Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1899-07-07
DEWEY'S NAVAL CAREER
Long and Valiant Service of the
Hero of Manila.
HIS RECORD IN THE CIVIL WAR.

lie Set Fire TO the Steam sloop Missis-
sippi When She Grounded Under the
Confederate batteries at Port Huron
and Blew Her Up-His Rare Nerve.
He Is dangerous man to tackle and
4 handy fellow in fight" said an off.
GER at the Brooklyn navy yard of George
Dewey when the news of the commo-
dore's splendid victory in Manila bay
was received. "The Spaniards didn't
know the sort of man they had to do
with. He ran right into their harbor
with his whole fleet and laughed at
their mines and defenses
Those words voice the opinions Of the
whole navy as to one phase of Commo-
dore George Dewey's character. AS sail
or, navigator, fighter, commander, he
combines cool. accurate judgment and
the exercise of the highest professional
skill with the audacious bravery that
has placed his recent achievement in
the forefront in the glorious annals of
the American navy. This great exploit
Of Dewey's is simply a master stroke
consistent with life's career Of brave
and honorable service for his country
upon the seas.
Born in Montpelier, VT, in 1887, he
was graduated from the Naval academy
at Annapolis in 1858. and went on the
steam frigate Wabash, cruising with the
Mediterranean squadron until 1S59
When Fort Sumter was fired on, Dewey
vas in Montpelier. Just one week later,
April 10, 1861, he was commissioned
lieutenant, and was assigned Mt once to
the steam sloop Mississippi, which was
to take part in the fierce fighting of the
west gulf squadron. 1t was on this ves-
sci that he got his baptism Of fire.
Captain Melancthon Smith command.
ed the Mississippi. side wheeler of II
guns. This vessel was with Farragut in
one Of the hottest naval battles of the
civil war, when the admiral's squadron
forced an entrance into the mouth of
the Mississippi river, running the gantlet
of land batteries into New Orleans and
compelling the surrender of that city in
April, 1869.
Commodore Dewey's second smell of
powder and smoke was the last fight in
which the Mississippi engaged, in
March, 1868, when the feet tried to
run the Confederate batteries at Port
Huron. Several of the ships reached
the narrow part Of the channel, where
they met the land batteries almost muz-
zle to muzzle. being forced to beat
hasty retreat. The day was a foggy
one, and amid the denseness Of the fog
and smoke Of battle the Mississippi lost
her bearings and grounded ON shore.
A quick survey Of the surroundings
showed her officers that she had struck
the shore almost in the mouth of the
line of fortiEoations which were the
strongest and best along the shore. In
an instant the old ship was riddled
with $50 shot. Her officers foresaw that
she was complete loss, and, setting fire
to her, they took to small boats and
made shore Oh the opposite side of the
river The officers and marines had
hardly landed before the fire reached
the boats magazines, and terrific ex-
plosion scattered her to fragments.
The History Of Our Navy" thus de-
scribes some of the events of this occa-
sion when young Dewey was learning
his first lessons in naval warfare:
"The Pensacola and the Mississippi
steamed slowly. with their black hulls,
at irregulas intervals sheeting the air
with lurid fire as they replied to the
forts. Abreast CT St. Philip, where the
Confederate fire was hottest, they drew
in so close that the gunners ahoat and
those ashore heartily cursed each other
as they worked"
On the Mississippi Dewey learned the
same heartbreaking lesson that 25 years
later he taught "the fighting Montijo"
at Manilla-how to lose his ship. Ad-
miral David d. Porter, in his "Naval
History Of the Civil War;" thus de-
scribes the end Of the Mississippi, which
came on the river she was named after,
while she was trying to run Port Hud-
sons powerful batteries:
"The steamship Mississippi, Captain
Melancthon Smith, followed in the
wake Of the Monongahela. firing when
ever her guns could be brought to bear
At 11:30 o'clock she reached the turn
which seemed to give our vessels SO
much trouble, and Captain Smith was
congratulating himself on the prospect
of soon catching up with the flag officer
when his ship grounded and heeled over
three streaks to port. The engines were
instantly reversed and the port guns run
in in order to bring her on an oven keel,
while the fire from her starboard bat
terry was reopened upon the forts. The
Engines were backed with all the steam
that could be put upon them, and the
backing was continued for 80 minutes.
but without avail.