Editing George Dewey (section)

===Civil War service===
At the beginning of the [[American Civil War]], Dewey was executive lieutenant on {{USS|Mississippi|1841|6}}, a steam paddle frigate assigned to the [[Union (American Civil War)|Union]] [[Union blockade#West Gulf Blockading Squadron|West Gulf Blockading Squadron]].

====Attack on New Orleans====
At the beginning of 1862, ''Mississippi'' was attached to [[David Farragut]]'s fleet for the [[capture of New Orleans]]. On the night of April 24–25, 1862, Farragut led his ships up the [[Mississippi River]] past the [[Confederate States Army|Confederate]] defenses at [[Fort St. Philip]] and [[Fort Jackson, Louisiana|Fort Jackson]]. ''Mississippi'' was the third in Farragut's first division, with Dewey at the helm.

The first division (all big ships) kept near the west bank where the current was weaker and the water deeper; but this brought them right under the muzzles of the guns of Fort St. Philip. Dewey steered ''Mississippi'' through shallow water where he expected to run aground any moment.<ref name="archive.org" />

There was a squadron of [[Confederate States Navy|Confederate gunboats]] waiting above the forts. This included {{ship|CSS|Manassas}}, a small ironclad. ''Manassas'' tried to [[naval ram|ram]] ''Mississippi'', but Dewey safely maneuvered ''Mississippi'' to evade. ''Manassas'' then attacked {{USS|Brooklyn|1858|2}} and {{USS|Hartford|1858|2}} in the next division, and then turned back upriver.

Farragut signaled ''Mississippi'' to run ''Manassas'' down. Dewey steered ''Mississippi'' into a ramming attack. ''Manassas'' dodged, but ran aground and was abandoned. She was set on fire by a boat from ''Mississippi'', and then shelled.<ref name="archive.org" />
Farragut's fleet then continued upriver and forced the surrender of the city.

This was the first battle in which Dewey distinguished himself. For the remainder of 1862, Farragut's ships (including ''Mississippi'') patrolled the lower river. This was dangerous, as the ships were fired on by Confederate sharpshooters on the banks, and even occasionally by light artillery.<ref name="archive.org" />

====Battle of Port Hudson====
[[File:GeorgeDeweyPortrait.jpg|thumb|George Dewey]]
In spring 1863, Union forces moved to take the Confederate fortress at [[Port Hudson, Louisiana]], where at that time the [[Red River of the South|Red River]] joined the Mississippi. Farragut attempted to pass the fortress with his fleet and cut it off upriver, thereby completing the [[Siege of Port Hudson]].

The attempt was made on March 14, 1863. In this action, Dewey saw fiercer fighting than he was ever to see again. ''Mississippi'' ran aground and was the target of concentrated enemy fire for half an hour, until she had to be abandoned. Dewey was among the last to leave the wreck.<ref name="archive.org" />