Table of Contents
Scope and Contents of the Collection
| Ask a question |
| Request a visit |
| Potentially harmful content statement |
Overview of the Collection |
|
| Creator: | Dewey, George, 1837-1917. |
| Title: | George Dewey Correspondence |
| Inclusive Dates: | 1844-1912 |
| Quantity: | 46 items (SC) |
| Abstract: | Papers of the Admiral in the U.S. Navy. Collection consists of thirty-two outgoing letters (1902-1907) to John W. Crawford, as well as incoming letters from William E. Chandler, John Schuyler Crosby, Loyall Farragut, Marcus A. Hanna, and Hilary A. Herbert. |
| Language: | English |
| Repository: | Special Collections Research Center, Syracuse University Libraries 222 Waverly Avenue Syracuse, NY 13244-2010 https://library.syracuse.edu/special-collections-research-center |
Biographical History
George Dewey (1837-1917) was an American naval officer, celebrated in the Spanish-American War as "the hero of Manila Bay" for his victory in that battle without the loss of a single one of his own forces.
Born in Montpelier, Vermont, George Dewey attended the U.S. Naval Academy at Annapolis. Upon his graduation in 1861 he was commissioned a lieutenant and assigned as the Executive Officer for the Mississippi, a large and heavily armed ship in the fleeet of Commander David Farragut. Dewey proved an extremely skillful pilot in the Battle of New Orleans; he was eventually assigned as Executive Officer of Farragut's flagship and the two developed a close friendship.
Following the Civil War Dewey continued his naval career, serving various tours of duty including Chief of the Bureau of Equipment and President of the Board of Inspection and Survey, and seeing regular promotion. In 1898 Dewey took command of the Asiatic Squadron. He drilled the crews and overhauled his ships in Hong Kong, waiting for word of the declaration of war with Spain. When it came, Dewey proceeded immediately to Manila Bay where he destroyed the entire Spanish squadron with only eight American casualties, taking the city and remaining there for about a year. Upon his return to the United States he was greeted with tremendous public enthusiasm. Dewey served as President of the General Board of the Navy from 1900 until his death in 1917.
Scope and Contents of the Collection
The George Dewey Correspondence consists of forty-four (44) letters, both incoming and outgoing. Thirty-two of the letters are from Dewey to John W. Crawford, who was apparently left in charge of Dewey's affairs in Washington while the admiral and his wife were on vacation, and deal with routine housekeeping and financial matters. Three letters are from Dewey to his sister, Mary Perrin Greeley. The remaining letters are from William E. Chandler, John Schuyler Crosby, Loyall Farragut, Marcus A. Hanna, and Hilary A. Herbert.
There are also a few items of miscellena (seals and coats of arms).
Restrictions
Access Restrictions
The majority of our archival and manuscript collections are housed offsite and require advanced notice for retrieval. Researchers are encouraged to contact us in advance concerning the collection material they wish to access for their research.
Use Restrictions
Written permission must be obtained from SCRC and all relevant rights holders before publishing quotations, excerpts or images from any materials in this collection.
Subject Headings
Persons
Corporate Bodies
Subjects
Places
Genres and Forms
Occupations
Administrative Information
Preferred Citation
Preferred citation for this material is as follows:
George Dewey Correspondence,
Special Collections Research Center,
Syracuse University Libraries
Acquisition Information
Purchase, 1966-1970.
Finding Aid Information
Created by: FED
Date: Jun 1971
Revision history: Aug 1978 - revised (FED);
8 Feb 2010 - converted to EAD (MRC)
Inventory
| Correspondence | |||||||||||
| Box 1 | General 1844, 1886, 1898, 1900-1907, 1912 | ||||||||||
| Miscellanea | |||||||||||
| Box 1 | Seals and coats of arms 1897, undated | ||||||||||