The Washington weekly post. (Washington, D.C.) 1878-1916, 1899-09-26
OEwEYrs FIRST FIGHT.
IL was zs MILDLY Aboard the Powhstaa
During the Autumn of 1860.


During the Autumn of 1850.
From ,hs Detroit Josrzai
DR.. James Laws. late surgeon Of the
United States navy. tells the following
story Of one OF Admiral Dewey's first
fights:
During the fall of 1850. word was re-
ceived from Mr.. Mclean. our Minister
70 Mexico. that Comonfort had revolt
Ell against Juarez. the president Of Mexi-
co. and had driver him and his adher-
ents into the old walled city OF Vera Cruz,
which he threatened to lombard, and re-
questing that a man-of-war be sent there
TO protect American interests.
AS was usual ia those days. no suit
able ship was available The old fTigate
Pow hatan was lying at the Philadelphia
navy yard She had Just returned from
q long cruise in the East Indies. was alive
with rats and reaches. her boilers a mass
% soft patches, ard her timbers affiict-
ed with dry rot. No other vessel could be
fcrnd. so she was hastily fitted OUT. Of
ficers detached from the various stations
and placed on board, and she was hurried
oft to her destination.
For six long months We remained az
anchor at Vera Cruz. with nothing to
vary the monotony save an occasional
'norther' for Comonfort was backward IN
making mis- threatened attack. We were
AL dreadfully tired of the monOtOny, tired
90 the city. The ship. and almost tired
Of each other. and growls long and loud
went I'D increasingly. Each officer had
told all his stories TO his shipmates, tell
ing all he knew, and sometimes more than
he knew, and all we're longing for change
of chin 81 mr. DprsOuUPl
I'VE had two midshipmen in the steer
age, George Dewey and J. b now a
retired commander in the navy. TheJ
hsC been classmates at Annapolis, and
were bosom friends: both Of them were
excellent officers and very popular on
board ship.
The starboard steerage, which they
occupied. was just outside of the ward
room, and only separated by a bulk
head surmounted by a laSJicswork nuns
with curtains, so that nearly all that
went on in the steerage could be beard
in the wardroom. and vice versa.
zone evening, as the officers were seat
ed around the mess-table in the ward
room, reading, talking, &c, the sound IF
scuffiing feet, rapid breathing, and heavy
blows was heard proceeding from the
steerage. We rushed out, and 10 our as
Tonisnment found the bosom friends
clinched and pegging away at each other
for all they were worth.
You have been spelling for a lick
ing for long while. and now you'll get
it, said Dewey, as he planted blow
on Rs nose which staggered him.
You take that, you Dtgg1r. said
| b as he landed his starboard fist on
DeWey's port eye, causing him 10 see
more lights than ne ever saw in Manila
bay and then they clinchef again
and were soon rolling over IN the Ii1OT
of the country, as the space between
the two steerages is called. Tie officers
soon separated the young SameC1Cks,
and demanded an explanation, when il
appeared that they had been lighting over
a candle.
at seems there was but one candle on
the steeTage table, and Dewey had drawn
IL over TO his side. leaving b in COM
parative darkness b thought il
would look better on his side, ana So drew
it back and in the struggle for the pos
session of the candlestick II upset and the
hot tallOw burned BIS fingers and arOus-
ed his ire, so that ne went for Dewey,
and the fight followed. Fortunately. the
first lieutenant John Rutlcdge. OF South
Carolina) was on shore, 50 20 official no
tice was taken OF this naval engagement
and the participants were not promoted
TO be admirais, or TO that higher POSITION
al the masthead-a four hours watch-as
they might otherwise have Deen.
Nearly forty years nave passed and
C--c -'"ce that battle took place The
majority of the officers Of the old ship
have passed 10 the other SIle. The
Great Commander on high has MADE
their number and they nave Obeyed his
left, and the impetuouS yOunSstar who
was so ready to fight for lhe possession
of a penny dip was equally ready to
fight for an island empire