Charles G. Ridgeley
Charles Goodwin Ridgeley | |
|---|---|
| File:Portrait of a naval officer, half-length, possibly Charles Goodwin Ridgely (1784-1848).png Portrait of a naval officer, likely Charles Goodwin Ridgely in 1820 | |
| Birth name | Charles Ridgely Goodwin |
| Born | 2 July 1784 Baltimore, Maryland |
| Died | 8 February 1848 (aged 63) Baltimore, Maryland |
| Allegiance | United States of America |
| Service/ | File:US Naval Jack 15 stars.svg United States Navy |
| Years of service | 1799 – ? |
| Rank | Error creating thumbnail: Captain |
| Commands held | |
| Battles/wars | |
| Awards | Sword for the Congressional Gold Medal presented to Edward Preble (1805) |
Charles Goodwin Ridgeley[lower-alpha 1] (July 2, 1784 – February 8, 1848) was an officer in the United States Navy. He fought under Edward Preble in the First Barbary War (1804–1805), before serving as the commander of the Pacific Station (1820–1822), the West Indies Squadron (1827–1830), the Brooklyn Navy Yard (1833–1839), and the Brazil Squadron (1840–1842).
Early life and family[edit]
Charles Ridgely Goodwin was born in Baltimore, Maryland on July 2, 1784 to Dr. Lyde Goodwin (February 4, 1754 August 19, 1801) and Abby Levy (August 12, 1760 July 29, 1821).[1][2][3] After joining the navy, he legally changed to "Charles Goodwin Ridgely" at the behest of his uncle Charles Ridgely III,[4][2][3] who also requested that his other nephew Charles Carnan Ridgely change his name from "Charles Ridgely Carnan".[5]
Career[edit]
Ridgeley was a warranted midshipman in the United States Navy on October 17, 1799.[1][3]
First Barbary War[edit]
Ridgeley served as an officer under Edward Preble during the First Barbary War from 1804 to 1805.[1][6][7] For their actions in the Second Battle of Tripoli Harbor, the United States Congress awarded a Congressional Gold Medal to Preble and "through him to the officers, petty officers, seamen and marines attached to the squadron under his command".[8] Congress also presented "swords to each of the commissioned officers and Midshipmen who had distinguished themselves in the several attacks",[9] including Ridgeley.[1][lower-alpha 2]
Great Lakes and Mediterranean Squadron[edit]
He was appointed an acting lieutenant in May 1804 before being commissioned as a lieutenant on February 2, 1807.[3] He was promoted to master commandant on July 24, 1813 and then commanded the USS Jefferson on Lake Ontario in 1814.[1][3] Ridgeley was promoted to captain on February 28, 1815.[1][3] From 1815 to 1817, he was given command of the USS Erie and the USS Independence in the Mediterranean Squadron.[1][11]
Pacific Squadron and the Peruvian War of Independence[edit]
In 1820, Ridgeley was placed in command of the Pacific Station and sailed from Boston to his new post.[12][13][14] He took the position hoping to support Chilean and Peruvian patriots of the Liberating Expedition of Peru in the Peruvian War of Independence.[14]
During a delay in Rio de Janeiro to have the main mast on the USS Constellation replaced in preparation for rounding Cape Horn, Ridgeley sought to reduce their midshipmen casualties to duels by enforcing mandatory pledges to refrain from dueling.[14] 3 of his 29 midshipmen refused and were sent back home to resign their positions, but the Department of the Navy disagreed with Ridgeley's policy and allowed them to remain in service.[14] Nevertheless, the USS Constellation did not suffer further losses to duels after the incident.[14]
On January 14, 1821, Ridgeley arrived aboard the Constellation in Valparaíso, Chile to relieve John Downes, the previous commander of the Pacific Squadron, and the USS Macedonian.[14] They met in March 1821 and then traveled together to Santiago, Chile to the American chargé d'affaires in Chile and meet Chilean officials.[14] He soon befriended Sir Thomas Hardy commanding the South America Station of the British Royal Navy, but grew discontent with Lord Cochrane of the Chilean Navy and the independence fighters, whom he found to be "base and vulgar".[14] He grew sympathetic towards the Spanish and offered political asylum to the former Viceroy of Peru, Joaquín de la Pezuela, aboard the Constellation, to the protest of the independence fighters.[14]
