Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1898-05-02
AMERICAN COMMANDERS.

AMERICAN COMMANDERS.
Commodore George Dewey and His
Captains, Who Destroyed the
Spanish Fleet.
Commodore George Dewey is an old war
rior of the navy. who got his christening
of fire aboard the old steam sloop Missis-
sippi. under Farragut, in the early days of
the civil war. Commodore Dewey is now
about 81 years old. He belongs in Ver-
mont, and he was appointed to the naval
academy from that state In September.
1854. Four years later, when he was grad
uated, he was sent aboard the steam frigate
Wabash for cruise in the Mediterranean.
Dewey got his commission as lieutenant on
April 10, 1861, eight days after Fort Sumter
was fired upon, and he was Immediately
assigned to join the Mississippi and do
duty with the West Gulf squadron. He
was on the Mississippi when she took part
with Farragut's other vessels in forcing
again when the fleet ran the gauntlet of
fire from 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 fleet which
attacked Fort ST. Philip.
The hottest fight that the Mississippi
ever engaged in was her last one, and this
was perhaps as hot as any Of the war.
In March. 1863, the fleet tried to run by the
Confederate batteries at Port Hudson.
Some OF the ships got as far as narrow
part Of the channel. where they met land
batteries almost muzzle to muzzle, and
then they were forced to retreat. The Mis-
sissippi 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 Missis-
sippi lost her bearings and ran ashore.
Her officers found that she had struck
just under the guns of battery in the
middle Of the line Of Notifications and one
of the strongest Of the lot. In half an
hour twenty-five shots struck the vessel
and she was riddled from end to end There
was no chance to save her. and the crew
took to their boats and landed on the op-
posite side Of the river, after setting her
on fire. Soon. lightened by the loss Of the
crew and by the fire, she drifted of, and.
blazing and saluting with bursting shells,
she drifted down the river. until finally the
fire reached her magazines. and her career
was ended in one great explosion.
Dewey was next attached to the steam
gunboat Agawam Of the North Atlantic
tacks made on Fort Fisher in December,
1854, and January. 1866. In March. 1866. he
got his commission as lieutenant COM
mander, and as such served on the famous
old kearsarge and on the Colorado, the
flagship Of the European squadron, until
1868, when he was sent for service to the
naval academy. His first command was in
1870, when he had the Narragansett, doing
special duty. He became a commander in
April. 1872, and still on the Narragansett
making surveys of the Pacific until 1876,
when he was made lighthouse inspector
and later secretary Of the lighthouse board.
He commanded the Juniata in the Asiatic
station in 1ss2-S3 and in September, 1854,
was made a captain and put in charge of
the Dolphin, one of the four vessels which
formed the original white Squadron" The
following year he was sent to command
the flagship Pensacola on the European
squadron and he stayed there until 1855,
when he became the chief of the bureau
Of equipment and recruiting, with the rank
of commodore. This place he held until
1893. when he was made member Of the
lighthouse board. He got his commission
as commodore on February %, 1896, and at
about the same time was made president
of the board of inspection and survey.
This place he held until he was put in COM
mand of the Asiatic station in January Of
this year.
Captain Charles v. Gridley was born in
Indiana, and appointed from Michigan.
graduating in 1863. and being assigned to
the steam sloop Oneida. where he served
for two years. He was at the battle of
Mobile bay. and at the close of the war
was ordered to the Brooklyn, the flagship
of the Brazil squadron, where he served
for two years. He commanded the Marion.
and is now commanding the Olympia He
was made a captain in March. 1897.
Captain Nehemiah M. Dyer was born In
Provincetown. Mass, in 1889, served in the
| merchant service from the age Of IA to 20,
| enlisted and served in the Fourth battal-
ion Of rifles. Massachusetts volunteers, and
was with Banks division. army of the Po-
tomac. In Arril. 1852. he was appointed
an acting mate in the navy. He was made
lieutenant in the regular army in 1865,
| and a few months afterward was promot-
ed. He has commanded several vessels in
the last twenty years. and now has charge
Of the Baltimore.
Captain Joseph B. Coghlan was born in
| Kentucky and appointed from Illinois. Ho
graduated in 1863. He was promoted two
] years later. and was assigned to the flag