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Charles Vernon Gridley (24 November 1844 – 5 June 1898) was a captain in the
United States Navy The United States Navy (USN) is the maritime service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. It is the largest and most powerful navy in the world, with the estimated tonnage ...
during the
American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861 – May 26, 1865; also known by other names) was a civil war in the United States. It was fought between the Union ("the North") and the Confederacy ("the South"), the latter formed by states ...
and the
Spanish–American War , partof = the Philippine Revolution, the decolonization of the Americas, and the Cuban War of Independence , image = Collage infobox for Spanish-American War.jpg , image_size = 300px , caption = (clo ...
.


Early life

Gridley descended from Thomas Gridley (1612–1653), who emigrated from England to New England in 1633. He was born to Frank and Ann Eliza (Sholes) Gridley in
Logansport, Indiana Logansport is a city in and the county seat of Cass County, Indiana, United States. The population was 18,366 at the 2020 census. Logansport is located in northern Indiana at the junction of the Wabash and Eel rivers, northwest of Kokomo. H ...
, on 24 November 1844. His parents moved to
Hillsdale, Michigan Hillsdale is the largest city and county seat of Hillsdale County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 8,036 at the 2020 census. The city is the home of Hillsdale College, a private liberal arts college noted for its academic ...
, when he was three months old.


Naval career


Early life and career

After attending
Hillsdale College , mottoeng = Strength Rejoices in the Challenge , established = , type = Liberal arts college , religious_affiliation = Not affiliatedBaptist (historical) , endowment = $900 million ( ...
, Gridley was appointed to the
United States Naval Academy The United States Naval Academy (US Naval Academy, USNA, or Navy) is a United States Service academies, federal service academy in Annapolis, Maryland. It was established on 10 October 1845 during the tenure of George Bancroft as Secretary of ...
in 1860. He reported for duty with his class in September 1863, joining the
sloop-of-war In the 18th century and most of the 19th, a sloop-of-war in the Royal Navy was a warship with a single gun deck that carried up to eighteen guns. The rating system covered all vessels with 20 guns and above; thus, the term ''sloop-of-war'' en ...
with the West Gulf Blockading Squadron. He distinguished himself with
David Farragut David Glasgow Farragut (; also spelled Glascoe; July 5, 1801 – August 14, 1870) was a flag officer of the United States Navy during the American Civil War. He was the first rear admiral, vice admiral, and admiral in the United States Navy. ...
at the
Battle of Mobile Bay The Battle of Mobile Bay of August 5, 1864, was a naval and land engagement of the American Civil War in which a Union fleet commanded by Rear Admiral David G. Farragut, assisted by a contingent of soldiers, attacked a smaller Confederate flee ...
on 5 August 1864. Gridley was promoted to
lieutenant A lieutenant ( , ; abbreviated Lt., Lt, LT, Lieut and similar) is a commissioned officer rank in the armed forces of many nations. The meaning of lieutenant differs in different militaries (see comparative military ranks), but it is often su ...
in 1867 and
lieutenant commander Lieutenant commander (also hyphenated lieutenant-commander and abbreviated Lt Cdr, LtCdr. or LCDR) is a commissioned officer rank in many navies. The rank is superior to a lieutenant and subordinate to a commander. The corresponding rank ...
on March 12, 1868. He was stationed from 1871 to 1875 on the only United States Navy ship based on the
Great Lakes The Great Lakes, also called the Great Lakes of North America, are a series of large interconnected freshwater lakes in the mid-east region of North America that connect to the Atlantic Ocean via the Saint Lawrence River. There are five lak ...
at the time, the , at
Erie, Pennsylvania Erie (; ) is a city on the south shore of Lake Erie and the county seat of Erie County, Pennsylvania, United States. Erie is the fifth largest city in Pennsylvania and the largest city in Northwestern Pennsylvania with a population of 94,831 ...
. While stationed in Erie, he married Harriet, the daughter of Judge John P. Vincent and had three children. Harriet was also a cousin of Civil War hero Brigadier General Strong Vincent. Gridley was promoted to
commander Commander (commonly abbreviated as Cmdr.) is a common naval officer rank. Commander is also used as a rank or title in other formal organizations, including several police forces. In several countries this naval rank is termed frigate captain. ...
in 1882. He also served a tour as instructor at the Naval Academy and another with the Cruiser Training Squadron. Gridley was promoted to captain on March 14, 1897, and ordered to the Asiatic squadron and was assigned on July 28, 1897, to the command of the , Commodore
George Dewey George Dewey (December 26, 1837January 16, 1917) was Admiral of the Navy, the only person in United States history to have attained that rank. He is best known for his victory at the Battle of Manila Bay during the Spanish–American War, wit ...
's famous
flagship A flagship is a vessel used by the commanding officer of a group of naval ships, characteristically a flag officer entitled by custom to fly a distinguishing flag. Used more loosely, it is the lead ship in a fleet of vessels, typically the ...
in
Yokohama, Japan is the second-largest city in Japan by population and the most populous municipality of Japan. It is the capital city and the most populous city in Kanagawa Prefecture, with a 2020 population of 3.8 million. It lies on Tokyo Bay, south of ...
.


Battle of Manila Bay

During the
Battle of Manila Bay The Battle of Manila Bay ( fil, Labanan sa Look ng Maynila; es, Batalla de Bahía de Manila), also known as the Battle of Cavite, took place on 1 May 1898, during the Spanish–American War. The American Asiatic Squadron under Commodor ...
on 1 May 1898, Gridley commanded the ''Olympia'' from inside the vessel's armored conning tower, an uncomfortably hot station in the Philippine sun. Dewey gave his famous command, "You may fire when you are ready, Gridley". At the conclusion of the battle, Gridley was not in a condition to celebrate, suffering from dysentery and what appears to have been liver cancer. The heat and stress of the conning tower further weakened him. Dewey would have relieved him of command had not Gridley protested.


