Captain Charles Gridley's Coat and Cap
date: label: associated date
content: 1898
name: label: wearer
content: Gridley, Charles Vernon
notes: label: Description
content: Physical Description
label: Description
content: Blue wool coat with gold trim on cuffs. Cap with wool body and gold-colored band. Naval insignia.
label: Description
content: Specific History
label: Description
content: Service coat and cap worn by Captain Charles V. Gridley at the Battle of Manila Bay.
label: Description
content: General History
label: Description
content: An Annapolis graduate, Captain Charles Gridley was commander of the USS <i>Olympia</i>, the flagship of Commodore George Dewey’s Asiatic Squadron at the Battle of Manila Bay. Dewey, in command of the overall squadron, was also aboard <i>Olympia</i> at the beginning of the battle.
label: Description
content: The battle is perhaps best known as the occasion when Dewey uttered one of the most famous statements in American naval history: “You may fire when you are ready, Gridley.” The Battle of Manila Bay, one of two major American naval victories in the Spanish-American War, occurred on 1 May 1898, only days after war had been declared between Spain and the United States. It was a complete and final victory, ending any threat from the Spanish naval forces involved. All major Spanish ships were destroyed or captured, without any significant damage occurring to the American forces.
place: label: used in
content: Philippines
topic: label: related event
content: Spanish-American War
label: related event
content: The Emergence of Modern America
setName: label: See more items in
content: Military and Society: Armed Forces History, Military
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content: Military
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content: ThinkFinity
label: Exhibition
content: Price of Freedom
label: Exhibition Location
content: National Museum of American History
dataSource: label: Data Source
content: National Museum of American History
identifier: label: ID Number
content: AF.10316
label: catalog number
content: 10316
label: accession number
content: 43164
objectType: label: Object Name
content: coat
label: Other Terms
content: coat; Man; Navy; Officer; Service
physicalDescription: label: Physical Description
content: wool (overall material)
label: Physical Description
content: metal (overall material)
label: Measurements
content: overall: 31 in x 21 in; 78.74 cm x 53.34 cm