The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1898-07-20
A Confederate Parallel.

The expressions regarding Admiral
Dewey's magnificent victory, "It is
unparalleled, it is phenomenal, - fol
lowed by such remarks as that the
American people will not forgive
Sampson if he does not win victory
or make a triumph so dear to the
Spanish that they will not survive
another, brought forth the following
from my old friend, the Ex-Confede-
rate officer:
"This is all very we'll, but the
action of Dewey S squadron at Manlia'
while phenomenal, is not unparalleled,
as claimed. The destruction of the
frigates Cumberland and Congress,
the silcncing OF shore batteries at
Newport News, the partial destruction
of the Minnesota, tLc driving back OF
the Minnesota and the Lawrence and
other vessels sent to the assistance OF
those named, was accomplished by
lust as few casualties up to the time
the Congress struck her colors and the
transfer of the prisoners from her
began
OF course everybody will under
stand that it was the historical per-
formance Of the Virginia, better (but
less properly known as the Merrimac,
in Hampton Roads to which my naval
friend and authority referred. He
continued:
cit was after that time, and while
the white flag was flying on her, that
Admiral Buchanan, Lieut. Taylor and
other Confederate officers and men
were killed or wounded. In both
cases it was the expected, but not the
unprepared for, that happened. The
Federal vessels attacked by Buchanan
were for that day more up-to-date,
better equipped carrying more guns
and better drilled than was Montejo
feet of this new era. Looking at the
situation, therefore, in the light OF
the past, as we'll as that of the pres
ent, I think the gallant Dewey's
action more nearly resembles the then
really unparalleled attack made by
Buchanan than it does the passage
of Admiral Farragut into Mobile
Bay.
"The latter commanded vessels and
men flushed with success at New
Orleans and on the Mississippi. He
knew almost to nicety the capacity
Of his own ships and men, as we'll as
the nature of the ships and defences,
both ahoat and ashore, which they
were called on to assail.
sAs in Buchanan case, Dewey
commanded entirely untried men, and
a class Of modern-built ships whose
capacity to resist up-to-datc artillery,
shore batteries, torpedo boats and
submarine mines was altogether an
unknown quantity. Montejo, with the
latter to support him, evidently felt as
secure as did the gallant commander
of the Cumberland, when, on the
appearance of the Merrimac, he called
his crew to quarters, and is stated
to have thus bravely addressed them:
:sMy lads, here comes the great
Southern bug-a-boo.' Stand to your
guns, and in fifteen minutes she is
ours.
''They did stand to their guns, and
furnished an unparalleled example,
which our foemen at Manila have just
emulated, by firing their last broad
side as the ship sank with them in
Hampton Roads.
"The geographical situation at Ma
Mia may have more nearly resembled
that in Mobile Bay, but I submit that
all the conditions are almost identical
with those Of the Hampton Roads
fight, and to that extent rebound
more to the credit of our gallant new
admiral. ''-Riczmond Dispatch.