The Conquest of America

_Thus saith the Lord, Behold, a people cometh from the north country; and a great nation shall be stirred up from the uttermost parts of the earth. They lay hold on bow and spear; they are cruel, and have no mercy; their voice roareth like the sea, and they ride upon horses; every one set in array, as a man to the battle, against thee, O daughter of Zion_.

Jeremiah 6: 22, 23.

_They seemed as men that lifted up Axes upon a thicket of trees. And now all the carved work thereof together They break down with hatchet and hammers. They have set thy sanctuary on fire; They have profaned the dwelling place of thy name even to the ground. They said in their heart, Let us make havoc of them altogether: They have burned up all the synagogues of God in the land_.

Psalms 74: 5-8.

CONTENTS

CHAPTER

TO MY FELLOW AMERICANS

I. I WITNESS THE BLOWING UP OF THE PANAMA CANAL

II. AMERICAN AEROPLANES AND SUBMARINES BATTLE DESPERATELY AGAINST THE GERMAN FLEET

III. GERMAN INVADERS DRIVE THE IRON INTO THE SOUL OF UNPREPARED AMERICA

IV. INVASION OF LONG ISLAND AND THE BATTLE OF BROOKLYN

V. GENERAL VON HINDENBURG TEACHES NEW YORK CITY A LESSON

VI. VARIOUS UNPLEASANT HAPPENINGS IN MANHATTAN

VII. NEW HAVEN IS PUNISHED FOR RIOTING AND INSUBORDINATION

VIII. I HAVE A FRIENDLY TALK WITH THE GERMAN CROWN PRINCE AND SECURE A SENSATIONAL INTERVIEW

IX. BOSTON OFFERS DESPERATE AND BLOODY RESISTANCE TO THE INVADERS

X. LORD KITCHENER VISITS AMERICA AND DISCUSSES OUR MILITARY PROBLEMS

XI. HEROIC ACT OF BARBARA WEBB SAVES AMERICAN ARMY AT THE BATTLE OF TRENTON

XII. REAR ADMIRAL THOMAS Q. ALLYN WEIGHS CHANCES OF THE AMERICAN FLEET IN IMPENDING NAVAL BATTLE

XIII. THE GREAT NAVAL BATTLE OF THE CARIBBEAN SEA

XIV. PHILADELPHIA’S FIRST CITY TROOPS DIE IN DEFENCE OF THE LIBERTY BELL

XV. THRILLING INCIDENT AT WANAMAKER’S STORE WHEN GERMANS DISHONOUR AMERICAN FLAG

XVI. AN AMERICAN GIRL BRINGS NEWS THAT CHANGES THE COURSE OF THE MOUNT VERNON PEACE CONFERENCE

XVII. THOMAS A. EDISON MAKES A SERIOUS MISTAKE IN ACCEPTING A DINNER INVITATION

XVIII. I WITNESS THE BATTLE OF THE SUSQUEHANNA FROM VINCENT ASTOR’S AEROPLANE

XIX. GENERAL WOOD SCORES ANOTHER BRILLIANT SUCCESS AGAINST THE CROWN PRINCE

XX. THIRD BATTLE OF BULL RUN WITH AEROPLANES CARRYING LIQUID CHLORINE

XXI. THE AWAKENING OF AMERICA

XXII. ON CHRISTMAS EVE BOSTON THRILLS THE NATION WITH AN ACT OF MAGNIFICENT HEROISM

XXIII. CONFESSIONS OF AN AMERICAN SPY AND BRAVERY OF BUFFALO SCHOOLBOYS

XXIV. NOVEL ATTACK OF AMERICAN AIRSHIP UPON GERMAN SUPER-DREADNOUGHT

XXV. DESPERATE EFFORT TO RESCUE THOMAS A. EDISON FROM THE GERMANS

XXVI. RIOTS IN CHICAGO AND GERMAN PLOT TO RESCUE THE CROWN PRINCE

XXVII. DECISIVE BATTLE BETWEEN GERMAN FLEET AND AMERICAN SEAPLANES CARRYING TORPEDOES

ILLUSTRATIONS

ABOUT NOON ON THE DAY OF CAPITULATION, MAY 25, 1921, A DETACHMENT OF GERMAN SOLDIERS MARCHED UNOBSERVED UP BROADWAY, TURNED INTO WALL STREET, AND STOPPED OUTSIDE THE BANKING HOUSE OP J. P. MORGAN & COMPANY

AS THE GERMAN LANDING OPERATIONS PROCEEDED, THE NEWS OF THE INVASION SPREAD OVER THE WHOLE REGION WITH THE SPEED OF ELECTRICITY. THE ENEMY WAS COMING! THE ENEMY WAS HERE! WHAT WAS TO BE DONE?

THEN, FACING INEXORABLE NECESSITY, GENERAL WOOD ORDERED HIS ENGINEERS TO BLOW UP THE BRIDGES AND FLOOD THE SUBWAYS THAT LED TO MANHATTAN. IT WAS AS IF THE VAST STEEL STRUCTURE OF BROOKLYN BRIDGE HAD BEEN A THING OF LACE. IN SHREDS IT FELL, A TORN, TRAGICALLY WRECKED PIECE OF MAGNIFICENCE