Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1899-10-05

S. N, who was there, remembers him:
II can see him now in the red and yell
low glare flung from the cannon-mouths.
Ii was like some terrible thunder storm
with almost incessant lightning. For an
instant all would be dark and Dewey un-
seen. Then the forts would belch forth,
and there he was away up in the midst
of it, the flames from the guns almost
touching him and the big shot and shell
passing near enough to him to blow him
over with their breath, while he held firm
ly to the bridge rail. Every time the dark
came back l felt sure that we would
never see Dewey again. But at the next
fash there he stood. His hat was blown
off and his eyes were afiame. But he
gave his orders with the air of a man in
thorough command of himself. He took
in everything. He saw a point OF advan-
tage and seized it at once. And when
from around the hull of the Pensacola the
ram darted, Dewey like fash saw what
was best to be done, and as the ram
came up alongside the entire starboard
broadside plunged a mass Of iron shot
and shell through her armor and she be-
gan to sink. Her crew ran her ashore
and escaped. A boats crew from our
ship went on board, thinking to extinguish
the flames which our broadside had start
ed and capture her. But she was too
far gone. Dewey took us all through the
fight, and in a manner which won the
warmest praise, not only of all on board.
but Of Farragut himself. He was cool
from first to last, and after we had
passed the fort and reached safety and he
came down from the bridge his face was
black with smoke, but there wasn't a
drop of perspiration on his brow"
Had His Coat Tail Shot Away.
Things began to so wrong on the river
a 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 it
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 both managed to
get off. 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-
turned, and so the task of getting the
men to safety devolved 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 shot away.
At Fort Fisher.
If getting into the thick of the fight
be deemed good fortune Dewey was one
Of the luckiest officers of the war. He
was Commodore Thatcher's first lieuten-
ant on the Colorado at Fort Fisher in
December and January, 1S64-'65. Toward
the end of the second engagement at that
place Admiral Porter signaled Thatcher
to close in and silence a certain part OF
the works. AS the ship had already re-
ceived no inconsiderable 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. 1--WE shall be safer there,
he said, quietly, "and the works can be
taken in fifteen minutes" He had his
way and won.
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 TO Miss Susie Goodwin,
daughter of Ichabod Goodwin, known as
the lighting 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
Asiatic station in the fall of 1897, to win
his way to undying fame by the victory
at Manila.