Natchitoches populist., 1898-08-05
DEWEY HAS SEEN HOT WORK.


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de Was on the Mississippi, Which Was
Riddled and Blown UP at Port Hudson.
Commodore George Dewey, whose
ieet of United States warships de-
'eated the Spanish feet in the Philip
pine Islands, is an old warrior of the
aavy, who got his christening of fire
aboard the old steam sloop Mississippi,
inder Farragut, in the early days of the
Ayil war. Commodore Dewey is now
about 81 years old He belongs in
Vermont and he was appointed to the
Naval academy from that state in Sep
sember, 1854. -Four years later, when
Ae was graduated, 10 was sent aboard
inc steam frigate Wabash for cruise
IN the Mediterranean. Dewey got his
commission as lieutenant on April 10,
1861, eight days after Fort Sumter
vas fired upon, and he was immedi-
ltely assigned to join the Mississippi
and doduty with the West Gulf squad.
ron. He was on the Mississippi when
she took part with Farragut's other
vessels in forcing an entrance to the
Mississippi river and again when the
feet ran the gauntlet of fire from the
the forts below New Orleans in April,
1862, and forced the surrender of that
city. The ship he was in belonged to
Captain Bailey's division of the feet
which attacked Port St. Philip.
The hottest fight that the Missis.
slppi ever engaged in was her last one,
and this was perhaps as hot as any of
the war. In March, 1868, the feet
tried to run by the Confederate bat
teries at Port Hudson. Some of the
ships got as far as a narrow part of
the channel, where they met land bat
teries almost muzzle to muzzle, and
then they were forced to retreat. The
Mississippi did not get as far as this.
A foggy day had been chosen for the
attempt, and this was soon made more
obscure by the smoke of battle, and
amid this the Mississippi lost her
bearings and ran ashore.
Her officers found that she had
stuck just under the guns of battery
in the middle of the line Of fortifica.
tlons and one of the strongest of the
lot. In half an hour 900 shots struck
the vessel aud she was riddled from
end to end. There was no chance to
hold her, and her crew took to their
boats and landed on the opposite side
OF the river, after setting her On fire.
Soon, hghtened by The loss Of the
crew and by the fire, she drifted of,
md, blazing and saluting with burst
ing shells, she drifted down the river,
until finally the fire reached her
and her career was ended
In one greas explosion.
Dewey was next attached to the
steam gunboat Agawan of the North
Atlantic bloekading squadron, and he
took part in the two attacks made on
Fort Fisher in December, 1854, and
January, 1868. In March, 1866. he
got his commission as asHlieutenallt-con-
and as such served on the
amous old Kearsarge and on the Colo
ado, the flagship OF the European
squadron, until 1869, when he was |
Ient for service to the Naval academy, |
dis flrst command was in 1870, when
le had the Narragansetts doing special |
'efyice. lie became a commander in |
April, 1872, and, still on the Nara |
sansett, was engaged in making sur |
seys OF the Pacific until 1876, when |
ie was made lighthouse inspector |
md later the secretary of the Light
louse board. He commanded the
unlata ln the Asiatic station in 1882 |
d, and in September. 1884, was made |
captain and put in charge of the |
then brand new and one
II the four vessels which formed the |
'riginal white squadron. Q The fol- |
owing year he was sent to command |
ne flagship Pensacola of the European |
quaaron, and he stayed there until
8S8, when he became the chief Of the |
'areall OF equipment and recruiting,
nth the rank Of commodore. This
lace he held until 1893, when he was
aade member Of the Lighthouse
'oard. lHe got his .ommission 81
omm1odore on Feb. 2s, 1896, and at
bout the same time was made presi-
ent Of tho board Of inspection and |
urvey. This place he held until heI
Eas. put in command of the .Asiatic