Notes Of A War Correspondent:

by Richard Harding Davis

So even when the men were formed into three sides of a hollow square, they were scarcely able to distinguish one another in the uncertain light of the morning. There were about three hundred soldiers in the formation. They belonged to the volunteers, and they deployed upon the plain with their band in front playing a jaunty quickstep, while their officers galloped from one side to the other through the grass, seeking a suitable place for the execution. Outside the line the band still played merrily. A few men and boys, who had been dragged out of their beds by the music, moved about the ridges behind the soldiers, half-clothed, unshaven, sleepy-eyed, yawning, stretching themselves nervously and shivering in the cool, damp air of the morning.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Journalism

114 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1911

About the author

Richard Harding Davis (1864–1916) was a journalist and writer of fiction and drama, known foremost as the first American war correspondent to cover the Spanish-American War, the Second Boer War, and the First World War. His writing greatly assisted the political career of Theodore Roosevelt and he also played a major role in the evolution of the American magazine. His influence extended to the world of fashion and he is credited with making the clean-shaven look popular among men at the turn of the 20th century.

Reviews

[William · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wonderfully told first-hand accounts of the Greek-Turkish War, the Boer War, and the Spanish-American War. Davis observes with insight, understanding, and often surprising humor (when called for). He does not glorify war but rather points out the heroes and villains it creates on all sides. Readers may especially find interesting his early 20th-century advice on how to equip oneself for following such campaigns.

[Stephen Tubbs · Rating 3 out of 5]

It is always interesting to hear or read eye witness accounts rather than, or in addition to, second-hand history. There are different narrators and unfortunately, these are of varying quality as are some of the technical aspects of the recordings - although I would imagine these were completed some years ago.