So, Commodore Dewey is ready to destroy the Spanish fleet, but he almost had to do it without the service of his friend (they had met during stateside lighthouse duty), Charles Gridley.
For several months, Gridley had been seriously ill, suffering from some dysentery and an unspecified liver condition (now believed to have been cancer). Some days, he could barely get out of bed. But, if the fleet was going into battle there was no way he was going to miss it. He'd gone 33 years between battles and this likely might be his last chance. He pleaded with Dewey to let him participate. Dewey relented and let him.
Under cover of darkness on the night of April 30th, Dewey and the entire U.S. Asiatic fleet sailed past the Spanish batteries on Corregidor and into Manila Bay. The Spanish were not expecting the Americans to do this at night and their ships were anchored at Cavite, a small peninsula in the bay that allowed them protection from the weather and tides.
As the sun rose on April 1st they found themselves bottled up. There was nowhere to go but to make a run for safety.
At 5:41 AM, Dewey turned to Gridley and gave a brief, informal order that went on to become very famous U.S. Naval words:
"You may fire when you are ready, Gridley.
Fire he did.
--Cooter
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