The Senior Officers' Wardroom Aboard
the Cruiser OLYMPIA
By
Patrick McSherry
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Moving forward from the stateroom area,
the visitor passes through watertight doors into the OLYMPIA's
senior officers' wardroom. It was this compartment which served as the
senior officers' living space. This is an impressive space, entirely
surrounded by full-height ash panels, which remain in place, preserved
today because Commodore Dewey decided
against the usual practice of discarding the ship's woodwork in the days
leading up to the battle, an act which caused some grumbling aboard the
ship.
This view of the wardroom shows the table, a
six-pounder gun at the far end, the cabinetry at left and the paneling
and piano at far right.
On either side of the space is a six-pounder gun. On
the forward bulkhead are situated several sideboards and bookcases.
The aft bulkhead has two built-in couches, and also has an upright
piano, which was supposed to have been used to celebrate the victory
of the Battle of Manila Bay. In the center of
the room is a large segmented table surrounded by chairs, and cut to
fit around the column in this location. Above the table is a large
skylight, which rises topside, two decks above. The overhead is
constructed of riveted steel. It was in this space where Commodore
Dewey laid out his plans for the Battle of
Manila Bay, and where he met with his commanders during the lull
in the battle. During the battle, it was used as a sick bay space.
Here the senior officers would have spent their free time, took their
meals, etc.
In the early part of this century, it was recorded
that a fragment of Spanish shell from the Battle
of Manila Bay was still lodged in the wardroom woodwork. It has
since disappeared.
Proceed to the Officers'
Country Passageway
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