DEWEY, GEORGE (183 7-1917 ), American naval officer, was born at Montpelier, Vt., on Dec. 26, 1837. He studied at Norwich university, then at Norwich, Vt., and graduated at the United States Naval Academy in 1858. He was commissioned lieutenant in April 1861, and in the Civil War served on the steamsloop "Mississippi" (1861-63) during Farragut's passage of the forts below New Orleans in April 1862, and at Port Hudson in March 1863; took part in the fighting below Donaldsonville, La., in July 1863; and in 1864-65 served on the steam-gunboat "Agawam" with the North Atlantic blockading squadron and took part in the attacks on Fort Fisher in Dec. 1864, and Jan. 1865. He became a lieutenant-commander in 1865, commander in 1872, captain in 1884, and commodore in 1896.
In Nov. 1897 he was assigned, at his own request, to sea service, and sent to Asiatic waters. In April 1898, while with his fleet at Hong Kong, he was notified by cable that war had begun between the United States and Spain, and was ordered to "capture or destroy the Spanish fleet" then in Philippine waters. On May he overwhelmingly defeated the Spanish fleet under Admiral Montojo in Manila bay, a victory won without the loss of a man of the American ships (see SPANISH-AMERICAN WAR). Congress, in a joint resolution, tendered its thanks to Commodore Dewey, and to the officers and men under his command, and authorized "the sec retary of the navy to present a sword of honour to Commodore George Dewey, and cause to be struck bronze medals commemo rating the battle of Manila bay, and to distribute such medals to the officers and men of the ships of the Asiatic squadron of the United States." He was promoted rear-admiral on May o, 1898. On Aug. 18 his squadron assisted in the capture of the City of Manila. Af ter remaining in the Philippines under orders from his government to maintain control, Dewey received the rank of ad miral (March 3, i899)—that title, formerly borne only by Farra gut and Porter, having been revived by act of Congress (March 2, 1899)—and returned home, arriving in New York City, where, on Sept. 3o, 1899, he received a great ovation. He was a member 0899) of the Schurman Philippine Commission, and in 19o1 acted as president of the Schley court of inquiry.
By special provision Admiral Dewey was not retired, but con tinued in the service up to his death, being president of the General Board of the Navy for the last seven years of his life. To the end he continued to urge the building of large battleships, citing their superiority in the Battle of Jutland. In 1913 he pub lished his Autobiography. He died in Washington, D.C., on Jan. 16,1917, and was buried in the Arlington National cemetery. His body was transferred March 28,1925, to the crypt of the Bethle hem chapel of the National Episcopal cathedral in Washington.