The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1899-04-28
TRIBUTE 70 DEWEY.
Continued from First Page.

was probably our friends the insurgents
signalling to us but when shot came
along moment later | knew better.
Then a second shot came, and it was in
response to this that the Raleigh fired
her first gun. 1t was the first shot fired
by an American ship at Manila
81 tell you we were all on the qui vive
that night our orders were to go in and
anchor, eat breakfast at daylight, and
wipe the Spanish fleet off the face of the
earth but in the darkness we overran
our reckoning, and at daylight we found
ourselver right under the batteries of
Manila. In the tropics the daylight
comes like a flash, and this was most
beautiful morning. Our friends, the
enemy on shore, opened up on us. and
instead of the anticipated signal to take
breakfast the signal came from the flag
ship, Engage the enemy This is where
the old man came in. His whole pre-
arranged plan had to be changed in
second. We all turned and stood toward
the Spanish fleet, taking the fire of the
batteries without response for 81 min
utes. When we finally got into the posi-
ton we wanted, we opened up, and you
know what followed, We kept at it for
two hours and half, and at the end of
that time there was no Spanish fleet.
This is a good time for me to correct
a statement, which, l understand, has
been most persistently spread here at
home, that we were short Of ammuni
ton. 1t was reported to Admiral Dewey
that certain classes of guns were short.
He asked me about it, because there
were many of the guns of this class on.
my ship. / told him that we hadn't
used thirty-fve per cent. of this ammu
milton in the whole fight, and Captain
Gridley-rest his soul--reported the
same thing. We were not short of am
munition at any time. Report that we
were has gone out, but the proof that we
were not has never been told. Why, we
could have fought two battles that day
without inconvenience,
"Well, the end of the battle found us
in fine shape. The Admiral told us we
better go in and clean up the balance Of
of our work, so we steamed toward shore
and simply wiped out the batteries
After it was all over we felt bully
though can't say the same for the poor
devils on the other side. 1t was at this
time that, to opr utter amazement, we
saw Admiral Dewey steam along right
under the batteries. tell you when /
saw him there in that position l went
right after him with the Raleigh as fast
as | could. Fortunately nothing hap
pened.
II agree with our President that it is
given to every man to be brave, but |
tell you, given to few men is the bravery
of our Admiral He not only has the
physical courage, but also the moral
courage to do anything in Gods green
world that he thinks will advance the
interests of our country When he wish
ed us to do anything he didn't hamper
us with any written orders-he just told
us to do it, and we did it. He had the
courage to try anything that was pos
sible to be done, and we had the courage
to try and do anything he said could be
done
1.-The North and South fought together
at Manila Bay, as they did in Cuba, and
tell you together they are invincible.
Not only is our country one to-day, but
tell you the English-speaking race is
one also. The English people are with
us heart and soul to-day, and they were
with us before we went to Manila, as /
will show you. On the wharves at Hong
Kong, before we started for Manila,
strange officers met us and introduced
themselves, which you will agree is
very I'M English proceeding. They wish
ed us all manner of luck. One said to
me: BY Jove, if you fellows don't wipe
them out, don't come back to us, because
we won't speak to you. Afterward,
when we went back to Hong Kong, one
of these English officers said to me
by Jove, we never gave you credit for
style, but my you can shoot p"