Oltenitza, June 29 [1877][1]

My dear Chummeke: -- A letter from Paris just received tells me that you prolonged your stay there as, indeed, I hoped you would for a week or two longer than you named when I left. I wish you were there now – and I also for that matter for it is rather dull just now. I have seen two battles and thirst for more and where the Turks send only a half dozen shells this way every day it gets monotonous. Human nature is incomprehensible, it adapts itself much too easily to circumstances. Within two days after arriving in [page 2] a bombarded town one gets discouragingly familiar with the situation and ceases to look up when he hears a report. We are having a disagreeable species of Guerrilla warefare (sp) here. The lines are very close and a great number of outposts on each side keep up an almost continual rifle popping so that it is dangerous to approach the batteries and even rather unpleasant to stand on the edge of the town and watch the shooting a quarter of a mile away. I got out of it in a hurry once when I heard the “zip” too close. The division General a favorite officer here was wounded that way only two days ago. The Turks potted him in the shoulder.

[Page 3] Success in this kind of journalism is difficult. I was the first to get through a description of the battle & crossing at Galatz. I hope you read it in the Daily News. Great fun! I crossed over to Matchie with the soldiers and gobbled up a whole share of the booty…I am quite warlike now. You wouldn’t know me. White Russian cap, light grey uniform coat with silver buttons, riding breeches and tall boots with spurs. Immense get up! On my left arm I have to wear a gorgeous decoration of the Russian colors in silk (Black, yellow & white) with the double headed eagle and the word KoRRECNOHAEHTB (correspondent) and the number of my authorization No 42 worked I silver and gold bullion. Most stunning effect I assure you.

[Page 4] I am spooning frightfully with a young Greek here – Oltenitza. He is a first rate fellow. I shall leave here tomorrow morning probably for Gingevo where things are now lively and I shall post this there because there is no mail from here until the Monday next. Give my regards to Miss Hardy if you see her. To Wetherbee and all the rest. I am at work some for the Graphic so you may unwittingly admire some of my illustrations – who knows? Write me, that’s a good boy and direct care of American Consul Bucharest

With much love

Yours always

Francesco

(In a hurry of course)[2]

Notes

1. Olteniţa is a city in Romania in the Călăraşi County on the left bank of the Argeş River where its waters reach the Danube through a network of streams and marshes. Oltenita stands just across the Danube from the Bulgarian city of Tutrakan.
2. At this point, letters from Millet to Stoddard drop off dramatically and his next letter is more than a year later.