The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-06-06
Was Born at LOganspOrt, Ind, and
Won First HonOrs in the Battle
of Mobile Bay in 1854.
SHIPL0AD OF OUR WOUNDED
THE SOLACE AT NEW YORK WITH
FIFTY-FOUR INJURED HEROES.
Poor Fellows Brought North for
HeaIth-Giving Air, Some to Re-
cover, but Others to Die.

WASHINGTON, June 5.-Capt. Charles v.
Gridley. commander of the cruiser Olympia,
and one of the heroes of the brilliant victory
at Manila, is dead. The announcement of
his death was received by the Navy De-
partment late this afternoon in a cablegram
from Paymaster Gait, of the navy, dated at
Kobe, Japan, June 4, and directed to Sec
rotary Long. The dispatch contained this
simple statement: Captain Gridley died to-
day. Remains accompany me on Coptic."
Capt Vernon Gridley is the first Amer
lean officer Of great prominence whose death
is direct result of the existing war with
Spain. AS the commander of Admiral
Dewey's splendid flagship and one of the
admiral's chief advisers Captain Gridley
achieved distinction at the battle of Manila
bay and added to his previous laurels by
winning high praise from his superiors in
the service for distinguished gallantry and
ability. He fought his ship from the con-
ming tower, while Admiral Dewey directed
the movements of his squadron from the
bridge of the vessel. 1t wae not known for
several weeks after the engagement that
Captain Gridley had suffered from it, and
even now the precise nature of his trouble
is not disclosed. Upon the arrival of the
Zafiro at Hong-Kong, on the Goth of May,
the Navy Department was notified that
Captain Grdley had been condemned by a
board of medical survey and "invalided''
home. Subsequent advices received by the
department indicated that Captain Gridley
was suffering from the effects of rupture
supposed to have been received during the
battle at Manila. but no details were given.
1t was not supposed that his illness was
arX
formed that the captain. in company with
Paymaster Gait, would leave for home as
soon as possible. On May IS they left Hong
Kong on the steamer Coptic, one of the
vessels of the Occidental and Oriental
steamship line. 1t would appear that Capt.
Grldley died about the time the ship
reached Kobe 1t is quite evident now that
he considered his case serious, as he did
not communicate, so far as is known, with
any member of his family after the battle
of Manila.
Captain Gridley was not dress parade"
officer. Among the older officers, however.
especially among those with whom he
served, he had the reputation of being one
OF the best equipped officers of the
navy. He was regarded as one of the
best navigators in the service, and his
thorough knowledge Of all it's details
and requirements fully justified the remark
of Admiral Ramsey that "Gridley is one of
the brainiest and pluckiest officers in the
naval service
Dispatches from Manila concerning the
battle indicated that Commodore Dewey had
the utmost confidence in Captain Gridley:
that he never interfered in the slightest de-
gree with his management and handling of
the ship; that he told him to fire whenever
ready, and that the broadside which sunk
the flagship of the Spanish admiral was
Gridley's own conception and act and, in
fine, that In the entire battle the Olympia
was handled superbly. The distinguished
bravery and ability of Captain Gridley were
recognized by the President and had he
lived, promotion. doubtless, would have been
his substantial reward.
Captain Gridley leaves wife and three
children--two daughters and a son-who
are now residing with Mrs. Gridley's father
Judge Vincent. at Erie, Pa His mother.
Mrs. Ann Eliza Gridley and his brother
I,ucius reside in this city, the former be-
ing clerk in the Patent Office and the
latter an employe in the Treasury Depart
ment. All of the relatives were notified of
his death as soon as the information reached
the Navy Department. Captain Gridley was
born in DoganSport, Ind, in iS45, but was
appointed to the Naval Academy from Hills
dale, Mich, in 1860 by Representative Henry
Walden, the Gridleys having removed from
Indiana to Michigan when their son Charles
only three months old. The facts here
given of the life of Captain Gridley are
taken from a sketch of him written by Mr..
Henry II. Smith, ex-journal clerk of the
House of Representatives, a long-t time per-
sonal friend.
Under ordinary circumstances the class of
1850 would have been graduated in 1864 but
the necessities of the civil war advanced it
one year. On Oct. /, 1863, young Gridley
was promoted to ensign and ordered to the
steam sloop Oneida, then with the west gulf
blockading squadron, in which squadron he
remained until the close of the war He
was in the battle of Mobile bay on Aug. 5.
1864, where his GOODNESS and bravery were
noted. After the war ended he was as
signed to the steam sloop Brooklyn, which
was the flagship of the Brazilian squadron,
with which he served until 1867, being pro-
NOTED to master in November, 1866. A year
later he was again promoted to lieutenant
and on March IL, 1865 was again promoted
and commissioned as lieutenant commander.
In 1870 he was assigned to the steamer
Michigan Fourth rate), where he served two
years. Early in 1873 he was assigned to the
Monongahela (second rate), serving one
year. and in February, 1875 was detailed as
instructor at the Naval Academy at An
napolis, where he remained four years, serv-
ing during the summer cruises of 1877 and
1878 as executive officer of the practice shin
Constellation. In 1879 he was made execu
tive officer of the United States flagship
Trenton, on the European station, serving
from December. 1879, to November, 1881. On
March 10, 1882, he was promoted to COM
mander, and during that summer was on
duty at the torpedo station From October
1882 to February, 1884. he was chief naviga-
ton officer at the Boston navy yard. On
Feb. 5. 1884, he was ordered to command the
training ship jamestown. and on May II
1885, was detached therefrom and ordered IN
command the training ship Portsmouth