The record-union., 1899-10-09
HOW DEWEY WAS CAPTURED
FELL INTO THE HANDS OF THE
CONFEDERATEs.
Driven From the Burning United
States Steamship Missis.
sippi in 1868.

Admiral George Dewey knows what
1t is to have met the enemy ana pecol.le co.n
his, for on the night of March L. 1ooo'
when as Lieutenant Dewey he was eA-
ecutive officer Of the United STATES
steamer Mississippi, he fled from tue
burning hulk of that vessel anu was
captured by Confederate artillery llleli'
This happened on the banks OF lhe a
ther of Waters" at Port HUDSON MISS
and is said to have been the only IN
stance when Dewey ever was ptls-
pner.
But Lieutenant Dewey was not long
a prisoner on that occasion. He had
then the same nerve, dash and coolnes5
now recognized the world over as q
characteristic of the man, and made
q brilliant and successful break for
liberty. rejoining his Captain, Melanch-
thon Smith, and other officers OF the
abandoned steamer. These had sought
safety on the Richmond, a short dis
tance up the river.
Dewey's capture is well remembered
by J. J. Mcdaniel, a cotton merchant
now living at Mineola, Texas Mr.
Mcdaniel, who then was a mere lad
in his teens, was serving in the Con-
federate army as a member of Com
pany T, First Alabama Artillery, VIII ch
was ranged along the west river bank.
He enjoys the distinction of having
been one of the guard which covered
Lieutenant Dewey and a small hand
full of sailors-less than a dozen-who
fell into the hands of the enemy that
dark night in March, thirty-six years
ago.
Admiral Farragut had given the
order to the fleet to pass Port Hud-
son for the double purpose of stopping
communication between Red River and
the rebels of the eastern banks Of the
Mississippi, and to communicate with
The Union fleet and army above. Ad-
miral Farragut was aboard the flag
ship Hartford, and in his memorandum
for commanding officers, which ac-
companied the general order for pass
ing the batteries, he stated particularly
that special attention must be given
the steamers lying at Port Hudson. In
other words he ordered that these YES
sells be shelled, with the hope of sat-
ting the cotton on fire and destroying
the boats.
For some time the naval forces of
the Union side had been endeavoring
TO pass Port Hudson to open commu-
1lication with the North" writes Mr..
Mcdaniel to the Tribune" 'The
Confederates had made an equally de-
termined stand against it, and to as
sist them had many strong batteries
upon the river bank to count teract eve. Y
movement of the Northern fleet The
Confederate forces were under the
command of General Gardener while
Colonel Steadman commanded the Al
ALBANIA regiment of artillery. The
batteries on the river bank were num-
bered from one to nine, from right tc
left.
'On the night of March 14th an ef-
fort was made by Farragut's fleet tc
run the blockade, which was partially
successful. The success was won only
after terrific artillery engagement
and the loss to the Union navy by fire
and explosion Of the steamer Mis-
sissippi.
1T was from the burning steamer
the Mississippi, that Lieutenant Dew
ey escaped in the darkness and smoke
only to be taken by the artillerymer
of our side-the same Dewey who now
is Admiral of the United States navy
Captain Melanchthon Smith, his Off
GERS, with the exception of Dewey, and
many others, escaped in three boats tc
the Richmond, which was farther VI
the river
The Northern fleet was ranged in
single file up and down the river, WITH
the Hartford, carrying Admiral Farra-
gut, leading with portfolios closed. The
Switzerland. which was afterwards
lost, passed the batteries in safety un.
der cover Of the Hartford The nigh
was dark, with intense smoke hanging
low over the river and beyond its
banks. Both vessels were painted
black, and with all lights out. the
smaller boat hiding behind it's mate
both were enabled to get through with
out injury.
The Mississippi, a boat of 1000 ton:
burden, was next in line. 1t was the
nrst vessel to open fire on our bat
teries. Battery No. 8, a hot-shot com
pany under command of Captain Ram
say, promptly returned the fire. Thi.
was the first battery the Mississippi