Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1899-10-04

passed the fort and reached safety and he
came down from the bridge his face was
black with smoke, but there wasn't
drop OF perspiration on his brow"
Had His Coat Tail Shot Away.
Things began 10 60 wrong on the river
year later and Faragut once more ran
up from the gulf to adjust them. Port
Hudson shoals and currents are among
the most dangerous in the stream, and ii
was while running the forts here that the
Mississippi was lost. The Hartford and
Alabama led, then came the Mononga-
hela and kineo the Richmond, and Gen
esee followed by the Mississippi alone
The Monongahela and her consort both
grounded. though they Doth managed TO
ge.t OF. But directly opposite the center
of Port HUDSON battery the Mississippi
stuck hard and fast. Shot after shot was
poured into her until her hull was rid
died and she had to be abandoned. She
was hit $50 times IN half an hour. The
officers who took the first boats never re-
tdrned, and So the task of getting the
men to safety deyolved upon Lieut.. Dew
ey. Twice he went to the Richmond and
twice came back until he and Captain
Smith stood alone on the deck. The ship
was afire in five places. Together the
two left the ship amid splashing shot,
Dewey without his coat tails, which had
been slot away.
Lieut.. Dewey that same year was at
Donalisonville and afterward succeeded
to the temporary command of the Monon-
gahela when her captain, Abner Read,
was killed.
At Fort Fisher.
If getting into the thick of the fight
be deemed good fortune Dewey was ont
of the luckiest eI-3cers of the war. lie
was Commodore Thatcher's first lieuteA-
ant on the Colorado at Fort Fisher in
December and January, 1S64-'65. Toward
the end of the second engagement 1t that
place Admiral Porter signaied Thatcher
TO close in and silence a certain part OF
the works. As the ship had already re-
ceiyed no ineonsiderable damage her Off
GERS demonstrated But Dewey, who, in
addition to dash and bravery, had now
acquired marked tactical ability, was
| quick to see the advantage to be gained
by the move. ave shall be safer ther..
he said, quietly, ''and the works can be
taken in fifteen minutes" lie had his
way and won.
The work of Dewey gained for Thatch-
er the nomination of acting rear admiral
and later Dewey was rewarded by a COM
mission as lieutenant commander.
After the War.
After the war Dewey served for two
years on the European squadron. In
1867, while on duty at Portsmouth, he
became engaged u Miss Susie Goodwin,
iaagiter of Ichabod Goodwin, known as
the fighting Governor" of New Hamp-
shire. In 1870 he received his first com
mand, that of the Narragansett. Two
years later came the great sorrow of his
life, the death Of his beloved wife. He
was left with one son, George Goodwin
/ Dewey. who is engaged in business in
/ New York.
| In 1875 Dewey was advanced TO be
commander and was assigned TO the
| lighthouse board. Next he was command
er of the Juniata in Arctic waters, and
| in 1884 was made captain of the Dolphin.
His next promotion was TO be commo-
| dore and in this capacity he went to the
! Asiatie station in the fall of 1897. to win
| his way to undying fame by the victory
at Manila.