Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1917-01-25

Of Onion river. 1t is now called the
Winooski river, i'll memory presuma-
bly, of one of the vanished Indian
tribes.
Early Lost His Mother.
Georges mother died when he was
but five years old. From what writer's
have given us of the youth OF Dewey
it is plain that he was by no means
ordinary boy. Every boy is no a
natural leader, for example. and it is
apparent that George even in his
knickerbockcr days showed Il talent
for commanding ana Il determination
to he obeyed. Though smaller than
most boys of his age. lie was exceed
in@ly strong and active, and he never
had any difficulty about holding his
own in physical contests.
Dewey was graduated the fifth in
his class from the Naval academy at
Annapolis in 1888. Only fourteen mem
bers of his class of siXty-fivc succeeded
in finishing the course. AS q milshlp-
man he cruised two years on the Wa
bash, devoting himself constantly to
the study Of his profession. lie was
at home III Montpelier When Sumter
was fred upon, and y week later he
WIGS made first lieutenant of the Mis-
sissi~pi. the only side wheeler i'll Earra
CUTS west gulf squadron. The Missis-
sim ,r:as tie third vessel in the line
t., ..rA4.,I toward the batteries OF
ST. ...jlp All jackson. This is what
Chicf Engineer Baird says OF tho way
Dewey acted: II can see him now in
the red ana yellow glare flung FROM
the cannon mouths. 1t was like some
terrible thunderstorm with almost III.
| ccss;nt lightning. Tor an instant all
would be dark and Dewey unseen.
Tl,an .Ue forts would Hcieh forth. and
| there he WAS away up i'll the midst OF
it. the flames trCil tlr guns almost
touching him ami the b. shot and SHELL
him owe! With their breath. Willie be
!r,l firmly to the bridge rail. Every
,in:~ til" DARK r...,.e back / let St1F''
tia, NN. wut...i H.s,Pr soc Dewey a:cai:i.
BIT AZ the n":st fash there he stood.
His ia!, WAS tlUN,n OF. and lis eyes
were Atanle. Hut he gave bis orders
with the air Of Il ma in thorough com
nand of himself. lie took in every
thing. lie saw a point OF advantage
and seized il at oEce. And When from
around the hull Of the Pensacola The
Confederate ram Gartcd Dewey Ike a
fash saw what "a best to he done and
AS lie put his knowledge into words tho
head of the Mississippi fell Off, and as
the ram came up alongside the entire
starboard broadside plunged "a mass
of iron shot and shell through her ar
NOR, and she began to sink. Her crew
ran her ashore and escaped. A boats
crew from our ship went on board
thinking to eXtinguish the flames which
orr broadside had started and capture
her. But she was too far gone. Dewey
took US all through the fight n in a
manner which won the Warmest praise
not only of all on board, but OF Farra-
gut 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
p%crspiration on his brow
A year later, when Farragut took his
squadron up the river, the Mississippi
ran aground Oh some unknown shoals,
and the Confederate batteries literally
riddled her. She was hit 250 times in
half an hour. Dewey commanded two
small boats. which took sailors to the
Richmond and then returned to the
Mississippi, which by that time was
atire in five places. When Captain
Smith asked Lieutenant Dewey if he
lclt sure the vessel would burn the
lieutenant, at the risk of his life, went
to the ward room. The two officers
chen left the ship, Dewey without
lis coattails, s~orrowfully, with the
shot splashing around them"
Since his retirement from sea seiV-
ice Admiral Dewey lived i'll Washing
ton, constantly in touch with naval
administrative naval boards. He was
made a rear admiral with the thanks
of congress when the news of Manila
bay reached America and admiral in
1899.