| Birth: | Dec. 26, 1837 | | Death: | Jan. 16, 1917 | 
Widely hailed as the “Hero of Manila” for his action in the Spanish-America War. He is best known for defeating the Spanish fleet in Manila Bay, sinking all 8 Spanish ships, while sustaining very little damage to his own ships, no dead and only 8 wounded. His words at the start of the battle “You may fire when you are ready Gridley” were widely known. After his victory the United States was infected with Dewey mania. His image was used in association with the promotion of many products including Hershey chocolate, where his image was used on promotional items, and slot machines, where his image was used on several manufacture’s gambling devices know widely as “Deweys”. He was the main attraction in one of the first ticker tape parades in New York City in 1899 and after much pressuring announced his candidacy for President of the United States. He had second thoughts and withdrew less than two months later. Dewey graduated from the Naval Academy in 1858 and then served in the flagship of the Mediterranean Squadron. He returned to the United States in 1861 where he passed the Lieutenant’s exam. While on leave, he received word of the surrender of Fort Sumpter and he was on his way to serve in the Civil War. He participated in the Civil War as executive officer on a total of 6 ships in four major campaigns with numerous spells of patrol and blockade duty and was only 28 years of age at wars end. Campaigns included the Battle of New Orleans and the Battle of Port Hudson. After the war he was assigned as an instructor at the Naval Academy. Three years later he was assigned to command a ship that was being extensively refitted and while awaiting repairs was assigned to command a ship to carry food and medicine to French victims of the Franco-Prussian War. Thereafter, he was assigned to a torpedo station at Newport, Rhode Island. Following the death of his wife in childbirth in 1872, he requested detachment from the torpedo station and was given command of another ship that surveyed the Pacific Coast of Mexico and Lower California. In 1875, he returned to the United States and served two years as a lighthouse inspector before being appointed Naval Secretary to the Lighthouse board in Washington, D.C. While Dewey liked duty in Washington, his health suffered and he accepted command of a steamer under orders to the Orient. In Malta, Dewey became ill with abscess of the liver and a severe case of typhoid. He was in a British hospital for over a year. Thereafter he spent two years of recovery time at various spas. In 1884, he felt strong enough to accept a command of the first modern ship in the Navy, a newly completed steel dispatch boat. The new boat failed to make the designed speed and the Navy refused to accept the ship. While the government and the builders wrangled, Dewey accepted command of another ship where he served on the flagship of the Rear Admiral in the European station. In 1889 he served as chief of the Bureau of Equipment and Recruiting in Washington, having tired of the peacetime activities of a flagship officer that consisted of constant rounds of balls, reviews and naval ceremonies. In 1893 he was appointed president of the Lighthouse Board and in 1895 he was assigned to duty as the president of the Board of Inspection and Survey. In 1897 he was appointed to the post of commander-in-chief of the Asiatic Fleet after much lobbying by the Assistant Secretary of the Navy, Teddy Roosevelt and Vermont’s Senator. After accepting this assignment he was sent to Japan and was in Hong Kong when the Spanish American War broke out. Dewey’s ships arrived in Manila on April 30, 1898 and demolished the Spanish fleet the next day. He was promoted by act of Congress to Rear Admiral in March 1899 and then to the special rank of Admiral of the Navy. Congress also passed an act to enable him to continue on active duty past the legal retirement age. In late September 1899, his ship arrived in the United States where he took part in a New York parade as well as receiving honors in Washington D.C. and his home state of Vermont. After declining to run for the President of the United States in 1900, he was selected as president of the General Board of the Navy on which he served until 1916. He was given additional duty as chairman of the Joint Army-Navy Board in 1903. He wrote and published his autobiography in 1913.
Family links:
Spouse:
Susan Boardman Goodwin Dewey (1844 - 1872)*
Children:
George Goodwin Dewey (1872 - 1963)*
*Calculated relationship
Search Amazon for George Dewey | | | Burial:
Washington National Cathedral
Washington
District of Columbia
District Of Columbia, USA |
Maintained by: Find A Grave
Record added: Jan 01, 2001
Find A Grave Memorial# 278 |
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George Dewey: Sir, you will be mostly remembered as as the "Hero of Manila" for your action in the Spanish-America War. You will be also known for defeating the Spanish fleet in Manila Bay, sinking all 8 Spanish ships, you are remembered today, may you re...(Read more)
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MFPS
Added: Jan. 16, 2013 |
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Jackie Howard
Added: Jan. 16, 2013 |
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James Snow
Added: Jan. 16, 2013 |
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(4.3 after 87 votes)
