Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1898-05-09

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many dangerous risks. Commodore
Dewey's mother was very beautlfui
woman, born in Vermont, too. The old
colonial house at MONTPELIER has long
been the centre of the best society in
the state, and, besides being noted for
her beauty, Mrs. DR.. Dewey was famed
for her ospitality and social graces.
The Dewey family has always kept
up it's ancient style. Mrs. DR.. Dewey
drove about Montpelier in low hang
ing barouche on whose horses silver
plated harness clanked. When the
| townspeople saw the barouche ap-
preaching they said half in awe. half
testing: Here comes the Prince of
Wales carriage"
The DeWeys are EDiscopalians, and
George and his brothers. Charles and
| Edward, We're brought up in the fear OF
God. Those two brothers are now in
business in Montpelier, the props of the
National Life Insurance Company,
| Charles the president and Edward di-
| rector.
Rear-Admiral Dewevs wife, it may
| be said just here, died in 1895, at New
port. She was the fit mate in blood
and spirit for such man. She was the
daughter of Gov. Goodwin, New Hamp-
shire's war governor-a fighting Demo-
| crat, who at his own expense fitted out
the First New Hampshire Regiment
/ rather than call an extra session of the
! Legislature.
incidentally he had some very good
| training in pacing a deck. For one
| form of discipline at the Mortified
| school was to punish an offender by
making him walk, shoudering mus
| ket, certain number of times around
big elm tree on the school grounds.
| This big elm had very widespreadng
roots, 50 that the punishment was more
| severe than it sounds. And George
| Dewey tasted some of it, He was a
| quiet young fellow.
| His father did not approve of fight
| ing. He told his sen: Never fight;
| but when you do, fight for all you are
| worth" 1t would seem that the son
| has borne in mind this advice. He re-
| membered it at the Mortified school
| and so he walked around the elm tree
| once in a while.
| When he was Il years old Dewey
| wen his way, and his family's influence
| had him appointed to the naval aca-
| denny in 1884. He was then slender
| young fellow, with rather high cheek
| bones and a piercing eye-a Yankee
| through and through OF that eye of
| his, whose glance directed the battle in
| Manila harbor, an old townsman said
in 1885. when Dewey went back to
| Montpelier captain BY ginger! /
| b'lieve the captain could lock through a
stun post" Not STERN post, please
| understand-DeWey looked at those
! t'other day-but stone post, for in
Montpelier all the hichting posts are of
| granite.
He was graduated from Annapolis in
| 1858. and went on the steam frigate
| Wabash. cruising with the Mediterran-
| can squadron until 1859. When Fort
| Sumter was fired on Dewey was in
| Montpelier. But he did not stay there.
His Yankee blood was up. Just one
week later. April 10, 1861, he was COM
missioned lieutenant, and was assigned
at once to the steam slooD Mississippi
which was to take part in the fierce
fighting of the West Gulf squadron.
Capt Melanchton Smith commanded
the Mississippi, side wheeler of Il
guns. And. While fighting-unfortun-
ately-with men of Anglo Saxon blood.
his brothers, Dewey learned some les
| sons that have stood him in good stead
with the Spaniards.
On the Mississippi Dewey learned the
same heartbreaking lesson he taught
The Fighting Montiio'-how to lose
his ship. Admiral David D. Porter, in
his Naval History of the Civil War"
thus describes the end of the Missis-
sippi, which came on the river she was
/ off no To
run Port Hudson's powerful batteries:
The steamship Mississippi, Capt
Melanchton Smith. followed in the
wake of the Monongahela. firing when
ever her guns could be brought to bear.
| At 11.30 o'clock she reached the turn
which seemed to give our vessels so
much trouble and Capt. Smith was
congratulating himself on the prospect
of soon catching up with the flag Off
Ger, when his ship grounded and heeled
| over three streaks to port.
/ The engines We're instantly reversed
| and the port guns run in in order to
bring her on an even keel, while the fire
| from her starboard battery was re-
opened upon the forts. The engines
were backed with all the steam that
could be put upon them. and the back
|
| without avail.
| 1T was now seen that it would be i'm
| possible to get the ship ahoat.
| Capt. Smith gave the order to spike
| the port battery and throw the guns
overheard, but it was not done. for the
| enemy's fire was becoming SO rapid
| and severe that the captain deemed it
| judcious to abandon the ship at once
| in order to save the lives of the men.
| While the preparations We're being
made to destroy the ship the sick and
| the wounded We're lowered into boats
| and conveyed ashore, while the men at
| the starboard battery continued to
| fight in splendid style, firing at every
| flash of the enemys guns. The small
| arms We're thrown overheard and all
| possible damage was done to engine and
| everything else that might prove of use
to the enemy.
| THE ship was first set on fire in the
/ forward store room, but three shots
| came through below her water line and
put out the flames. She was then set
fire in four places aft, and when the