CAPTAIN SIGSBEE OF THE MAINE.
Most of the members of Congress agreed with Senator Thurston. On the 19th of April, 1898, they passed a resolution authorizing President McKinley to use the army and navy of the United States to force Spain to abandon all claim to the island of Cuba.
Spain was not willing to give up her control of the Cubans, and therefore war was formally declared. It was only a few days until actual hostilities began.
It is the purpose of the following chapters to relate the story of the short but decisive struggle which followed. In that struggle the navy of the United States bore by far the largest share, and it is therefore of the navy and of the brave officers who commanded it that we shall have the most to say.
THE STORY OF ADMIRAL DEWEY AND THE NAVY OF 1898.
I.—The Battle of Manila.
On the morning of May 1, 1898, in the harbor of Manila, one of the most remarkable naval victories in the history of the world was won by the United States. The Spanish fleet, though superior in both men and guns, was entirely destroyed, and hundreds of officers and men were made prisoners. All this was accomplished by an American squadron under Commodore George Dewey, without the loss of a ship or a man. The way in which it all came about was as follows:
When war was declared between the United States and Spain, Commodore George Dewey was at Hong Kong, China, with that part of our navy which was known as the Asiatic squadron. He was at once ordered to sail to the Philippines, and capture or destroy the Spanish fleet there. These Philippine Islands are about six hundred miles southeast of Hong Kong. Their capital and largest city is Manila, on the island of Luzon.
As Commodore Dewey sailed out of the bay at Hong Kong, he signaled to his fleet: "Keep cool and obey orders."