Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 19, Number 78, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 7 June 1898 — NAVAL HERO DEAD. [ARTICLE]

NAVAL HERO DEAD.

Cap*. Gridley, Commander of Dewey’s Flagship at the Battle of Ma- | nlla, Passes Away. I ' Washington, June 6. —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' department late Sunday afternoon in a cablegram from Paymaster Gelt, of the navy, dated at Kcbe, Japan, June 4, and directed to Secretary Long. The dispatch contained this simple statement: “Capt. Gridley died to-day. Remains accompany me on . Coptio.” Capt. Vernon Gridley is the first American officer of great prominence whose death is a direct result of the existing war with Spain. As commander of Admiral Dewey’s splendid flagship and one of the admiral’s chief advisers Capt. 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 conning tower, while Admiral Dewey directed the movements of his squadron from the bridge of the vessel. , It was not known for several weeks after the engagement that Capt. Gridley 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 20th of May the navy department was notified that Capt. Gridley had been condemned by a board of medical survey and “invalided” home. Subsequent advices received by , the department indicated that Capt. Gridley was suffering from the effects of a rupture supposed to have been received during the battle at Manila, but no details were given. It was not supposed that his illness was very serious, as the department was informed that the captain, in company with Paymaster Galt, would leave for home as soon as possible. On the 28th of May they left Hong-Kong on the steamer Coptic, one of the vessels of the Occidental & Oriental Steamship line. It would appear that Capt. Gridley died about the time the ship reached Kobe. It 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 battleof Manila, r C F a ? t ’.° rldley wa ’’ born ln Logansport, Ind., In 1845, but was appointed to the naval academy from Hillsdale. Mich., In 1860 by Representative Henry Waldron, the Gridleys having removed from Indiana to Michigan when their son Charles was only three months old. Young Gridley graduated at Hillsdale in 1863, and on October 1 of that year he was promoted to ensign and ordered to the steam sloop Oneida, then with the west gulf blockading squadron, In which squadron he remained until tbe close of the war of the rebellion. He was In the battle of Mobile bay oa August 5, 1864, where his coolness and bravery were noted. After the war ended he was assigned to the steam sloop Brooklyn, which was the flagship of the Brazilian squadron, with which he served untfl 1867, being promoted to master In November, 1866. A year later he was again promoted to lieutenant, and on March 12, 1868, was again promoted and commissioned as lieutenant commander. In 1870 he was assigned to the steamer Michigan (fourth rate), where he served two years. From this time until July 28, 1897, he filled many assignments of importance, until on the date mentioned he was assigned to command the Olympia, lagship of the Asiatic squadron. Capt. Gridley leaves a widow and three children —two daughters and a son—who are now residing with Mrs. Gridley's father, Judge Vincent, at Erie, Pa. HLs mother, Mrs. Ann Eliza Gridley, and his brother, Lucius, reside in .Washington.]