George Dewey (December 26, 1837 – January 16, 1917). As a naval officer Dewey saw service during the Civil War on the steam frigate Mississippi. He participated in the capture of New Orleans and the Siege of Port Hudson, helping the Union take control of the Mississippi River. By the end of the war, Dewey reached the rank of lieutenant commander.
He was promoted to Commodore in 1896 and assigned to the Asiatic Squadron the following year. After that appointment, he began preparations for a potential war with Spain, which broke out in April 1898. Immediately after the beginning of the war, Dewey led an attack on Manila Bay, sinking the entire Spanish Pacific fleet while suffering only minor casualties. After the battle, his fleet assisted in the capture of Manila. Dewey's victory at Manila Bay was widely lauded in the United States.
When Dewey returned to the US in September 1899, the national reaction bordered on the hysterical. Congress made him, first, a rear admiral, then created the rank of Admiral of the Navy especially for him. Private funds were contributed to buy him a home in Washington, D.C.
Dewey explored a run for the 1900 Democratic presidential nomination, but he withdrew from the race and endorsed President William McKinley.
