St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1899-04-05
One of Dewey's Gunners.

John B. Anderson as fine specimen OF
an American tar as ever pulled a lanyard,
stepped off the train from San Francisco
at the Broad street station few days
ago. after three years and eight months
service with the Asiatic squadron. he
was captain of gun No. 5, United States
cruiser OLYMPIA, Admiral Dewey's flag
ship. He is six feet in height and weighs
21O pounds. To a reporter who saw
him at his home he said =
admiral Dewey is just my idea OF
what an admiral should be. | was on
the same ship with him for 10 months,
aud will tell you Just how he appeared
to his men-that is, the jack tars, COM
monty known as the jackies, The adj
mirai was very strict man, with
keen, sharp eye that seemed to size up
person or situation in a moment. He
seemed to know everything that was
going on around him and would Jump
a man as quick as flash ii he made
mistake. 1t did not matter whether It
was an officer or seaman-he wouiu
overhaul any one regardless OF person II
things did not go just right. Whatever
he did was done with dignity, though,
and never saw him angry but once. 1t
was on MAY ., aboard the Olympia, the
day after the battle of Manila, Capt.
Coglan of the Raleigh brought Spanish
, officer on board, and in little while the
three men were engaged in rather a warm
: discussion. | did not know what 1t was
e about, but the admiral soon began to
4 talk rapidly and excitedly. Something
y. was wrong. At last he stamped his foot
v on the deck and said loud enough for us
e all to hear. If you find he has been act
=. ing treacherously, take him away and
It hang HIM! meaning the Spanish officer.
j. We all thought that it was in connection
" with supplying ammunition to Corregid-
8 or after the truce had been declared, or
a. rather, after we had licked the Spaniards
ce However, we afterward learned that the
r. man was not hanged.
he al said that Admiral Dewey was strict
IS. Well, he was, even to the smallest details
i'll Whenever he passed along the deck w
n. saluted him. which he returned will
err scrupuous care, saluting with the sam
ire slow, precise and deliberate movement
ITS which he expected to be observed b.
,st Others in saluting him. There was NJ
of quick Jerk or half recognition about him
.ck Whatever he did he did it as if he mean
the it, and whatever he wanted done h
a wanted it done right The men like
asst him Tor his frank manner when dealin
ian with Others. He would not take a blu
, from any one. and every one knew it,
and they soon found it out when they a
tempted anything of the kind with hir
ron Nothing inspires respect for ones chi
suc- like the belief that he is absolutely Sc
hat reliant, and this is Just what we all te
ont about Admiral Dewey, that he was equ
ople to any emergency tnat might ARISE.
ck's mo matter when or where you sd
Their the admiral, he looked as if he had j.
, to stepped out OF a panopox' his WI
his clothes and shoes were always spotl'
s of and the gold markings on his white C
and cleaned with brightness. Throughc
ugh the battle of Manila he stood on the I
III a ward bridge OF the OLYMPIA directing
What movements OF the fleet Mitchell,
his bugler, who was on the bridge with h
eeps. told me that he was just the same
agus man, walking around as il nothing ex
rived ing were going on, giving his orders II
been calm voice, as il he were simply man
/. 1t vering the fleet for practice.
signs ut has been reported that in the ba
is in of May we discontinued the flight
sions pull off for breakfast, but this was
inches so. After two hours fighting, we &C
not see exactly what we were doing,
account of the smoke, and our ANN
ton was getting less and less, so
pleas pulled off to take an inventory, ant
t one soon as we found out where we ST.
been we returned to the fight and pitche
hat is with renewed vigor until the Spani
is the showed the white flag. AS for break
ledical there wasn't man aboard who tho'
nstitu- of breakfast. We.were all keyed u
tional the one thought OF capturing the Spa
taken feet, and don't believe that any
blood had more than a cup of coffee "
there was served out to us before the tgh
he dis gan, at O'Clock in the morning"
9Th by -..---.--.-,
assist h"c"ie"s "'" '.
lie pro- The best salve IN the Woriu LOT
) cura- bruises, sores, ulcers, salt rheum,
l. L.