The winter passed away without any untoward event to our friends at
Woodburn, Ion, Fairview, and the vicinity; March and April succeeded,
then early in May came the news that Admiral Watson was ordered to
proceed to Manila and relieve Admiral Dewey. He sailed from San
Francisco on the 16th. It was not until late in June that he reached
his destination, but Admiral Dewey had left there for Hong-Kong on the
23d of May, and placed the _Olympia_ in dry-dock for the ten days he
thought best to stay at that point in order to recruit his own health
and that of his men. He left Hong-Kong on June 6, and reached Singapore
June 11. On the 23d he was at Colombo, on the island of Ceylon. He
touched at various points on his homeward route--Port Said, Trieste,
Naples, Leghorn--at every place being received with highest honors. On
August 28 he was in the neighborhood of Nice and Villefranche, enjoying
the delightful climate and beautiful scenery of that part of the world.
On the 4th of September he reached Gibraltar. His vessel gave the usual
salute, heartily acknowledged by the garrison, and the admiral was
warmly welcomed by its commander-in-chief, General Biddulph. He seems
to have stayed there six days, as it was on the 10th he sailed for
New York by way of the Azores. On Tuesday morning, September 26, he
anchored inside Sandy Hook--three days earlier than he was expected.
A reception committee in New York City had been busily making ready to
give him a grand "Welcome Home," which they intended should eclipse in
gorgeous pageantry everything that had preceded it in the way of public
demonstration. They had written to Admiral Dewey to know when he would
arrive in order that they might fix a date for the grand display, and
he had written them from Leghorn, more than a month before: "I shall,
without fail, reach the Lower Bay on Friday, September 29."
The glad news of his arrival quickly spread by telegraph, and cannon
were fired and bells rung in many cities throughout the country.
The New York Reception Committee hastened to welcome him as soon as
they knew of the arrival of the _Olympia_. Rear-Admirals Philip and
Sampson came also; but first of all came Sir Thomas Lipton, the British
challenger for the cup which has been so long in our possession, his
vessel lying near where the _Olympia_ anchored.
But presently another yacht came steaming rapidly down the river,
and Max recognized it with an exclamation of delight, for it was the
_Dolphin_, and in a few minutes more Captain Raymond was on the deck
of the _Olympia_, grasping his son's hand, while his eyes shone with
fatherly pride and affection.
"My boy, my dear boy!" he said, in tones tremulous with emotion; "thank
God that we are permitted to meet again."
"Father, my dear, dear father, how I have longed for this meeting with
you!" was Max's answering exclamation. "Oh, tell me, are all our dear
ones alive and well?"
"Yes, my son, and waiting yonder in the yacht for you. Surely the
admiral will allow you to go aboard her with me for a little visit."
The admiral and the captain were not strangers to each other. A cordial
greeting passed between them, they chatted as old friends for a few
minutes, then Captain Raymond carried his son off to the _Dolphin_,
where he was received most joyfully, and exchanged loving embraces with
his affianced, his sisters, "Mamma Vi," "Grandma Elsie," and little
brother.
They told him they had spent the greater part of the summer at Crag
Cottage--which they still considered their temporary home--but for the
present were on board the yacht, as the best place from which to view
the naval welcome to Admiral Dewey.
Time flew fast in the glad mutual intercourse they had lacked for so
many months. Max had many questions to ask in regard to friends and
relatives and all that had been going on in the neighborhood of his
home and theirs. But his short leave had soon expired, and his father
conveyed him back to the _Olympia_ and left him there with the warmly
expressed hope that they would soon be able to be together constantly
for a time.
At the naval anchorage at Tompkinsville a fleet was gathered to welcome
Dewey's return, and his vessel steamed thither on Wednesday--the day
after her arrival at Sandy Hook. As she swept up the bay the salute due
to an Admiral of the United States Navy rang out over the harbor from
the forts and the assembled fleet for the first time in many years.
There were also the music of marine bands, the pealing of naval bugles,
the shrill whistles of numerous small craft, the cheering of excursion
parties, and the rapid dash of the steam launches, all combining to
make the scene a very lively one.
During that day and the next the admiral and his officers had little
rest, for their time was devoted to receiving the hurried visits of
State and city officials, of naval and military officers, and of
thousands of private citizens. One of the calls was that of a committee
from Washington, to tell Dewey of the arrangements for his reception
and the sword presentation there, and of an invitation to dine with
President McKinley on October 3d.
On Thursday, Captain Lamberton of the _Olympia_ had a pleasant
task--that of pinning upon the breast of each man of Dewey's fleet who
had taken part in the fight at Manila the bronze medal of honor voted
him by Congress. That was followed by the presentation to Admiral Dewey
of the first American admiral's flag ever flung to the breeze, the flag
first hoisted to the mast-head of Farragut's flagship, the _Hartford_,
before New Orleans.
