The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1898-05-10
DEWEY.
n Brief Sketch of the Naval Onlccr
who Gained the First Victory i'm
EiShiinS the Spaniarus.

Commodore George Dewey. OF the
Asiatlc squadron, who won a victory in
the first fight of the American.Spaiish
war, is q fighter Of the old school. He
has been in many battles and has
always come out with glory and honor.
HIS first detail after joining the
navy was with the old frigate Wabash,
OF the Mediterranean squadron, in
lSo3-50. and it was this connection
which made him the officer to com
mand the Asiatic squadron at this criti-
cal time.
Commodore Dewey was born IN Yer
mont on December 20, 1897. He was
appointed from Vermont TO tn Naval
academy in 1891, graduating four
years later. Immediately upon gradua.
ZOO he was assigned, to the Wabash,
and eight days alter Fort Monroe was
lred upon he was transferred to the
Mississippi, under Admiral Farragut,
then doing duty in the Cuff SQUAD
ron.
D9wey was with Earragut when one
OF the hottest naval BATTLES of the
civil war occurred, ana forced an en-
trance into the mouth Of The Missis-
slppl river, running he gauntlet of
land batteries in TO New Orleans and
compelling the surrender of that citv
in April, 1862.
Commodore Dewey's second smell of
powder and smoke was the last fight
IN which the Mississippi engaged, in
March, 1868 whcn the l4et 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
muzz!e to muzzle, being forced to beat
il nasty retreat. The day was a foggy
nnn and a ~ i'll tha 80
and smoke Of Battle the MississipLi
lost her bearings and grounded on |
shore.
a quick survey of the SURROUNDINGS
showed her officers that she had struck
the shore almost in the mouth of the
line OF Qualifications, which we're the
strongest and best along the shore.
In an instant the old sloop was
riddled with $50 bullets. Her officers
ioresaw that she was a complete loss
and, setting fire to her, they took to
small boats and made shore on the Cd.
side OF the river.
Dewey was next attached to the
steam gunboat Agawan of the North
h~lockadlng squadron, and he
.o0k part in the two attacks made on
fprt Fisher in December, 1864, and
'anuary, 1860. In March, 1863, he got
Ills commission as lieutenant com
nander, and as such served on the ia y
old Keasarge and on the Colo .
'adO, The flagship OF the European s
qnadron, until 1868, when he was sent :
or service TO the Naval Academy. =
1ls Irst command was in 1870, when
10 a the Narragansctt, doing special
erVlce. de became a commander in
Aprli, 1872. and, still on the Nara.
.'ansett, was engaged in making sur
eys OF the Pacific until 1876, when he j
'as made Is lighthouse inspector and
ltcr the secretary OF tho lipbthonse
GARD. He commanded the Juntata
the Asiatic station in 1928 and
q Septcmoe", 1884, was made q CAP C
an and put in charge of the Dolphin, Il
zen brand new and ono of the four u
essells which formed the original 8
white squedron." The following b
ear he was sent to command the fl 40. a
pip Pensacola OF the European squad a
On, and he stayed there until 1889, q
e he become the chief Of the bu. il
OF equipment and recruit, with I'll
rank OF commodore. This place ft
g held until 1893, when he was made h
member Of the lighthouse board, W
e got his commission as commodore al
} February 70, 1896, and at about the nc
Tune was made president OF the
'ard OF inspection and survey. This W
ace he held until he was put In com W
n OF b Asiatic station In Janu- n,
y of this year. q,
Washington Post declares he W
as one OF the most popular men In G
10 official life OF Washington during dc
years In that city, and a prominent M
ub man., but was known everywhere S,
a fighter. Hs came OF fighting stock bi
"a was q fighter from boyhood. His W
ther was a country physician and co
OF some means. People of Wash. co
gton know him So a very determined W,
an In all his relations, but, wjtbal. tb
lite, affable, and o congenial com. DE
Lion. In personal appearance he is m,
little under the medium height. pj
'ckily built, with broad, HEAVIEST Lc
oulder He has snappy black eyss, iu
ay hair and m%ustache, and is ALWAYS no,
In perfect apparel. He loves Sc