Summary

The Lusitania ocean liner was huge and imposing and docked on the Hudson off Manhattan. The captain inspected the ship which was to set sail on May 1, 1915, for another Atlantic crossing. The voyage was sold out in spite of the war in Europe that had been raging for ten months. Nearly 2,000 were booked to be on board. The ship’s displaced weight was estimated to be 44,000 tons and clocked a top speed of 24 knots. The Lusitania was the fastest civilian ship of its day. Only battleships or destroyers were faster. It was a miracle to many that such a large ship could move that fast.

On August 11, 1914, Ellen Wilson’s body was taken to the train station in Rome, Georgia, to make its way to Rome, Georgia, for the funeral service. Ellen Wilson was the wife of President Woodrow Wilson who was...