Another thing very pleasing to the admiral was the receipt of an order
from Washington granting special permission to the thirty-four Chinamen
on board of the _Olympia_ who had taken part in the battle at Manila
to land and have a share in the great parade. The city was a blaze of
flags and bunting by day, and of electric lights by night. On the
Brooklyn Bridge over eight thousand electric bulbs were arranged to
form the words "Welcome Dewey"; powerful searchlights flashed from
the towers over city and bay, and red fire burned along shores on the
vessels at night.
The naval parade on Friday was the most magnificent display of the
kind ever seen in this country. The _Olympia_ led the way, followed by
battleships, cruisers, revenue cutters, torpedo boats, and innumerable
craft of all descriptions. Over three million people lined the river
banks to see the magnificent pageant. At Riverside--where Grant is
buried--a salute was fired in his honor. Two beautiful allegorical
floats were anchored there, representing "Victory" and "Peace."
Here the _Olympia_ and her consorts dropped anchor, while the long
fleet passed in review. In the evening there was a fine electric and
pyrotechnic display throughout the city and along the river.
The next day, Saturday, September 30, came the land parade, which was
as interesting as had been the naval one. At five o'clock the admiral
was up, and personally inspected his men. A committee of gentlemen
escorted him to the City Hall, where he was met by Admiral Schley,
Captain Walker, Captain Coghlan, Captain Dyer, Governor Roosevelt, and
others who had won distinction in the war. It was observed that he
greeted Schley with marked cordiality. From there the party went to a
stand in front of the Hall, and Dewey was presented by Mayor Van Wyck,
on behalf of the City of New York, with a handsome and costly loving
cup of fine gold.
The admiral and his party then hastened to the pier to take the boat
to Grant's tomb, where the procession formed. It was a great one,
and every step of the way was an ovation. First came Sousa's immense
band of musicians, then the sailor boys of Manila, the bluejackets of
Santiago, and the boys from fifteen States, who had taken part in the
Spanish-American war. The immense crowds along the sidewalks cheered
them lustily; none more so than the "Fighting Tenth" of Pennsylvania.
But the part of the procession which attracted the most attention was
the carriage drawn by four beautiful bay horses in which rode Admiral
Dewey and Mayor Van Wyck. Dewey rode with uncovered head bowing right
and left until he reached the reviewing stand. The triumphal arch with
its marble-like colonnade made a beautiful picture. On its top was a
heroic figure of Farragut--who gave Dewey his first lesson in sailing
over hidden mines and destructive torpedoes--seeming to look down
upon his brave and successful pupil with admiration and approval. The
celebration was a great success, showing how heartily the American
people appreciated their gallant hero. The next day, being the Sabbath,
was spent in rest and comparative quiet. On Monday, October 2, Dewey
went by rail from New York to Washington, his journey thither proving
a continual ovation. It was in the early evening he reached that city,
and as the train neared the station a battery boomed out the admiral's
salute, announcing his arrival to the waiting multitudes. The Third
Cavalry was there to receive him, and he was driven to the White House
to pay his respects to the Chief of the Nation. He was warmly welcomed
by the President and his Cabinet and many naval officers.
After that the entire party went to review the civic parade which had
been planned in honor of the admiral.
The next day Admiral Dewey was presented with the sword voted him by
Congress. A vast concourse of people assembled to witness the imposing
and impressive ceremony, which took place in front of the Capitol,
in the presence of the President and his Cabinet and the principal
officers of the several departments of the government. General Miles
was grand marshal of the escort, attended by a large staff of officers
of the army and navy, all in full dress uniform and superbly mounted.
Just as the meridian gun sounded high noon, Admiral Dewey, leaning upon
the President's arm, walked upon the platform. Following them were
judges of the Supreme Court, governors of States, senators, and members
of Congress, and the general officers of the army and navy.
Congress had directed that the sword should be presented by the
Secretary of the Navy, and he did so in most appropriate and eloquent
language.
"No captain," he said, "ever faced a more crucial test than when, that
morning, bearing the fate and the honor of your country in your hand,
thousands of miles from home, with every foreign port in the world shut
to you, nothing between you and annihilation but the thin sheathing
of your ships, your cannon, and your devoted officers and men, you
moved upon the enemy's batteries on shore and on sea with unflinching
faith and nerve, and before the sun was halfway up in the heavens had
silenced the guns of the foe, sunk the hostile fleet, demonstrated the
supremacy of the American sea power, and transferred to the United
States an entire of the islands of the Pacific."
In closing his speech the Secretary handed the sword to the President
as Commander-in Chief of the Army and Navy, and the President,
speaking a few appropriate words as he did so, handed it to the
admiral, who took it, saving:
"I thank you, Mr. President, for this great honor you have conferred
upon me. I thank the Congress for what it has done. I thank the
Secretary of the Navy for his gracious words. I thank my country for
this beautiful gift, which shall be an heirloom in my family forever,
as an evidence that republics are not ungrateful. And I thank you, Mr.
Chairman and gentlemen of the committee, for the gracious, kindly, and
cordial welcome which you have given me to my home."