The daily Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1878-1???, 1883-08-05
DEATH CLAIMS A NOTED
VICTIM.
CAPTAIN r, X, RILEY, THE VET
ERAN STEAMBOAT COMMAND
Err, DIES IN NEW YORK CITY.

ohpthlh H. n. Rlley, al New YORK, NJ ~
o'clock noon The sad news was conveyed to
the captains family at their home on Wal
nut street, who, although they had been led
to expect such result by former dispatches,
were entirely overcome with grief The
announcement spread rapidly through the
streets and was the subject Of expressions
OF regret from every lip, as it will be in
every city or town Of any importance on
the western rivers.
For the following brief sketch Of Cap
tain Riley's life we are indebted to Captain
Lanng, distant relative of deceased:
OBITUARY.
capt. Robert Kimber Riley the subject OF
this sketch, was born at Bridgeport, Fay
c'te county, Pennsylvania, October llth,
\, y. 1890, and died in New York, Satur-
day August 4th, 1888, whittier he bad gone
On his way to the sea shore in search OF
health.
Capt Riley had been prominently con-
nected with steamboating and river inter-
ests the western waters Tor the past thirty
five years and has been known extensively
as one OF our most popular aud successful
river commanders. His warm hearted, open
handed, unsetish, social qualities made
him hos's OF friends. Whilst his natural
abilities, interchangeable industry and large
experience made him most valuable officer.
His honesty and fidelity for the interests Of
his employers was unquestioned, and whilst
he made large gaines for them he added
but little to his own store.
He began his boating career when quite
youth, in the capacity of second clerk on
Monongahela river packet plying between
Pittsburgh and Brownsville, Pa. He was
soon transferred to the Ohio river as second
clerk of the steamer Editor" where he
was afterwards promoted to first clerk and
finally appointed as her captain. He after
wards commanded the Skylark, Pla,le-
Valley, and other noted steamers and in
later years was in the constant employ Of
the Anchor Line Company, the City Of
Vicksburg being his latest command.
During the war Capt. Riley rendered
valuable aud efficient services in defence of
the Union When Camp Jackson was in
s.ituted and the safety of the government
arms stored in the st. Louis arsenal, was in
jeopardy Gen. Lyon decided to remove
them to place of safety in Illinois. The
steamer Alex Scott was procured aud the
arms loaded on board but such was the
general sympathy existing among st. Louis
boat men for the Southern cause, II at it
was difficult to secure the services OF a
competent river man to assume command Of
the boat and her valuable cargo. Capt.
Riley, upon learning this, promptly tender
cd his services to Gen. Lyon and took com
mand of the boat and safely delivered the
cargo on the Illinois shore. Soon after a
call was made for volunteer officers to man
the gunboats then building for the Western
Fiotilla. Capt. Riley was again the first
man to offer and received from Commodore
Porter the first commission issued at st.
Louis, as lst master in the Western FOtila,
aud was at once assigned to duty as eXecu-
tive officer Of the gunboat New Era, which
had been hastily prepared to 60 to the re
lief of Lexington. The New Era was af.
forwards rebuilt under the supervision of
Capt. Riley and called the Essex and
took prominent part in the capture of
Fort Henry. When her boiler was eX-
podei, and Commodore Porter severely
aud almost fatally wounded, Capt. Riley
promptly assumed command aud showed
that his executive ability was fully support
ed by his cool courage and herosm He
afterwards had charge OF the Essex, when
she,alone, ran the gauntlet of all the Vcks-
burg batteries aud destroyed the Confed-
crate Ram Arkansas" But his most dis.
tlnguishcd service, perhaps, was IN com.
mand Of the "Anglo American a small
wooden gunboat loaded with supplies for
the Essex then between the confederate
forts, Vicksburg and Port Hudson. In at
tempting to pass the batteries OF Port uud-
son his crate bars were shot away and the
fires under the boilers dumped into the ash
pan, Capt, Riley, nothing daunted, jump
ci into the hold of his vessel and passed
up some iron bars fortunately stored there,
replaced the missing bars in the furnace,
shovcIed in his fires, kept up steam and in
defiance OF the enemy passed the batteries
and delivered his supplies to the Essex"
Soon after this Commodore Porter was or
dered to report IN New York and his trusty
executive officer, Riley, went with him,
where he remained short time and then
returned to Cairo and reported for duty in
the upper squadron. During his absence