Arlington Marks Centennial of the Tomb of the Unknowns-- Part 1

From the July 2021 Military History magazine.

Arlington National Cemetery

Four identical caskets lay abreast in the room at City Hall in Chalons-en-Champagne, France, on October 24, 1921.  Each held the remains if an unidentified American soldier.  U.S. Army Sgt. Edward F. Younger had the solemn task of selecting one of them.

Approaching the caskets with a spray of white roses in hand, the decorated, twice-wounded Younger circled them, then set the flowers down on the third coffin from the left.  He had chosen America's Unknown World War I soldier.

Thus began the long journey home for one of hundreds if American soldiers killed in Europe during World War I whose names are "known but to God."

The casket chosen by Younger was transported by caisson and train to the port of Le Havre and placed aboard the protected cruiser USS Olympia for transport across the Atlantic to the Washington Navy Yard.  (The USS Olympia was Admiral Dewey's flagship at the Battle of Manila Bay during the Spanish-American War where he gave the famous order, "You may fire when ready, Gridley.")

He Fired When Ready-- Part 9: Charles Gridley's Legacy

Jackalope did a good job of summing up the life of this true American.

So, what's the appeal of Gridley.  he was well-liked by all, but not particularly regarded for his gallantry, military acumen, or initiative.  He provided years of service to his country, but achieved little  distinction. His only real claim to fame  was that eh was standing next to the man of the hour when that man's moment finally came.

Even the Battle of Manila Bay  was largely a meaningless victory -- the Spanish fleet never really had a chance, and the U.S. lacked the strength to take  and hold the Philippines afterwards.  In fact, they spent the next three months trying to prevent the Germans from taking them.

Yet, Dewey's famous order has secured Gridley's place in the history books for eternity.  In addition to the park in Erie, Pennsylvania, he's also lent his name to four ships in the U.S. Navy, a type of destroyer, and a National Guard training camp in Pennsylvania.

His alma mater, Hillsdale College, added a seashell to their coat of arms to honor his service.  For someone who did relatively little, he made the most of what little he actually did.  (Or he would have had he lived after the battle.)

But maybe that's part of his mystique.  He's a well-regarded heroic figure who died at the peak of his fame.  He never had the chance to disappoint the public or to be revealed as a lucky mediocrity like Dewey.  He's too big to be built up, but too small to bother tearing down.

In hindsight, he's a man who seems to have been destined to be a footnote in history.

Well, that is one big footnote and I'd sure settle for it myself.  A great American in every way.

And to think that just a little over a month ago I had no knowledge of this man other than the quote.  I didn't even know that he fought during the Civil War.

From M.B. to M.B..   From the Battle of Mobile Bay to the Battle of Manila Bay.  And it would have been even better if I had found that he was at the Battles of Fort Fisher, but at least George Dewey was.

You May Stop This Blog When Ready, Cooter.  --DaCoot

He Fired When Ready-- Part 8: His Death, Burial and Honors

"The battle of Manila killed me, but I would do it again if necessary," were Charles Gridley's last  words on public record.  He died on June 5, 1898, while the Coptic was anchored in Kobe, Japan.  This was just over a month from the Battle of Manila Bay.

He was cremated in Yokohama and his ashes sent to his widow in Erie, Pennsylvania. Once there, the ashes were interned in the city's Lakeside Cemetery with great fanfare.  The Navy later placed four guns captured from the Spanish arsenal at Cavite by his graveside.

Fifteen years later, the people of Erie once again celebrated Charles Gridley by naming a municipal park after him.  In the center of Gridley Park is a simple Ionic column standing tall.  

At its base are two plaques recounting the details of Gridley's  service and death, made from metal recovered from the wreckage of the USS Maine.

--Cooter

He Fired When Ready-- Part 7: 'The Battle of Manila Killed Me, But I Would Do It Again If Necessary.'

I'm not sure of Charles Gridley was counted as the one death in the American fleet or not, but this battle marked the beginning of the end for him.

The heat and poor ventilation in the Olympia's conning tower made his existing medical conditions so much worse.  At one point in the battle, he hit his side on the edge of the chart table which caused him great pain.  After the battle he had to be carried away from his post.

As the days passed by, it became more and more apparent that his condition was deteriorating rapidly, and Dewey had no choice but to relieve him of command of the USS Olympia.

