Admiral George Dewey Hero of Manila Bay

 

Admiral George Dewey on the deck of the Olympia 
(colored illustration from 1898)

“You may fire when ready, Gridley.”

Olympia let fly. Guns thundered, smoke swallowed the deck, and shells hurled up water around the Spanish squadron. Below, ammunition crews hauled up more rounds.

George Dewey had found his fight.

Dawn broke over Manila Bay on May 1, 1898, as six American fighting ships steamed past the Spanish squadron near Cavite. Guns fired down the American line. Dewey led his ships through a turn and brought them back for another pounding.

Aboard the Spanish flagship Reina Cristina, Admiral Patricio Montojo pushed toward the Americans. Shells smashed into his ship, knocked out guns, and ignited fires. With his flagship burning beneath him, Montojo transferred to another vessel.

The Americans kept coming.

Pass after pass, Dewey’s ships churned through the bay, firing into Spain’s aging vessels. American crews rammed home fresh rounds and fired again. Spanish sailors fought their guns and struggled against spreading flames, but their lightly protected ships couldn’t withstand the heavier American batteries.

Then came a report that threatened to stop Dewey cold: Olympia’s five-inch guns were running short of ammunition.

At 7:35 a.m., he broke off. His squadron steamed out of range while officers counted shells and checked the alarming message. Sailors grabbed breakfast with the Spanish wrecks still smoking across the water.

There were plenty of shells.

Shortly after eleven, Dewey went back in. The Americans opened fire again; scattered Spanish guns answered, then fell silent. By 12:30, the surviving defenders had abandoned their ships or surrendered.

Fewer than seven hours, including breakfast. No American killed by enemy fire. Spain’s squadron smashed.

Back home, Americans snapped up Dewey souvenirs and named babies for the victor. A commander who had sailed into the bay as a commodore emerged as the country’s newest hero.

American troops soon followed him ashore. Spain surrendered the Philippines to the United States, but Filipinos fighting for independence refused to exchange one foreign ruler for another. Dewey had blasted open the harbor; America marched through—and into another war.