Monument to Admiral Dewey's victory at Manila Bay

This Monument stands in Union Square at the centre of San Francisco.

It commemorates Admiral Dewey's victory at Manila Bay during the Spanish American War. It also commemorates President McKinley who had been recently assassinated.

The statue at the top of the monument represents "Victory", was modeled after a Danish American artists's model Alma de Bretteville, who eventually married one of San Francisco's richest citizens, Adolph B Spreckels.

The Battle of Manila Bay took place on 1st May 1898 when the American Asiatic Squadron under Commodore George Dewey engaged and destroyed the Spanish Pacific Squadreon under Admiral Patricio Montojo. This was the first engagement of the War and resulted in the annihilation of the out-gunned Spanish fleet.

The Treaty of Paris that ended the War lead to temporary American control over Cuba, and ceded colonial authority over Puerto Rico, Guam and the Philippine Islands from Spain.