Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1917-01-19
ADMIRAL DEWEY DEAD
Nations Spanish War Hero Rank.
ing Naval Officer Of World
News Flashed to All U. S. Vessels-End
Came from a General Breakdown -
Born in Montpelier Dec. 26. 1887.

game from teneral bredkuoWu -
Born in Montpelier Dec. 26. 1887.
Admiral George Dewey, the nation s
Spanish war hero and by priority of
grade the ranking naval officer of the
world, died at his home in Washington,
d. c.. Tuesday night in his S0th year.
He had not been conscious since Mon
day, when he lapsed into coma.
A general breakdown accompanied
by artcrio sclerosis incident to old
age was the cause of death. The dis
ease had been gradually spreading it's
hold upon the once powerful body for
year and half, but the admiral
proud of his physical Vigor, had fought
it off and even kept its existence a.
secret from most of his intimate
friends. On January 10 he was at his
office apparently hale and hearty. The
next day he collapsed rs he was pre-
pairing to leave the house and the be-
ginning of the end was at hand.
Mrs. Dewey and the admiral s only
son, George, were at the bedside Tuesday
night They had known since early
Monday there was no hope.
The admiral died at $50 O'Clock.
President Wilson and Secretary Dan
icls were notified at once and the news
was flashed by wireless to American
naval vessels and stations all over the
world. The message carried orders that
all flags be half masted.
The body will be buried i'll the
Arlington National cemetery on the
Virginia shore of the Potomac river
where many of Admiral Dewey's for
mcr comrades have been laid to rest
before him.
Admiral George Dewey, "hero of Manila
Bay" fought and won the first great
American naval battle against foreign
foe since the War of 1912.
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 career based upon
the exact and intelligent performance of
every routine duty which molds a man on
inheXible lines 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 career he
was disposed to protest against the edict
of the navy department which carried him
into the Far East, where he was destined
to perform the greatest feat of his life
and to win imperlshable renown. That
was back in 1898 when the war clouds
were gathering and Dewey felt that he was
being 'shelved''; that the war with Spain
was to be fought out in the Gulf of Mex
leo and in the Caribbean Sea and that he,
distant by half the circumference of the
globe, would stand no chance of winning
glory, for at that moment no thought
whatever had been given to the Philip
pines But he took his orders and like a
true sailor obeyed them. The result is a
page of history under date OF May l. 1898.
ContraryAto Spanish Expectations, Dewey
sailed into Manila Bay on the night of
April 80 and in the morning of the next
day he annihilated Admiral Montojo' 3
squadron. destroying IL warships and cap
turing all other vessels and all the land
batteries without the loss of a man on the
American side
Upon his triumphant return to the Unit
ed States he was feted by the nation. His
admirers presented him with a beautiful
home in the National capital. Congress
gave him an engraved sword, and raised
him from the rank of commodore to rear
admiral and then to the full rank of the
admiral of the navy.
Admiral Dewey was the third American
to reach that pinnacle of naval rank. Far
ragut was the first and Porter the second
1t was under Farragut that Dewey re
ccved his first baptism in war.
"Nauablc as the training of Annapoli,
was, 1t was poor schooling beside that o.
serving under Farragut in time of war
Admiral Dewey once said. whenever
have been in a difficult situation or il
the midst of such a confusion of details
that the simple and right thing to dc
oI bnZv | bDVp asked rpt-snlf
What would Farragut do In the cours,
of preparation for Manila Bay, | Otter
asked myself this question, and | confes
] was thinking of him the night we en-
tered the bay and with the conviction tina
] was doing precisely what lie would hav
done"
George Dewey was born in the SHADOW
of Nermonts state capital at Montpelier
ON the day following Christmas in 1887
At the age OF II, he reached the cross
roads of his career; one road led to Yves
Point, the other TO Annapolis. Youn
Dewey favored the former but
There was no vacancy for West Poin
from Vermont" explained the Admiral il
reviewing his life Otherwise ] NIGH
have gone into Manila Bay on an arm.
transport instead Of on the Olympia. Blu
it happened there was "A vacancy at An
napolis, so | entered the navy"
Before he received his appointment a
Annapolis he attended Norwich university
At the outbreak of the Civil war Dcwe
was % years old. He was commissioned
lieutenant, and guided the Mississippi a
its executive officer in Fanagut's histori
dash past New Orleans and its forts. II
was not so successful at Port Hudson
Farragut Won through, but Dewey an
the Mississippi ran aground under tn
guns Of the forts. The ship was set afr
and during the transfer of the crew nde
fire, the young officer lived five years il
an hour
From the close of the Civil war unit
the opening of the SDanish- American IN