This item is the autobiography of George Dewey, the only person in U.S. history to hold the rank of Admiral of the Navy for life. The narrative recounts Dewey's nearly sixty-year career, beginning as a midshipman in 1854 , through his service under Admiral David G. Farragut in the Civil War , and his tenure building the New Navy. The core of the book details his command of the Asiatic Squadron during the Spanish-American War and his pivotal victory at the Battle of Manila Bay on May 1, 1898. Dewey himself states that the action "marked an epoch in the history of our navy and in that of our country" , and that the battle "made us a world-power". This victory resulted in the U.S. securing a base in the Far East and cemented the nation's new international responsibilities.
Autobiography of George Dewey, Admiral of the Navy