The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1899-02-27
ENSIGN DODDRIDGE
Talks for Publication ut Toledo in a
Very Interesting Manner-His High
Opinion of Admiral Dewey.


Opinion of Admiral Dewey.
Ensign John S. Doddridge, Of this
city. who is visiting relatives in To-
ledo. submitted to an interview by the
Bee. In the course of. his interesting
| talk he said:
| II had no idea until l reached
America how popular Dewey was here.
| OF course, we knew from the papers
that reached us that he was well spo-
ken OF, but we had no idea how much
the people thought Of him. But you
| do not think any more OF him than
| we do over there. Everyone eSteems
| and respects him, and the sailors would
| not care where they were asked to go
so that the admiral led them. Yet he
| is a very strict disciplinarian and moth
| ing escapes him. But the men love him.
When left Manila in December his
health was not good. and 1t was ex-
| pected that he would return home. He
was not really III. but he has been in
| that climate for nearly two years. and
| it Is not healthy. Then he was under
great responsibility and great
strain. think that but for this last
/ trouble he would have been home. or
course, that was rather unexpected. AT
| least they did not expect 1t, think,
| when I left. Everything was in readi-
ness. constant watch was kept: there
was no opportunity to take the admiral
off his guard, but 1t was generally be-
lieved that the trouble was over.
Il saw Admiral Dewey for Il minute
on the afternoon Of the battle, after it
was over. was sent from our ship
with note for him. He was sitting on
the deck OF the flagship at the time.
| We did not, as a rule, see him often.
| He lives very much on his ship, and
seldom leaves 1t.
Il attribute the completeness of our
| victory to the fact that the Spaniards
could not shoot. They showed no lack
of courage, stood up to 1t like men.
but they could not hit anything. OF
course. we would have won any way,
but that explained the fact that We
| came out of it with so little damage.
| They had not the brains. Everything
now is done by machinery even on
board ship. and they did not under
stand 1t. l do not think that 1t was
the fault OF the men. Eight times our
| ship was struck during the engage
ment. One shell burst in my berth.
| and set fire to 1t. The hose was turned
on and made q nice mess OF things.
/ was on deck at the time It happened.
l have piece of the shell in my mess
now. peculiar thing happened on the
| ~ Slleli eultTGu, went De-
hind her gun protection, glanced and
following the steel plates all the way
| around. came out on the same side as
| 1t entered. wounding in its passage
eight persons, all of whom recovered,
/ believe.
Il suppose you know about the cut
| ting OF the cable Dewey. after the
battle. sent word to the Spanish COM
mandant Of Manila that II there was
| any more firing from the land he should
return the fire. There was no more fir
| ing. Then Dewey offered to make the
| cable neutral and allow both parties to
use It II we might have the convent
| ence OF the Spanish end OF 1t. This was
refused. and the cable was cut about
| seven miles from Manila. We Crap
pied for it with small boat brought
1t to the surface and severed it. That
was why no word came from us and
| the anxiety was so long prolonged.
Il am glad You think here that
Dewey is the king of them all. That Is
| what they believe over there"
With respect to the dispatch In which
| Admiral Dewey asks that the Oregon
| be sent on at once. Ensign Dodderldge
| said: at should not be hard to guess
what that means" The ensign did not
care to so into details. but left no
doubt that he coinclded with the Infer
ences drawn. that 1t would have a good
| effect on the natives and might be use
| full In case OF outside Interference. The
| ensign is absent from his ship on leave,
and does not know how soon his recall
may come. He leaves here on Thurs
day next for visit to his home In
| Wheeling.