On May 25, he was sent  home aboard the USS Zafiro to receive medical treatment.

Two days later, he was transferred from the Zafiro to the Occidental & Oriental steamship Coptic which was bound for Japan.  On June 4, the Coptic reached Nagasaki, Japan, and it was there that Gridley discovered that he and Dewey were the men of the hour.

He gave a British newspaper reporter a short interview tinged with a little bitterness.  He did not see much of a future for the U.S. in the Philippines, seeing the islands as a backwater suitable only as a rest stop for fleets crossing the Pacific.

Still, he had no regrets about his life and role in the battle.  He said, "The battle of Manila killed me, but I would do it again if necessary."

--Cooter

He Fired When Ready-- Part 6: The Losses at the Battle of Manila Bay

The Asiatic Squadron had suffered few casualties.  Only six wounded.  However, on the Spanish side, nearly 400 sailors died and ten warships either destroyed or captured according to The History Channel site.

This source says that after two hours of the fight, the Spanish fleet was so decimated that Dewey met with his captains and ordered his crews to have a second breakfast.

Wikipedia says that American losses were 

1 dead of illness

9 wounded

1 protected cruiser damaged

*******************************

Spanish losses were

77 killed

271 wounded

2 protected cruisers scuttled

5 unprotected cruisers sunk

1 transport ship sunk

Anyway you want to look at it, this was one big disaster of a battle for Spain.

Like I Said, It Was Very One-Sided.  --Cooter

He Fired When Ready-- Part 5: It Wasn't Much of a Battle

The Battle of Manila Bay was a one-sided slaughter.  Outgunned and under-armored, the only real hope of the Spanish fleet was to ram the American vessels, but concentrated fire tactics made that impossible.  

In fact, the only real problem with the American side during the action came at 7:45 am,  when a garbled message from the quartermaster forced Charles Gridley  to message Dewey that only  15 rounds of ammunition remained for each gun.  The squadron withdrew to the middle of the bay  and had an impromptu breakfast for the enlisted men while the ammunition was counted.

It was eventually determined that the report had been reversed --  in fact, only 15 rounds of ammunition had been expended per gun.

So, breakfast was suspended and the action resumed.  At 12:40 pm, after seven hours of battle, the Spanish surrendered.  Their fleet had been annihilated.

--Cooter

He Fired When Ready-- Part 4: 'You May Fire When You Are Ready, Gridley.'

So, Commodore Dewey is ready to destroy the Spanish fleet, but he almost had to do it without the service of his friend (they had met during stateside lighthouse duty), Charles Gridley.

For several months, Gridley had been seriously ill, suffering from some dysentery and an unspecified  liver condition (now believed to have been cancer).  Some days, he could barely get out of bed.  But, if the fleet was going into battle there was no way he was going to miss it.  He'd gone 33 years between battles and this likely might be his last chance.  He pleaded with Dewey to let him participate.  Dewey relented and let him.

Under cover of darkness on the night of April 30th, Dewey and the entire U.S. Asiatic fleet sailed past the Spanish batteries on Corregidor and into Manila Bay.  The Spanish were not expecting the Americans to do this at night and their ships were anchored at Cavite, a small peninsula in the bay that allowed them protection from the weather and tides.

As the sun rose on April 1st they found themselves bottled up.  There was nowhere to go but to make a run for safety.

At 5:41 AM, Dewey turned to Gridley and gave a brief, informal order that went on to become very famous U.S. Naval words:

"You may fire when you are ready, Gridley.

Fire he did.

--Cooter

He Fired When Ready-- Part 3: Dewey to Strike First and Hard

So, Charles Gridley finally had that plum command, the USS Olympia.  But then, on February 15, 1898, the USS Maine blew up while anchored in Havana Harbor, Cuba.  The relations between Spain, who controlled Cuba, and the United States had been worsening for years.

The American people, spurred on by a Yellow Press Campaign of Spanish misdeeds in Cuba, were upset about heavy-handed tactics the Spanish were using to put down Cubans who were striving for independence.  And, the American government and business interests were trying to find ways to grab Spain's colonial possessions and make them their own.

The commander of the U.S. Asiatic Squadron, George Dewey,  had been preparing for war for months.  He knew that Spain's hold on the Philippines was tenuous at best, and that if he moved swiftly, he could strike a first blow and weaken Spain's ability to resist.

