IV.—From Lieutenant to Commodore.
Lieutenant Dewey was ordered to the steam sloop Mississippi, one of the Gulf Squadron, of which Admiral Farragut was the commander. Though but twenty-three years of age, the young lieutenant won the admiration of both officers and men.
When the fleet passed the forts below New Orleans, the Mississippi was the third in the line. All through that terrible fight, Lieutenant Dewey stood on the bridge, amid the storm of shot and shell. Whenever the guns flashed out in the darkness, the sailors could see him holding firmly to the rail, giving orders as calmly as though a battle were an everyday affair.
When the Confederate iron-clad, Pensacola, tried to ram the Mississippi, Lieutenant Dewey never lost his presence of mind. By a quick move, the Mississippi avoided the Pensacola, and passing by, poured such a broadside into the ram that her crew ran her ashore in a sinking condition. Admiral Farragut praised the young lieutenant warmly for his brave conduct in this battle.
About a year later the Mississippi, while trying to pass the forts at Port Hudson, ran aground. The vessel was directly in range of the enemy's batteries, and there was no hope of saving her. Shot after shot came crashing through her sides.
The officers who had the task of saving the crew did not return to the Mississippi after their trip to a place of safety. The rest of the crew were saved by Lieutenant Dewey. He was obliged to make several trips to the nearest vessel before he had placed all of the crew out of danger.
When no one was left on board but Captain Smith and himself, they set fire to the Mississippi in five places, so that she should not fall into the hands of the enemy.
As Dewey and the captain were about to get into their boat, Captain Smith said: "Are you sure she will burn, Dewey?"
"I will take one look more to be sure," replied the brave lieutenant; and, at the risk of his life, he made his way back and saw that the fires they had started were making good headway. He then rejoined the captain, and they pulled away from the burning ship.
After the loss of the Mississippi, Lieutenant Dewey was ordered to one of Admiral Farragut's dispatch boats. The admiral often came on board and was very friendly to the young lieutenant.
In 1864, Dewey was assigned to the Colorado as first lieutenant. This vessel was part of the fleet besieging Fort Fisher.
During the second attack on the fort, the Colorado was ordered to go up close to a certain battery and silence it. Some of the officers objected, as the Colorado was a wooden vessel and had already been badly damaged. Lieutenant Dewey said, "We shall be safer in there, and the battery can be taken in fifteen minutes." The attack was a success and proved that Dewey was wise as well as brave.
After the battle, Admiral Porter came to thank the commander of the Colorado for the work that his vessel had done. The commodore replied, "You must thank Lieutenant Dewey. It was his move."
Three months later he was promoted to the rank of lieutenant commander on account of the courage and ability he had shown.
After the close of the war, Dewey's father went to see Farragut in New York. The famous admiral shook Dr. Dewey's hand warmly and said, "Sir! Your son George is a worthy and brave officer and some day will make his mark."
In 1884 he was made captain. He did not receive the rank of commodore until 1896.
During all these years, he worked hard and did his duty faithfully. When not on the sea, he was at work on shore, teaching in the Naval Academy, making marine maps, or looking after supplies for the vessels.
Admiral Dewey's sailors are very fond of him, for although he is strict he is always just. The two things which he especially dislikes are disobedience and untruth.
On one occasion, when captain of the Dolphin, his lieutenant reported that one of the men had refused to perform some task on the plea that it was not his work. Captain Dewey came on deck, and, looking sternly at the man, said:
"What! you refuse to do as you are told! Don't you know that this is mutiny?" Calling for the guard, he ordered them to load their guns. "Now, my man," he said, "you have just five minutes in which to obey that order." The captain began counting the minutes, and by the time he had reached four, the order was obeyed.
At another time, while at Gibraltar, one of his sailors who had been ashore, came aboard late at night, very drunk. Next morning, he tried to excuse himself to the captain by saying that he had only had two glasses of grog, but had afterwards been sun-struck.
"You are lying, my man," said Dewey. "You were very drunk. I expect my men to tell me the truth. Had you told me that you were drunk, I would have made the punishment as light as possible. Now you get ten days in irons for lying."
In January, 1898, Commodore Dewey was ordered to take command of the Asiatic Squadron at Hong Kong, China.