The United States Asiatic Fleet did not include a single battleship. The flotilla was composed of four cruisers: Olympia, Baltimore, Boston and Raleigh; two gunboats, Concord and Petrel; and the revenue cutter McCulloch. Dewey’s flagship, Olympia, was commanded by Captain Charles V. Gridley.

The armament of the American vessels ranged from 8-inch to 5-inch guns, plus many smaller caliber weapons. The combined tonnage of the cruisers was only slightly more than that of the World War II battleship lowa.

Before leaving Hong Kong, Dewey received permission to purchase two British cargo ships–Nanshan and Zafiro. The merchantmen were loaded with 10,000 tons of coal for the task force and manned by English crews.

Three newspaper correspondents sailed with the American fleet. Aboard McCulloch were Edwin Harden of the New York World and John McCutcheon of the Chicago Record. Joseph Stickney of the New York Herald had a ringside seat on the bridge of Olympia.

Hong Kong was 600 miles from Manila, and there was plenty of time for the men in Dewey’s squadron to worry and wonder exactly what was in store for them. More than a thousand islands were scattered throughout the Philippine archipelago, and Spanish warships could be hiding anywhere.

During the voyage, individual ship captains kept their men razor sharp with constant gun drills and signal exercises. General quarters was called at any hour of the day or night.

Friday evening, the fleet was ordered darkened, except for small stern lights that were barely visible.

Saturday morning, April 30, the island of Luzon was sighted. Fires were kindled under each boiler. Black smoke poured from every stack.

The vessels were a bedlam of activity. Splinter nettings were spread, and hoses run between decks–ready to instantly drown any fires caused by bursting shells. Ammunition hoists were checked, magazines opened, and every strip of bunting except signal flags was packed away. Wooden stanchions, rails and other movable items were stowed below to prevent shrapnel fragments from slashing the men topside.

Wooden lifeboats were lowered and towed behind McCulloch. All spars and ladders that could not be stowed below decks were swung over the sides of the ships. Unnecessary rigging was taken down, and wire stays attached to the masts were firmly lashed with ropes so that, if shot away, the masts would not crash to the deck and interfere with the operation of the guns.

The captain of every ship in Dewey’s squadron informed his crew that the Spanish fleet was larger than the small American squadron. Also, considering the mined channels and forts that had to be traversed, the enemy had a distinct advantage.

Before he sailed from Mirs Bay, Dewey learned that Spanish Admiral Patricio Montojo had ordered his warships to Subic Bay about 30 miles north of Corregidor, and was prepared to battle the Americans from an excellent defensive position.

The vessels under Montojo’s command were the cruisers Reina Cristina and Castilla–the gunboats Isla de Cuba, Isla de Luzon, Don Juan de Austria and Don Antonio de Ulloa. Several smaller ships included four torpedo boats.

Subic Bay was an ideal defensive setup. The entrance was about two miles wide, and halfway up the bay was Grande Island, commanding both sides of the passage.

However, unknown to Dewey, when Admiral Montojo’s fleet reached Subic Bay he discovered that only five mines had been placed. Four cannons, supposedly mounted on the island, were still sitting on the beach.

Visibly upset, Montojo turned his fleet around and headed for Manila. The Spanish admiral anchored his warships on both sides of the Cavite fortress, where the vessels could be protected with large, land-based guns.

Montojo was familiar with the harbor area and was aware that the Americans would be compelled to maneuver in strange waters–and with inaccurate Spanish charts.

Dewey halted his squadron outside Subic Bay and sent Boston, Baltimore and Concord ahead as pickets to scout the inlet. The vessels returned in the afternoon and reported they found only a few small sloops and schooners. Dewey also received news that Montojo had left Subic Bay earlier that morning.

All ship captains were immediately summoned to Olympia for a conference. Dewey informed the officers that he intended to enter Manila Bay that evening–regardless of the mines and forts. The commodore felt confident the Spaniards would not expect such a move, and they could be taken by surprise.

The American squadron sneaked along the Philippine coast at four knots, so as not to reach the Manila Bay entrance before nightfall.

The ship crews went to their battle-eve supper at 7 o’clock, and about two hours later, battle ports were closed. A spirit of tense excitement permeated the hot, muggy night. The only light visible was a tiny stern signal, enclosed in a box so it could only be seen by ships directly behind.

Olympia led the column, followed by Baltimore, Boston, Raleigh, Concord and Petrel. McCulloch and the coal ships were stationed a mile astern. The sky was overcast, but the moon occasionally peeked between the clouds, silhouetting the invading fleet.

Off to port, the coast of Bataan could be seen in the distance. Dewey realized that the enemy could be watching their approach and preparing the fortress guns for a heavy barrage. At 10 o’clock the men were sent to their battle stations–not by the usual bugle call, but by word of mouth.

Dewey timed his arrival with precision. It was almost midnight when the Corregidor Island fog light flashed ahead. The American squadron passed through the Boca Grande channel and approached Corregidor abeam to port. Every binocular and gun was trained on the fortress as Dewey’s fleet turned north into Manila Bay.

Suddenly, McCulloch’s smokestack belched a bright flash of flame. Soot from the soft coal she was burning had ignited, due to the intense heat of her furnace.

The fire glowed for a few minutes, leaving the cutter a perfect target for the enemy’s big guns. However, the Spaniards evidently had been taken by surprise. Their weapons were not fully manned, and it took time to ready the batteries for action.

It was not until Dewey’s fleet cleared Corregidor that the Spanish opened fire. The flash from a cannon erupted on the mainland, and a shell ripped across the water splashing in front of Olympia. Raleigh answered the challenge, followed by 8-inch salvos from Boston. Direct hits were scored on the enemy’s position, silencing their guns.

Even though the American squadron had been discovered, there was no telegraphic communication between the forts at the entrance to the bay and the city of Manila.

Dewey was only 20 miles from Manila, but decided not to arrive until daylight. He signaled his ships to proceed in double column at a speed of four knots. He also ordered McCulloch to lead the cargo vessels up to a position where they would be protected by the cruisers and less exposed to sudden attack.

All gun crews were directed to try to get some sleep. The men lay down on the decks near their battle stations. Each ship was in a state of readiness. Every gun was loaded; ammunition hoists were filled with shells. Officers on watch continually moved about, inspecting every station over and over again. Conversations were conducted in whispers so as not to disturb the sleeping men.

At 5 o’clock Sunday morning, May 1, the dim outline of Manila loomed up through the haze on the horizon. A few minutes later, the city’s waterfront could be seen.

Momentarily, a lookout aboard Olympia sighted the outline of ships about five miles to the south. Lieutenant C.G. Calkins, using his binoculars, brought Sangley Point and Cavite into sharp focus. He could see a line of gray and white vessels stretching eastward from the point. The flame-colored flags of Spain hung listlessly from their masts.

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