The following account and appreciation of Admiral Dewey’s work derives
a special interest from the fact that it was written by Colonel
Roosevelt shortly after the battle of Manila:
“Admiral Dewey was sent to command the fleet on the Asiatic station
primarily because he had such a record in the past that the best
officers in the navy believed him to be peculiarly a man of the
fighting temperament and fit to meet emergencies, and because he had
shown his willingness to assume heavy responsibilities.
“For our own sakes, and in particular for the sake of any naval officer
who in the future may be called upon to do such a piece of work as
Dewey did, let us keep in mind the further fact that he could not
have accomplished his feat if he had not had first-class vessels and
excellently trained men; if his warships had not been so good and his
captains and crews such thorough masters of their art.
“A man of less daring courage than Dewey would never have done what
he did; but the courage itself was not enough. The Spaniards, too,
had courage. What they lacked was energy, training, forethought. They
fought their vessels until they burned or sank; but their gunnery
was so poor that they did not kill a man in the American fleet. Even
Dewey’s splendid capacity would not have enabled him to win the battle
of Manila Bay had it not been for the traditional energy and seamanship
of our naval service, so well illustrated in his captains, and the
excellent gun practice of the crews, the result of years of steady
training.”
Roosevelt never lost his interest in the navy. Admiral Chadwick wrote a
book on the early period of the American navy. As soon as the book was
published Senator Lodge hurried to the White House, hoping to surprise
Mr. Roosevelt with the news of the publication.
“I see,” he remarked, “that Admiral Chadwick has written a book on the
American navy.”
“Yes,” broke in Roosevelt, “I have read it. It’s bully. I didn’t think
Chadwick was equal to it.”
Roosevelt felt that his work for the navy was done at the outbreak of
the war.
“I have nothing more to do,” he said. “I must go to war myself.”
He was urged to keep his position. The women of the Cabinet reminded
him that he had six children.
“I have done what I could to bring about the war,” he said; “now I have
no right to ask others to fight it out while I stay home.”
He resigned to go to the front.