Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1915-05-01
Livonia, Mo-, Junior Writes
About Admiral George
Dewey

\
Now am going to tell you of a hero
you will like. His name Is george
Dewey. He was born IN Montpelier
the capital Of Vermont, the next day
after Christmas in the year 1887.
His father, good man was village
physician and everybody loved ana
trusted him. George was manly III
tie fellow and his father called MIN
his little hero" When he was seven
teen years old his father sent him TO
the United States naval academy AZ
Annapolis and at the end of four years
George graduated When he was JUS
twenty-o one and though there were six
ty young men in his class, he was only
fourth place from the head. This shows
he was q thorough student and among
all his studies he stood best In sea-
man ship. As a midshipman, George
went to sea for two years and Travelled
in many parts of the world. When ne
was in Jerusalem he remembered his
good old Christian grandfather by send
ing him a walking cane made OF olive
wood as a memento of the holy city.
| The old man priced the cane SO much
that when he came to die he had 1t put
by his side to make him think OF MS
absent grandson of whom he spoke IN
words of tender love. !
When the great civil war broke out
In 1861 George was twenty-three years
old, and he was put on the Warshlp,
Mississippi as lieutenant.
One night the ships were trying 10
slip by Fort Philip and Fort jackson IN
passing up the Mississippi river.
The night was very dark and all the
lights were put out, 80 that gunners
from the shore could not see them.
The big ship steamed in slow and
stately procession along the river IN
the inky blackness Of the night. Pre-
sently. when the Mississippi was just
! opposite the forts, they began to spit
long streams of fire, and the shrilling
shells came flying at them.
It was terrible time. George was
standing on the bridge directing the
ships movements. =,
"Do YOU know the channel, Dewey
shouted the captain.
eyes, SIR" replied the young heuten-
ant, firmly.
Then the ships began to shoot back
at the forts and the fight grew more
terrible. So near together were the
enemies that they yelled at each other
as they fought. On sped the Missis-
sippi so close to the glare that the
enemies guns lit up the deck as light
as day.
Every time the boats belched forth
their valume of fire there was dewey
standing bravely on the bridge. The
big shot and shell flying past and very
near blew him over with their breath.
When the darkness came his comrades
thought sure they would never see MIN
again but at the next flash there ne
stood and he guided his ship safely
through 1t all and gave his orders calm
w as II he were on dress parade.
And when the forts we're passed ne
came down as unexcited as If there had
been no battle, though his face and
hands we're black with smoke and pow
der.
Some time after this Rear Admiral
Farraeut saw DR.. Dewey in New York
and seized him by the hand and MADE
the old mans heart glad by saying:
"Sir, your son George is brave and
worthy officer. He has an honorable
record and some day will make his own
mark. This was high compliment
for young man of twenty-four.
But in about a year George Dewey
did something Drawer still.
They were passing Port Hudson
where the Mississippi river is shallow
and full of shoals Georges ship the
Mississippi, struck right in front OF
the forts and they could not pull her
off the bar. She was riddled with can
nor shot. being hit two hundred and
fifty times in thirty minutes They
tried in vain to get the boat away.
Lieutenant Dewey went twice IN an
open skiff to one Of the other ships
for assistance, with the shot and smell
raining round him. At last they saw II
was no use so Lieutenant Dewey sent
all the men ashore in boats. Dewey
and Cant. Smith remained on the snip
and Dewey's coat tail was shot away
and so was his hat.
They keep setting the ship on fire so
the enemy could not get it. Finally
Smith and Dewey rowed to the shore in
a little boat The fire reached the Mis-
sissippi's powder magazine and 1t was
blown to pieces After the civil war
Dewey continued to serve his country.
He was captain Of several warsh1ps.
In 1896 he was made commodore and
in January, 1923 he was sent to Hong
Kong. China to take charge OF the
American fleets at that Mace. He
was there when our war with Spain for
the freedom of Cuba began in April OF
that year He was commanded to go
to Manila. a large city in the Philip
pines and DESTROY the Spanish fleet
there. He promptly oheyed this order.
He reached Manila bay and entered 1t
on very dark night before the Span
ish Admiral Montojo knew 1t the Amer
lean. fleet was all lined ZIP ready for
battle with several big warships.
Olympia facing the Spanish fleet with
eleven vessels. "Keep cool and obey
all ordars" was DeWey's signal to all