When Dewey was fourteen years old, a desire for a sea-faring life took possession of him, but his father did not take kindly to the thought of his son’s becoming a sailor; so a compromise was effected, and young Dewey left the Montpelier public school and entered the Norwich University at Northfield, Vt. This being a military school the youthful enthusiasm of the boy was temporarily appeased by musket practice and drill; but after two years had passed, Dr. Dewey decided that if his son must follow the sea, he should do so in a manner consistent with the Dewey stock.
An appointment to the Naval Academy placed the future Admiral at Annapolis in 1858. Upon his graduation, in 1858, he cruised for a few years as midshipman on the steam frigate Swatara in the Mediterranean and then returned to Montpelier.
On April 19, 1861, Dewey was commissioned Lieutenant, and for two years served on the steam sloop Mississippi, taking part in the action of the West Gulf Squadron. The Mississippi grounded, and was riddled by the shore batteries at Port Hudson. The officers and men were landed on the opposite side by boats; Captain Smith and Lieutenant Dewey being the last to leave the ship. In 1863 the young Lieutenant was in the thick of the fight with the gunboats that met the Confederates below Donaldsonville, and subsequently served on the steam gunboat Agawam, Captain Rhind, of the North Atlantic Squadron, and participated in two attacks on Fort Fisher in 1864-1865.
Dewey was commissioned Lieutenant Commander March 3, 1865, and a year later became executive officer of the famous Kearsarge. He also served on the frigate Colorado, flagship of the European Squadron.
On returning to the United States in 1868, he was detailed for duty at Annapolis, remaining for two years.
Dewey received his first command—the Narragansett—in 1870, and was engaged in special service till 1875, two years of which he had charge of the Pacific Survey. Meantime he became a Commander.
Commander Dewey became Light House Inspector in 1876, and was Secretary of the Light House Board from 1877 to 1882, when he was assigned to the command of the Juniata, of the Asiatic Squadron. In 1884 he was promoted to be Captain, and took command of the Dolphin, one of the first craft of the new Navy, and afterwards of the Pensacola, flagship of the European Squadron.
In 1888 Captain Dewey served as Chief of the Bureau of Equipment and Recruiting, with rank of Commodore. He was commissioned Commodore February 28, 1896. From 1893 to 1895 Commodore Dewey was a member of the Light House Board. In 1896 and 1897, he was President of the Inspection and Survey Board. On November 30, 1897, he was assigned to the command, of the Asiatic Squadron, and assumed his duties January 3, 1898.
In recognition of his splendid achievement at Manila, Commodore Dewey was appointed a Rear Admiral in May, 1898.
Admiral Dewey married the daughter of the celebrated Governor Goodwin, War Governor of New Hampshire—a fighter of the old school. Mrs. Dewey did not long survive the birth of her only son, George Goodwin Dewey.