New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-01-17
ADMIRAL DEWEY
DIES AT CAPITAL
Continued from page ]

short. dispassionate sentence spoken by
tho only admiral the United States
Navy has had since the great Farragut
trod a deck for the last time -George
Dewey's calm you may fire when you
are ready, Gridley."
A few seconds later the S-ineh rifes
of the Olympia sent their shells across
the ouiet waters of Manila Bay on that
early morning OF May /. 1898.
Those cool words that Dewey spoke
broke SPANS power in the Far East
smashed her feet under Admiral
Montijo. brought the Philippines under
the Stars and Stripes and made the
obscure commodore who commanoeu
the Asiatic squadron the admiral Oh the
United States Navy.
Fighter from Childhood
Row and man Dewey was a fighter
School after school rejected him as TOO
filled with the JOY Of combat Tor peace
full teaching. Before the wrecks III
Manila Bav which had once been
proud Spanish ships had grown cooi
Tho fearless commodore had turned
se,einst superior German fleet which
bsd been violating all rules OF inter
national courtesy and had asked It's ad-
miral whether he, too, was at war with
tho limited States. No stain ever sullied
the flag which flew from Dewey's com
mand =:
lie was a fighter by nature and IN
bor;tance One OF his ancestors had
fought in King Philips War. Another
was a minute man at the Battle OF
Lexington. II was the privilege or their
descendant TO fight CALAMITY IN two
great wars before final peace came TO
George Dewey was born at Mont
heller. Vt. December 27, 1887. His
father. julius Yemans Dewey, was a
nhysician. The lads mother died when
he was five years old. DR.. Dewey sent
his son to the Military Academy az
Norwich, VI.
In 1854 he was sent to Annapolis,
and there he buckled down TO his life
work.
lie was graduated fifth in his class
and assigned TO the frigate Wabash
flagship Of the Mediterranean Squad
ron. April of 1861 found him a full!
lieutenant. Then came the war and
the resulting great dearth OF otficers
from which the navy suffered by reason
of the many who cast their fortunes
with the South. Dewey was assigned
to the frigatc Mississippi, and few
months later found himself engaged IN
blockading the Gulf of Mexico.
BY the time that Farragut took com
mand Of the feet in the Gulf and had
lafa Of Aaru
Orleans. all officers on the Mississippi
senior to Dewey had been transferred
TO other vessels, and he found himself
second in command OF the ship.
Braves Shore Batteries
Following the capture Of New Or
leans, in which the Mississippi was
badly handled both by the shore bat
teries and the ram Manassas, the
Young officer next saw service in run
ming the batteries at Port Hudson.
This action was taken by Farragut to
shut of Nicksburg from the river side
During this engagement the Mississippi
ran on a sandbar and WAS lost.
As executive officer Of the Colorado
Dewey saw service IN both actions az
Fort Fisher.
While serving as instructor at An.
napolis in 1867 he married Miss Susan
Boardman Goodwin, daughter of for
mer Governor Of New Hampshire. In
1872 she died and her husband was
left with only her newborn baby,
George Goodwin Dewey, and his first
love. the navy, 10 comfort him.
Through the slow system Of promo
tion then existing in the service. he
was forty-seven before he was made
captain, and twelve more years elapsed
before he became commodore.
On January 3, 1898, Commodore
Dewey took command Of the Asiatic
squadron at Nagasaki. Japan. II was
a. T the fate that had sent him there
had given him warning Of what was
in store for him, for he began at once
a clamor for more ammunition. But,
boz spite Of his repeated appeals. il
was not until the day before war was
declared with Spain that the cruiser
Baltimore brought him enough shot
and she'll 90 risk battle As il was. he
JAILED from Hong Kong 10 tight
against one Of the oldest OF the