Battle of Manila Bay (1898)

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Battle of Manila Bay

Image:USS Olympia with Dewey at Battle of Manila bay DSCN4191 at Vermont State.jpg
Commodore George Dewey aboard the cruiser Olympia.

Date	May 1, 1898
Location	near Manila, Philippines
Result	decisive U.S. victory

Combatants

United States

Spain

Commanders

George Dewey

Patricio Montojo y Pasarón

Strength

3 protected cruisers
2 gunboats
1 revenue cutter
2 supply vessels

2 protected cruisers
4 unprotected cruisers
1 gunboat

Casualties

9 wounded

161 dead
210 wounded

Pacific Theater
Manila Bay – Guam – Manila

The Battle of Manila Bay took place on 1 May 1898 during the Spanish-American War. The American Asiatic Squadron under Commodore George Dewey engaged the Spanish Pacific Squadron under Admiral Patricio Montojo y Pasarón and destroyed the Spanish squadron.

The engagement took place in Manila Bay, the Philippines, and was the first major engagement of the Spanish-American War. Montojo, who had been dispatched rapidly to the Philippines, was equipped with a variety of obsolete vessels. Efforts to fortify his position amounted to little. The corrupt Spanish colonial bureaucracy may have worked against the effort, sending explosives meant for mines to friendly construction companies. Reinforcements promised from Madrid resulted in only two poorly armored scout cruisers. Montojo compounded his difficulties by retreating from the range of Spanish fortress guns - guns that might have evened the odds - and choosing to anchor in a relatively shallow anchorage. His intent seems to have been to preserve the families of the Spanish sailors in Manila from bombardment, and to allow survivors of his fleet to swim to safety.

On 1 May, George Dewey aboard the protected cruiser USS Olympia led a small squadron of ships into Manila Bay. With the now famous phrase, "You may fire when ready, Gridley," the Olympia's captain was instructed to begin the barrage that resulted in the destruction of Spain's fleet. Most of the Spanish ships were either destroyed or surrendered. The Spanish fleet fought back with ferocity, but many crews were caught unaware - painting their vessels, or at Mass. The results were decisive; Dewey won the battle without a single fatality among his crew.

A Spanish attempt to attack Dewey with Camara's Flying Relief Column came to naught, and the naval war in the Philippines devolved into a series of torpedo boat hit-and-run attacks for the rest of the campaign. While the Spanish scored several hits, there were no American fatalities directly attributable to Spanish gunfire.

In recognition of George Dewey's leadership during the Battle of Manila Bay, a special medal known as the Dewey Medal was presented to the officers and sailors under Admiral Dewey's command. Dewey himself would later be honored with promotion to the special rank of Admiral of the Navy; a rank that no one has held before or since in the United States Navy.