it with difficulty and then got up myself, pretty nearly played out. I could hardly move my limbs were so cold. I must have been in the water about one-half to three-quarters of an hour. We were on the upturned boat about ten minutes when sailors came and took us off on a damaged life raft -we picked up about ten or twelve people but couldn
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[page 4] three hours after the atrocity. Fortunately I did not see the harrowing scenes on deck. There was no panic fortunately but naturally great excitement. The most frightful thing of all was the innumerable dead bodies floating about in the water! Men, women, and children. I had to push one or two aside to reach the life boat. The first thing I did on landing was to cable. I do hop you got it soon after hearing the news. I can imagine the horror with which the news was received in New York. I gave them my name at once and an officer took me to one of the hotels. I could hardly walk as I had bruised one of my feet! The townspeople lined the streets and applauded us all as we passed. Every available room was filled. I slept or rather laid awake, at the hotel Imperial, in a room with six men, one a Canadian found his young son in the hospital with both legs broken- another rescued his sister but her husband was lost! The scenes at the Cunard Office were indescribable Evidently none of the people that sat at my table, (four in number,) were saved. An awfully nice Englishman and his wife, Mr. and Mrs. Grudge, who lived in British Honduras, they were coming to England for a month to see their little girl, another English lady, Mrs. Watson, who had come from Hong Kong and a Canadian man, Mr. Chabot from Toronto. I made inquiries everywhere but could not find them and their names are not on the list of the saved! On board we used to play the character game after tea in the lounge and also the game of the World! --friends of theres, Mr and Miss Painter used to play too. Miss Painter was saved but lost her father. Saturday morning I got up at eight and went out and bought a suit of dry clothes. I bought a dry undershirt, pajamas, socks, and cap the night I landed, also a pair of slippers and took a huge dose of whiskey and went to bed. Saturday morning I got a blue suit
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soft shirt and collar and a rain coat. While I was fitting myself out a young American about eighteen came into the shop and said he wanted some dry clothes. The shop-keeper asked him if he had any money and when he said no, he was sending him away so I called him and told the shop-keeper to fit him out, which he did and you have never seen anyone so grateful. He had such an awful expression on his face, I will never forget it. I asked him if he had hit his face but he said no, and then I realized he must have lost someone. I asked him and he said it was his mother. Poor fellow! - I thank God you weren
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Later The day after leaving New York I took a look around and decided that if anything did happen that I would go to the bow. It was absoltuely free of excitement there and I sat on the rail for five minutes before I went overboard. I had no feeling of fear and swam about the same as if I was in a swimming pool. I planned while in the water not to get too far away and even picked up a book I found floating to read the title. I think not losing my head saved me. I
Details
| Title | Letter from Dwight to Mother - May 10, 1915 |
| Creator | Dwight |
| Source | Dwight. Letter to Mother. 10 May 1915. World War I Collection. A1771. Missouri History Museum, St. Louis, Missouri. |
| Description | Letter from a young man to his mother describing the sinking of the Lusitania in vivid detail. |
| Subject LCSH | Shipwrecks; Lusitania (Steamship) |
| Subject Local | World War I; WWI; torpedoes |
| Site Accession Number | A1771 |
| Contributing Institution | Missouri History Museum |
| Copy Request | Transmission or reproduction of items on these pages beyond those allowed by fair use requires the written permission of the Missouri History Museum: 314-746-4510 |
| Rights | The text and images contained in this collection are intended for research and educational use only. Duplication of any of these images for commercial use without express written consent is expressly prohibited. Contact the Missouri History Museum's Permissions Office at 314-746-4511 to obtain written consent. |
| Date Original | May 10, 1915 |
| Language | English |