Last days

Several weeks later, he was sent home. On May 25, Gridley was to begin his journey home. One crewman recorded the event as follows:
He came up out of his cabin dressed in civilian clothes and was met by the rear admiral Dewey.html"_;"title="eorge_Dewey.html"_;"title="[George_Dewey">Dewey">eorge_Dewey.html"_;"title="[George_Dewey">Deweywho_extended_him_a_most_cordial_hand._A_look_of_troubled_disappointment_flitted_across_the_captain's_brow,_but_vanished_when_he_stepped_to_the_head_of_the_gangway_and,_looking,_over_saw,_not_the_launch,_but_a_twelve-oared_cutter_manned_entirely_by_officers_of_the_''Olympia''._There_were_men_in_the_boat_who_had_not_pulled_a_stroke_for_a_quarter_of_a_century._US_Flag.html" "title="eorge_Dewey">Dewey.html" ;"title="eorge_Dewey.html" ;"title="[George Dewey">Dewey">eorge_Dewey.html" ;"title="[George Dewey">Deweywho extended him a most cordial hand. A look of troubled disappointment flitted across the captain's brow, but vanished when he stepped to the head of the gangway and, looking, over saw, not the launch, but a twelve-oared cutter manned entirely by officers of the ''Olympia''. There were men in the boat who had not pulled a stroke for a quarter of a century. US Flag">Old Glory Old Glory is a nickname for the flag of the United States. The original "Old Glory" was a flag owned by the 19th-century American sea captain William Driver (March 17, 1803 – March 3, 1886), who flew the flag during his career at sea and ...
was at the stern and a captain's silken coach-whip at the bow; and when Captain Gridley, beloved alike by officers and men, entered the boat, it was up oars, and all that, just as though they were common sailors who were to row him over to the ''Zafiro.'' When he sat down upon the handsome boat-cloth that was spread for him, he bowed his head, and his hands hid his face as First-Lieutenant Reese, acting coxswain, ordered, 'Shove off; out oars; give away!' Later in the day the lookout on the bridge reported, ' ''Zafiro'' under way sir,' and the deck officer passed on the word until a little twitter from Pat Murray's pipe brought all the other bo's'ns around him, and in concert they sang out, 'Stand by to man the rigging!' Not the ''Olympia'' alone, but every other ship in the squadron dressed and manned, and the last we ever saw of our dear captain he was sitting on a chair out on the ''Zafiro'' 's quarter-deck, apparently listening to the 'Olympia's''old band play. Gridley was physically spent, and his health began to sink even faster once he was finally released from the strain of command. He was transferred from the ''Zafiro'' to the commercial steamer '' Coptic'' on May 27, but he had to be taken aboard on a stretcher. He knew that his condition was grave and wrote simply, "I think I am done for it, personally."


Death and burial

Aboard the ''Coptic'', on June 5, 1898, Gridley died while the vessel was in Kobe, Japan. His body was cremated and sent home. Services were held in Erie, Pennsylvania's Cathedral of St. Paul. He was buried in Erie's Lakeside Cemetery. Gridley was a member of the Empire State Society of the
Sons of the American Revolution The National Society of the Sons of the American Revolution (SAR or NSSAR) is an American congressionally chartered organization, founded in 1889 and headquartered in Louisville, Kentucky. A non-profit corporation, it has described its purpo ...
.


Legacy

Four ships in the United States Navy have been named for him. A monument to Gridley was erected in Erie and placed in the center of a city park, which was named Gridley Park. The engraved plaque affixed to the monument is made of a metal panel retrieved from the . A
seashell A seashell or sea shell, also known simply as a shell, is a hard, protective outer layer usually created by an animal or organism that lives in the sea. The shell is part of the body of the animal. Empty seashells are often found washe ...
is depicted on the
coat-of-arms A coat of arms is a heraldic visual design on an escutcheon (i.e., shield), surcoat, or tabard (the latter two being outer garments). The coat of arms on an escutcheon forms the central element of the full heraldic achievement, which in its ...
of Gridley's original alma mater,
Hillsdale College , mottoeng = Strength Rejoices in the Challenge , established = , type = Liberal arts college , religious_affiliation = Not affiliatedBaptist (historical) , endowment = $900 million ( ...
, in honor of his heroism at the
Battle of Manila Bay The Battle of Manila Bay ( fil, Labanan sa Look ng Maynila; es, Batalla de Bahía de Manila), also known as the Battle of Cavite, took place on 1 May 1898, during the Spanish–American War. The American Asiatic Squadron under Commodor ...
.


See also

* USS ''Olympia'' (C-6) *
George Dewey George Dewey (December 26, 1837January 16, 1917) was Admiral of the Navy, the only person in United States history to have attained that rank. He is best known for his victory at the Battle of Manila Bay during the Spanish–American War, wit ...
*
Battle of Manila Bay The Battle of Manila Bay ( fil, Labanan sa Look ng Maynila; es, Batalla de Bahía de Manila), also known as the Battle of Cavite, took place on 1 May 1898, during the Spanish–American War. The American Asiatic Squadron under Commodor ...


References

*


External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Gridley, Charles Vernon 1844 births 1898 deaths Union Navy officers United States Navy personnel of the Spanish–American War United States Naval Academy alumni United States Navy officers People of Michigan in the American Civil War People from Logansport, Indiana American people of English descent Hillsdale College alumni Deaths in Japan Sons of the American Revolution