The united opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1881-1970, 1898-05-20
DEWEY'S NAVAL CAREER
Long and Valiant Service of the
Hero of Manila.
HIS RECORD IN THE CIVIL WAR.

He Set FIRE TO Lne obed" SioOp nhissis-
sippi When She Grounded Under the
Confederate Batteries at Port Huron
and Blew Her Up-His Rare Nerve.
"He is a dangerous man to tackle and
q handy fellow in fight, said an Off
Ger at the Brooklyn navy yard of George
Dewey when the news of the commo-
dore's splendid victory in Manila bay
was received. 1.-THE Spaniards didn't
know the sort Of man they had to do
with. He ran right into their harbor
with his whole feet and laughed at
their mines and defenses.
Those words voice the opinions of the
whole navy as to one phase of Commo-
dore George Dewey's character. AS sail
or, navigator, fighter, commander, he
combines cool, accurate judgment and
the exercise of the highest professional
skill with the audacious bravery that
has placed his recent achievement in
the forefront in the glorious annals of
the American navy. This great exploit
of Dewey's is simply master stroke
consistent with life's career Of brave
and honorable service for his country
upon the seas.
Born in Montpelier, VT, in 1887, he
was graduated from the Naval academy
at Annapolis in 1865 and went on the
steam frigate Wabash, cruising with the
Mediterranean squadron until 1863.
When Fort Sumter was fired on, Dewey
was in Montpelier. just one week later,
April 10, 1861, he was commissioned
lieutenant, and was assigned at once to
the steam sloop Mississippi, which was
to take part in the fierce fighting of the
west gulf squadron. 1t was on this YES
sci that he got his baptism of fire.
Captain Melanothon Smith command
ed the Mississippi, side wheeler of II
guns This vessel was with Farragut in
one Of the hottest naval battles of the
civil war, when the admiral's squadron
forced an entrance into the mouth of
the Mississippi river, running the gantlet
of land batteries into New Orleans and
compelling the surrender of that city in
April, 1862.
Commodore Dewey's second smell Of
powder and smoke was the last fight in
which the Mississippi engaged in
March, 1863 when the feet tried to
run the Confederate batteries at Port
Huron. Several of the ships reached
the narrow part of the channel, where
they met the land batteries almost muz-
gle to muzzle, being forced to beat a
hasty retreat. The day was a foggy
one, and amid the denseness Of the fog
and smoke of battle the Mississippi lost
her bearings and grounded on shore.
A quick survey of the surroundings
showed her officers that she kad struck
the shore almost in the mouth of the
line of Notifications which were the
strongest and best along the shore. In
an instant the old ship was riddled
with $50 shot. Her officers foresaw that
she was a complete loss, and, setting fire
to her, they took to small boats and
made shore on the opposite side of the
river. The officers and marines had
hardly landed before the fire reached
the boats magazines, and terrific ex-
plosion scattered her to fragments.
The "History of Our Navy" thus de-
scribes some of the events of this occa-
sion when young Dewey was learning
his first lessons in naval warfare:
"The Pensacola and the Mississippi
steamed slowly, with their black hulls,
at irregular intervals sheeting the air
with lurid fire as they replied to the
forts. Abreast of st. Philip, where the
Confederate fire was hottest they drew
In so close that the gunners af1oat and
those ashore heartily cursed each other
as they worked"
On the Mississippi Dewey learned the
same heartbreaking lesson that % years
later he taught "the fighting Montijo'
Mt Manilla-how to lose his ship. Ad-
miraI David D. Porter in his "Naval
History of the Civil War;" thus de-
scribes the end of the Mississippi, which
came on the river she was named after,
while she was trying to run Port Hud'
sons powerful batteries:
"The steamship Mississippi, Captain
Melancthon Smith, followed in the
wake of the Monongahela. firing when
ever her guns could be brought to bear.
At 1880 o'clock she reached the turn
which seemed to give our vessels sc
much trouble, and Captain Smith wal
concentrating himself on the prospect
of soon catching up with the flag officer
when his ship grounded and heeled ovel
three streaks to port. The engines were
instantly reversed and the port guns run
in in order to bring her ON an even keel
while the fire from her starboard bat
terry was reopened upon the forts The
engines were backed with all the steam
that could be put upon them, and the
hacking was continued for 80 minutes
but without avail
sit was now seen that it would b
impossible to get the ship afloat Cap
tain Smith gave the order to spike thu
port battery and throw the guns over
board, but it was not done, for the en-
emys fire was becoming so rapid ant
severe that the captain deemed it in
dicious to abandon the ship at once il
order to save the lives of the men
While preparations were being made t.
destroy the ship the sick and the wound
ed were lowered into boats and convey
ed ashore, while the men at the star
board battery continued to fight Il
splendid style, firing at every flash
the enemy's guns. The small arms wer