Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1898-05-06
-ERO OF THE HOUR.
bMMODORE DEWEY A NATIVE OF
THE GREEN MOUNTAIN STATE.

is Fighting Qualities shown During the
Civil War-Ran the Forts at New Or
leans and Was with the Gunboats at
Fort Fisher.
Commodore George Dewey first breath
the free air of the green hills of Yer
ont 81 years ago. He was appointed
the naval academy from Vermont
hen he was II years old. When he
raduated in 1858 he went with the
cam frigate Wabash on cruise with
ne Mediterranean squadron, which
sted until 1859.
Ensign Dewey was at home when
ort Sumter was fired upon. Just one
eek later, April 10. 1861, he received
is commission as lieutenant. He was
ssigned at once to the steam sloop Mis-
fssippi, which was to take part in the
cree fighting of the West Gulf squadron.
he Mississippi was a side wheeler of II
uns, and was commanded by Command
r MelancthOn Smith. The West Gulf
+, ouadron went at once to the Mississippi
liver to force its way up. "The History
{ Our Navy thus describes the sort of
hings the men on the Mississippi ex-
berienced when they preceded Farragut
hp past New Orleans:
1.-THE Pensacola and Mississippi steam
ID slowly, with their black hulls at reg
liar intervals sheeting the air with lurid
ire as they replied to the ports. Abreast
bf st. Philip, where the confederate
ire was hottest, they drew in so close
hat the gunners afloat and those ashore
heartily cursed each other as they
worked"
The Mississippi was with the squadron
again when it ran down past New Or
cans on the way back, fair targets for
8 big guns at close range.
The hardest fight that the Mississippi
ever was in was the one that ended her,
rhe fleet was trying to run by Port Hud-
son with its powerful batteries. None
Of the squadron goth The Mississippi
bid not even get down as close to the
batteries as most of the other ships did.
She ran aground in the fog and smoke
and stuck hard and. fast. She was about
opposite the main battery when the
smoke cleared away. In thirty minutes
she was struck $50 times. She was shot
Hull of holes, like a colander. Her crew
climbed into boats on the side opposite
the forts, and, after setting her on fire
: made for the other side of the river un
der a whitening rifle fire. She grew
lighter as she burned, and finally floated
off. Opposite the last battery her blaz
ing, popping progress ended in tire
mendous explosion, and her men, safe
on shore, knew that the Mississippi
would never be under fire again. That
altogether, was not an impractical bit OF
experience for man destined to lead :
fleet of his own into action.
In July, 1868, Dewey was on the gun
boats that engaged the rebels below
. Donaldsonville. In 1864 he was attached
. to the North Atlantic blockading squad
ron, assigned to the steam gunboat Aga
wan. The Agawam was one of th'
great crescent of warships, big and little
that pumped shot into Fort Fisher il
December, 1864, and January, 1895
. Dewey received his commission as lieu
tenant commander on March 3, 1865, anC
served for two years on the European
squadron, first on the steamer kear
sarge and then on the frigate Colorado
. the flagship.
In 1868 he was assigned to duty at tn
naval academy. In 1870 ne received hi
first command, that of the Narragansett
which was employed on special servic
until 1875. The last part of the tim
during which he commanded the Nara
gansett Dewey was commander.
Of n
trusted to him. After two years a
lighthouse inspector and five as secre
tary of the lighthouse board, he was pu
in command of the Juniata on the Asiati
squadron in 1892. In September, 1881
he was promoted to be a captain an
placed in command of the Dolphin, the
brand new. and one of the four vessel
10 which the name "whlte squadron
was first given.
From 1881 to lSSS he was the cOmmaC
er of the Pensacola, the flagship of tn
European squadron. In lSSS his energ
and ability to complete matters of deta
was recognized by making him chief {
the bureau of equipment and recruiting
which carried with it the rank of con
modore.
In May, 1893, he took another turn O
duty as a member of the lighthOus
board. He was made an actual CONNIE
dore on Feb. 26, 1896, and was at abOr
that time put at the head of the lmportar
board of inspection and survey. II
was transferred to the command of ii
AsiatIc squadron Jan. /, lS9S.-FrC
Press.
A New Swindle.
A new scheme to rob the farmer hi
recently been put into practice.