Just as soon as war was declared, he moved fast to destroy the Spanish fleet operating out of  Manila in the Philippines.

--Cooter

He Fired When Ready-- Part 1: Who Was This Gridley Guy?

From the order of the Jackalope "He fired when ready" by #13 (David White).

Well, of course if you have been reading this blog, you know.  I didn't know much about this person before I started this series of posts which actually started in my Civil War Navy blog Running the Blockade.  This is a part of my RoadTripping Through History approach to these blogs.

I figured this Gridly guy, and I had to find out his first name, must have been an officer under the command of Dewey.

David White remembers a family trip when he was a child and they went to Independence  Seaport Museum in Philadelphia where one of the attractions was the USS Olympia.  Bolted to the deck by the wheelhouse were two brass footprints engraved with this text:

"From this spot Commodore Dewey directed the Asiatic Squadron to victory in the Spanish-American War, launching the United States onto the world stage. 'You may fire when you are ready, Gridley.' May 11898, Manila Bay, Luzon, Philippines."

They are some of the most famous words in naval history, right up there with "Don't give up the ship" and "Damn the torpedoes, full speed ahead."

I figured he was a Navy man, likely an officer, but under the command of Dewey.

This is where David White started doing his own research.

--Cooter

Charles V. Gridley-- Part 11: His Death and Burial

Physically spent and finally released from the strain of command, Gridley's health began to sink even more quickly.  On May 27, when he transferred from the Zafiro to the commercial steamer  Coptic, he had to be taken aboard on a stretcher.  He knew his condition was grave and wrote, "I think I am done for it, personally."

Because of his actions at the Battle of Manila Bay,  Commodore Dewey  recommended that Gridley be advanced  ten numbers on the  promotions list as a reward for his services.    The Navy Department advanced him six places, still a strong testament o his ability.  

Captain Charles Vernon Gridley died on June 5, 1898, aboard the Coptic while it was in Kobe, Japan.  His body was cremated and sent home.  Services for him were held at  Erie, Pennsylvania's Cathedral of St. Paul and he was buried at  Erie's Lakeside Cemetery.

Charles V. Gridley-- Part 8: The Battle of Manila Bay and Loss of Health

As the tensions between the United States and Spain increased, the tenuous  situation of the ships of the U.S. Asiatic Squadron became  clear.  A major step forward was made when the command of the squadron was turned over to Gridley's old comrade from the Lighthouse Board, Commodore George Dewey.

Efforts were soon underway among the whole fleet to prepare for war.

On May 1, 1898,  the ships of the Asiatic Squadron, with Gridley's Olympia in the lead as the flagship entered Manila Bay.  Within a few hours, the Battle of Manila Bay was over and the Spanish fleet was defeated.

Gridley was at his station, commanding the Olympia from the ship's armored conning tower.  The Philippine sun was beating on the exterior of the very small armored  control center, which, combined with the already high temperatures, must have made the conning tower virtually  uninhabitable.

From this location, the captain directed the ship's fire and controlled the actions  of the vessel.

This is where Dewey sent his famous message to Gridley: "You may fire when you are ready, Gridley.'

But, the victory came at a great cost to Charles Gridley.  At the conclusion of the battle, the captain was in no condition to celebrate the victory. He had already been a very sick man even before the battle, but those conditions made his health even worse.

--Cooter

What Is This RoadTripping Through History?

Roadtripping Through History is something I do often with all these blogs.  I start with a story and see how far I can take it, kind of like the old Paul Harvey's "Rest of the Story" in those interesting newscasts he used to do.

This particular (I guess you could call it a thread) started with a story I wrote about in my Running the Blockade: Civil War Navy blog about five U.S. Navy Medal of Honor recipients buried in cemeteries around Portsmouth, New Hampshire.

I then found out when I looked for more information on each one, that there might have been confusion on one of the names as there was someone else with nearly the same name.  His name was John Jones.  Then the other man was John E. Jones.  John Jones (buried in Portsmouth) got his Medal during the rescue of crewmembers of the sinking USS Monitor.

The John E. Jones got his for action on the USS Oneida at the Battle of Mobile Bay (along with seven other recipients from that ship).  Well, the commander of that ship must have been quite busy writing out the recommendations and the Wikipedia article said the commander was C.V. Gridley.

