As war with Spain grew imminent, Dewey moved the fleet from Hong Kong to Mirs Bay.

When he received the declaration, Caldwell made a daring journey through hostile and undeveloped parts of China, by open boat and on horseback, to deliver the news to Dewey.

[1] Caldwell commanded Holland during its pre commissioning trials off Newport, Rhode Island in August to September 1900.

During the trials, Caldwell closed to within torpedo range of the USS Kearsarge, flagship of the U.S. Navy's North Atlantic Squadron, without being detected.

[3] After the war, he resumed his position at the C. L. Chester Pictures Corporation where he met and, in 1921, married Katherine Hilliker (née Clark).

Together they collaborated to write plays and movie scenarios for leading companies like Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, United Artists, and Fox.

They also worked as production editors on many well-known silent and talking pictures, including Ben Hur and 7th Heaven.

[2][5][22] Caldwell died in the Brooklyn Naval Hospital on April 27, 1939[2] and is buried with his wife in Arlington National Cemetery.