Home > George Dewey

He was born in Montpelier, Vermont and graduated from the Naval Academy in 1858. He served as a lieutenant under Admiral David Farragut in the American Civil War, seeing action in Louisiana and along the Mississippi River. He attained the rank of lieutenant commanderIn the Royal Navy and US Navy, a Lieutenant Commander Lieutenant-Commander or Lt Cdr in the RN) is a commissioned officer superior to a lieutenant and inferior to a commander. The corresponding rank in the British Army, Royal Marines, US Army, US Air Forc in 18651865 is a common year starting on Sunday. Events January 31 American Civil War: Confederate General Robert E. Lee becomes general-in-chief. February 17 American Civil War: Columbia, South Carolina burns as Confederate forces flee from advancing Union forc.

Dewey remained in the Navy after the war and in 1896Events January 4 Utah is admitted as the 45th U. January 5 An Austrian newspaper reports that Wilhelm Rontgen discovered a type of radiation later known as X-rays. January 12 H. Smith takes the first X-ray photograph. January 18 The X-ray machine is exhib was made a CommodoreThe military rank of commodore is used in some navies for officers who command more than one ship, but are not senior enough to be made admirals. Commodores begin the star ranks: In many navies they are known as One Star officers. Admirals rank upwards wi. He was appointed to the command of the United States Asiatic SquadronThe Asiatic Squadron was the fleet of United States Navy warships and supporting elements stationed in the Pacific Ocean in the 19th century. The United States maintained naval presence in East Asia since 1835 to protect American interests against the tur a few weeks before the start of the war with Spain.

On April 27April 27 is the 117th day of the year (118th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 248 days remaining. Events 1124 David becomes King of Scotland. 1296 Battle of Dunbar: The Scots are defeated by Edward I of England. 1509 Pope Julius II places th, 1898Events January 1 New York City annexes land from surrounding counties, creating the City of Greater New York. The city is geographically divided into five boroughs: Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, The Bronx, and Staten Island. January 13 Emile Zola's J'accus he sailed out from ChinaThis article is on the geographic and cultural entity. For other meanings, see China (disambiguation). China ( Traditional Chinese: , Simplified Chinese: , Hanyu Pinyin: Zhongguo, Wade-Giles: Chung-kuo) is a country in continental East Asia with some oute with orders to attack the Spanish at Manila Bay. He arrived at the mouth of the bay late the night of April 30, and the following morning he gave the order to attacked at first light, by saying the now famous words "You may fire when ready, Gridley". Within 6 hours on May 1 he had sunk or captured the entire Spanish Pacific fleet under Admiral Patricio Montojo y Pasarón and silenced the shore batteries at Manila, without the loss of a single life on the American side.

News of the victory in the Battle of Manila Bay made Dewey a great hero in the United States, and Dewey was promoted to Rear Admiral. Dewey's swift easy victory no doubt did much to encourage the William McKinley administration in its decision to place the Philippines under American control.

Detail of painting in the Vermont State House depicting Dewey on the USS Olympia during the Battle of Manila Bay

Dewey aided General Wesley Merritt in taking formal possession of Manila on August 18. In the early stages of the war the Americans were greatly aided by the Filipino nationalists led by Emilio Aguinaldo who had been attacking the Spanish by land as Dewey was attacking them by sea. Dewey and Aguinaldo at first enjoyed a cordial relationship, and Dewey wrote that the Filipinos were "intelligent" and well "capable of self-government"; however the McKinley administration soon decided otherwise, and by the start of 1899 Dewey had to threaten to shell Aguinaldo's forces to allow American troops to land in Manila (for details, see History of the Philippines).

Dewey returned to America to a hero's welcome, and by act of Congress was made Admiral of the Navy in 1899. Many suggested he run for President, which he briefly considered, then decided not to run in favor of the re-election of McKinley.

Dewey officially remained an active officer of the Navy until his death, as a special honor after he passed retirement age. He published his autobiography in 1913. Admiral George Dewey died in Washington, D.C..