Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1917-01-17


afteroon. death being due to compli-
cation of Diseases. He was in his
eightieth year.
Admiral George Dewey, hero OF
Malta Bay" fought and won the first
great American naval battle against a
foreign foe since the War of 1872.
His whole life was full of honorable
achievement from the days OF the civil
War down to the time when, as the
head of the General Board, he began
the last chapter of his work by laying
plans for the defense Of his country In
time of war. His life was a striking
exemplitication of the possibilities OF a
career based upon the exact and in
ielligent performance of every routing
duty which molds man on inhexioie
tines of duty and honor.
One of the curious freaks of fortune
in Dewey's case was that for perhaps
the first and only time in his naval
carer he was disposed to protest
against the edict of the Navy Depart
inent which carried him into the RAJ
East. where he was destined to per
form the greatest feat of his life ano
to win imperishable renown- That was
hack in 1898 when the war clouds
were gathering and Dewy felt that nc
was being "shelved;" that the wal
with Spain was to be fought out In the
Gulf of Mexico and in the Caribbean
SEA and that he distant by half the
circumference of the globe, would
stand no chance of winning glory, FOL
at that moment no thought whatever
had been given to the Philippines. But
he took his orders and like true
sailor obeyed them. The result Is
page of history under date Of May 1
1898.
Spanish Squadron Destroyed
Contrary to Spanish expectations
Dewey sailed into Manila Bay on the
night of April 80 and in the morning
of the next day he annihiliated Admir-
al Montoio's squadron, destroying eieV-
en- warships and capturing all other
vessels and all the land batteries with
out the loss of man on the American
side.
Upon his triumphant return to the
United States he was feted by the ma
don. His admirers presented him
With a beautiful home in the National
Capital. Congress gave him an en-
graved sword, and raised him from the
rank of Commodore to Rear-Admiral
and then to the full rank of Admiral
OF the Navy.
Admiral Dewey was the third Amer
lean to reach that pinnacle of naval
rank. Farragut was the first and
Porter the second. 1t was under Far
ragut that Dewey received his nrs'
baptism in war.
George Dewey was born in the shaw
ow of Vermonts state capitol at Mont
peIier, on the day following Christmas
ip 1887. At the age of II. he reached
the crossroads of his career; one road
led to West Point, the other to An
ranolis. Young Dewey favored the
former, but
There was no vacancy for West
Point from Vermont" explained the
Admiral in reviewing his life. Other
wise | might have gone into Manila
Bay on an army transport instead oil
ON the Olympia. But it happened that
there was vacancy at Annapolis, so
entered the navy"
Fought in War Between States.
AT the outbreak Of the Civil War
Dewey was % years old. He was COM
uaIssioned lieutenant, and guided the
Mississippi as its executive officer In
Farragut's historic dash past Ne"
Orleans and its forts.
From the close of the Civil War un'
til the opening of the Spanish Ameri-
can, the life of the American naval Of
fcer was made up of routine duty at
sea and ashore During this period
the future admiral cruised; taught a
class at Annapolis; surveyed lower
California and part Of the west coast
of Mexico; carried supplies to the
survivors of the siege of Paris; per-
formed duty at Boston Navy Yard ana
the naval torpedo station at Newport;
inspected lighthouses and served as
naval secretary on the Lighthouse
board; spent two years travelling on a
sick leave in search of ehalth; four
years as chief of the Bureau of Equip
lent; and at the age of SO was serV-
ag as president of the Board of In
pection and Survey with the rank OF