Charles Vernon Gridley
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Charles Vernon Gridley (24 November 1844 – 25 May 1898) was an officer in the United States Navy during the American Civil War and the Spanish-American War.
Born in Logansport, Indiana, Gridley was appointed to the Naval Academy in 1860. Reporting for duty with his class in September 1863, Gridley joined the sloop-of-war Oneida with the West Gulf Blockading Squadron and distinguished himself with David Farragut at the Battle of Mobile Bay 5 August 1864.
Promoted to Lieutenant in 1867 and Commander in 1882, he spent the next 30 years at various stations around the world, including a tour as instructor at the Naval Academy. Captain Gridley took command of Olympia, Admiral George Dewey's famous flagship, 27 April 1898, a post which he held despite failing health during the Battle of Manila Bay 1 May 1898. It was that morning that Dewey gave his famous command: "You may fire when ready, Gridley," immortalizing the captain.
After the destruction of the Spanish fleet and the capture of Manila, Gridley was obliged to leave his command because of his health, and died en route to the United States at Kobe, Japan. Charles Vernon Gridley is directly descended from Thomas Gridley (1612-1653), who emigrated from England to the New England area in 1633.
Four ships in the United States Navy have been named for him.
From 1871-1875, Gridley was stationed on the only US Navy ship based on the Great Lakes at the time, the USS Michigan, at Erie, Pennsylvania. It was in this adopted home town where he married the daughter of Judge John P. Vincent and had three children.[1] Fifteen years after his death, a monument to Gridley was erected by the people of Erie and placed in the center of a prominent city park, which they named Gridley Park. The engraved plaque affixed to the monument is made of a metal panel retrieved from the USS Maine.
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- This article includes text from the public domain Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships.
- ^ Patrick McSherry, biography of Charles V. "Steve" Gridley