Ridgeley and the HMS Conway independently and unsuccessfully tried to capture the royalist semi-pirate Vicente Benavides, who operated against local patriot vessels and against American shipping in the Pacific.[14] They were unsuccessful but still managed to limit his effectiveness.[14] Ridgely requested additional support from the US Navy as his lone frigate was significantly outgunned by the British and French squadrons.[14] Charles Stewart set sail with the USS Franklin and USS Dolphin in September 1821 and arrived in April 1822 to relieve Ridgeley.[14]
[edit]
From 1827 to 1830, Ridgeley served as the flag officer of the West Indies Squadron and engaged in anti-piracy activities.[1][11][10] From June 10, 1833 to November 19, 1839, he was the Commandant of the Brooklyn Navy Yard[15][16][11] At the Brooklyn Navy Yard, Ridgeley also served as the first president of the Naval Lyceum.[17] He was then appointed as the flag officer in command of the Brazil Squadron from 1840 to 1842.[1]
Death[edit]
Ridgeley died in Baltimore, Maryland on February 8, 1848.[1][2]
Personal life[edit]
Ridgeley married Cornelia Louisiana Livingston in Clermont-on-Hudson, New York on December 1, 1822.[2] They had four children, including Elizabeth Augusta Ridgely who married William H. Hunt.[2]
Notes[edit]
References[edit]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 1.8 1.9 Johnson, Rossiter; Brown, John Howard, eds. (1906). The Biographical Dictionary of America. IX. Boston: The Biographical Society. p. 112. Search this book on
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 "The Goodwin Families in America". William and Mary College Quarterly Historical Magazine. Vol. 8. College of William & Mary. 1900. pp. 110–111.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 Annual Report. 16. American Scenic and Historic Preservation Society. 1911. pp. 333–334. Search this book on
- ↑ Naval Documents Related to the United States Wars with the Barbary Powers. V. Office of Naval Records and Library. 1939. p. 509. Search this book on
- ↑ Eisenberg, Gerson G. (1992). Marylanders Who Served the Nation: A Biographical Dictionary of Federal Officials from Maryland. Annapolis: Maryland State Archives. p. 181. Search this book on
- ↑ Armstrong, Benjamin (2019). Small Boats and Daring Men: Maritime Raiding, Irregular Warfare, and the Early American Navy. University of Oklahoma Press. pp. 67–68. ISBN 9780806163178. Search this book on
- ↑ Maclay, Edgar Stanton; Smith, Roy Campbell (1910). A History of the United States Navy from 1775 to 1901. 1. D. Appleton & Company. pp. 273–289. Search this book on
- ↑ "Edward Preble Congressional Medal, Bronze". Naval History and Heritage Command. Retrieved March 18, 2021.
- ↑ "Edward Preble". Naval History and Heritage Command. Retrieved March 18, 2021.
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 Bradlee, Francis Boardman Crowninshield (1923). Piracy in the West Indies and Its Suppression. Essex institute. p. 133. ISBN 9780598618450.
In 1828 the United States West India squadron was commanded by Flag Officer Charles G. Ridgeley (for his gallant services during the war with the Barbary corsairs this officer had received the congressional gold medal of honor)
Search this book on
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 11.2 "Ridgely, Charles Goodwin, 1784-1848". Redwood Library and Athenaeum. Retrieved March 18, 2021.
- ↑ Johnson, Robert Erwin (1980). "Appendix II". Thence round Cape Horn. Ayer Publishing. p. 209. ISBN 9780405130403. Search this book on
- ↑ Johnson, Robert Erwin (1963). "Chapter 2: The Cruise of the Macedonian". Thence round Cape Horn. United States Naval Institute. Search this book on
- ↑ 14.00 14.01 14.02 14.03 14.04 14.05 14.06 14.07 14.08 14.09 14.10 14.11 14.12 Johnson, Robert Erwin (1963). "Chapter 3: From Ship to Squadron". Thence round Cape Horn. United States Naval Institute. Search this book on
- ↑ "The Brooklyn Navy Yard – Its Early History and Present Condition – Who Have Been Commanders – Vessels Pitted Oat – The Workmen and the Buildings". The New York Times. March 13, 1870. p. 8. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved March 18, 2021.
- ↑ "Photos Will Greet Him". New York Daily News. October 11, 1908. p. 46. Retrieved March 18, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
- ↑ Berube, Claude (August 2014). "The Crucible of Naval Enlightenment". Naval History Magazine. Vol. 28 no. 5. United States Naval Institute. Retrieved March 18, 2021.
This article "Charles G. Ridgeley" is from Wikipedia. The list of its authors can be seen in its historical and/or the page Edithistory:Charles G. Ridgeley. Articles copied from Draft Namespace on Wikipedia could be seen on the Draft Namespace of Wikipedia and not main one.
.png){kind=link}
