Clarke courier. [volume] (Berryville, Va.) 1869-1997, 1901-07-17
---srSO OF MANILA.

time that Dewey and his jsckies
smashed the Spanish feet in Manila
harbor, that bright Sunday morning
in May, 1898, and got the United
States into all sorts of trouble, Crown
inshield was in Washington enjoying
golf and scheming for promotion.
But that does not matter q whit.
Crowninshield's inchoate claim to
being "the hero of Manila" is his
writing the dispatch to Admiral
Dewey, who was on the eve of being
elected from Hongkong and sent
homeless wsnderer on the Eastern
seas. Dewey appealed in his diem
ma to Washington for instructions.
1t was then that Crowniushield, ac-
cording to his own tale, got the in
SEPARATION which placed him right on
the pinnacle of the occasion. Crown
inshield takes big slice of newspa-
per space to tell the mental processes
which led great man like him to
become responsible for Manila. Lieu
tenant Whittlesey, according to this
modest tale, had an appealing dis
patch from Dewey which he wanted
somebody to act upon. Crowniu-
shield bad been playing golf by proxy,
but returned to his office at the psy-
Geological moment and captured the
dispatch. Secretary Long had gone
driving. Crowninshield knew it, for
he had seen Secretary Long, and the
Rear Admiral took the dispatch to
the White House. The President was
inclined to procrastinate even at the
expense of having Dewey set adrift
without instructions, but Crownin-
shield knew better. He told the
President how important it was that
a cool, clear brain in Washington
should lay plans for an officer like
Dewey clustered by proximity to the
seat Of war. The President sum-
moned Cabinet members, aud then
Crowninshield proceeded to enlighten
that body. They caught his inspira-
ton. BY hypnotic suggestion, it is
TO be presumed, the President at
length grasped what was in the
Crowninshield mind, and said:
Griggs, you write dispatch to
Dewey TO proceed to Manila and at
tack the Spanish naval forces assem-
bled there
Captain you know how to write
that better than do. Go and write
it. You will find some blanks in
the Cabinet-room," said Attorney
General Griggs, wishing to give hon
or to whom honor was due.
Crowninshield, according to his
own story, then wrote it, Griggs read
1t, and the President read it, and |
both pronounced it good. Crownin-
shield took the dispatch to the Navy |
Department and directed Whittlesey |
to put it in cipher and take it to
Secretary Long for his signature.
This was done. Whittlesey said af- |
terward that it had been sent to
Dewey. Dewey took it with him to
Manila and destroyed the Spanish
fleet. Could anything be clearer
than that Crownshield was the hero?
But, like all heroes, Crownshield is
modest. To be quite accurate, be
says that one word was added by the
President to the dispatch. Then,
after thinking it all over, Crownin-
shield sends out an additional state
ment to the press:
have never regarded the writing of
his dispatch as a matter of any particu-
ar Importance, nor have ever taken to
myself any credit for it, except that 1
nave always regarded it as an interest
ng thing 10 have done
Tut! tut! Admiral Crowninshield:
Tou should not let your great mod
'sty prevent you from assuming the
aerolsm of such an act. You should
'hink of posterity. Interesting, in
Iced! Heroicl To be sure, Admiral
Sicard had different version of the
story. He went down to his grave
N the fond belief that the War
Board had something to do with the
Dewey dispatch, and that Crownin-
shield might haYe continued to watch
The golf game without materially
changing the history of the Spanish