With the Fleet at the Beginning of Battle: The Cruise of Sixteen Battleships of the United States Atlantic Fleet from Hampton Roads to the Golden Gate, December 1907 to May 1908 is a fascinating book written by Franklin Matthews. In his book, the author talks about the exciting journey of the American fleet across the US coast, from northern Virginia to the west coast of California. Readers will feel like they are part of the journey with the soldiers and sailors aboard these sixteen warships. The author describes in detail every stop, meeting, training and combat that took place during the cruise. Through his eyes, the battle becomes more colorful and the journey more interesting. Franklin Matthews offers the reader not only to relax with the book, but also to immerse himself in the history and atmosphere of the end of the 19th and beginning of the 20th centuries.