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What happened at the Battle of Manila Bay on May 1, 1898?

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Theodore Roosevelt and the Rough Riders — Spanish-American War Theodore Roosevelt leading the Rough Riders during the Spanish-American War, 1898; print created by Kurz & Allison.

The Battle of Manila Bay on May 1, 1898, was a decisive naval engagement during the Spanish-American War that resulted in the total destruction of the Spanish Pacific fleet by the U.S. Navy.12

After entering the bay under the cover of darkness on April 30, Commodore George Dewey advanced his squadron toward the Spanish fleet, which was anchored near Cavite. At approximately 5:40 am, Dewey issued the famous command, "You may fire when you are ready, Gridley," to the captain of his flagship, the USS Olympia.13

The American ships made repeated passes along the Spanish line, inflicting heavy damage. Following a brief withdrawal for breakfast and consultation, the U.S. squadron returned to finish destroying the remaining Spanish vessels and silencing shore batteries. The engagement ended in a complete American victory; all Spanish ships were sunk or destroyed with negligible damage to the U.S. fleet. This triumph signaled the end of Spanish rule in the Philippines and established the United States as a major naval power.13