The name Gridley immediately brought to mind the "You may fire when you are ready, Gridley" quote from George Dewey at the Battle of Mobile Bay in the Spanish-American War.  Was this the same guy?  As it turns out, he was, but he had not been the commander of the Oneida at the battle of Mobile Bay.  However, he was on that ship as a junior officer, but not the commander of it.

And, that is how I have come to writing about that here.

In addition, earlier this month in this blog, I wrote about the USS Zafiro which transported the stricken with illness Gridley off the USS Olympia after the Battle of Manila Bay.  Then that led to the Dewey Medals given to U.S. participants at that battle.

So, You Never Know Exactly Where You're Going to Go When You Roadtrip Through History.  --Cooter

Charles V. Gridley-- Part 1: Born in Indiana, Moved to Michigan, Appointed to USNA

I have been writing about this man in my Running the Blockade: Civil War Navy blog and this one as well.  This is a part of my Roadtripping Through History approach to these blogs.  

From the Spanish-American War Centennial website.

Charles V. Gridley was the commander of the USS Olympia, the flagship of Commodore George Dewey's Asiatic Squadron at the Battle of Manila Bay in the Philippines.  Dewey was in command of the whole fleet, but was aboard the Olympia.  At the beginning of the battle, Dewey uttered the sentence that became one of the most famous statements in U.S. Naval history and which immortalized the Olympia's ailing commander (he died less than a month after thee battle.)

"You may fire when you are ready, Gridley."

Charles Vernon Gridley was born in Logansport, Indiana, on November 24, 1844.  But, when he was three months old, his family moved to Hillsdale, Michigan.

At the age of 16, Gridley received an appointment to the U.S. Naval Academy at Annapolis, Maryland.  However, within a year, the Civil War broke out.  The Naval Academy was in dire straits.  Many of its students went south to Fight for the Confederacy.

Those that remained stayed with the Union, including the young man who had somehow acquired the name of "Steve" Gridley.

The Academy was deep within the state of Maryland which had a lot of Confederate sympathizers which put it in danger, so, for the duration it was moved to Newport, Rhode Island.

--Cooter

The Dewey Medal-- Part 4: Designed by D.C. French and Made By Tiffany's

The Dewey Medal was designed by celebrated artist Daniel Chester French, who sculped the seated Lincoln in Washington, D.C.'s Lincoln memorial and the Minuteman statue at Concord, Massachusetts.  The medal itself was struck by Tiffany & Company.

The front, or obverse, depicts a bust of Commodore George Dewey.  On the back, or reverse,  is included the name of the vessel on which the recipient served.  The name of the recipient is engraved on the medal's lower rim, this being  one of only two service medals issued officially to  the recipient.

*************************

One of these medals is located at the Headquarters Artifact Collection, Naval History and Heritage Command.

The obverse features a profile bust of Commodore George Dewey with text to the right and left of his head that reads:  "The gift of the people of the United States to the officers and men of the Asiatic Squadron under the command of Commodore George Dewey."

  Below the bust are the words: DC French 1898."

The reverse of the medal has the image of a bare-chested sailor sitting on a cannon barrel with a furled flag upon his lap.  The text along the edge reads:  "In memory of the Victory on Manila Bay on May 1, 1898."

Below the image is a tablet for the stamped "USS Olympia."  The rim of this medal is stamped "Ah Foy, Landsman."

--Cooter

The Dewey Medal-- Part 2: About the Zafiro and Nanshan and the Medal

The colliers USS Nanshan and USS Zafiro were part of Dewey's squadron and supported the Manila Bay operation but are not listed  in Navy regulations having  their crew members eligible for the Dewey Medal.  This is because these ships were not actively involved in the battle and at the time they were civilian-manned vessels purchased to support the Navy ships.

The Nanshan was commanded by Navy Lieutenant Benjamin W. Hodges, but  technically remained a merchant ship so se could resupply at neutral ports  which simplified the squadron's logistics.  The Zafiro was commanded by Ensign Henry A.  Pearson, USN, and, like the Nanshan, was technically a merchant ship at the time of the battle.

Both ships were later commissioned into the U.S. Navy.

--Cooter

The Dewey Medal-- Part 1

From Wikipedia.

I found mention of this medal being given to Ensign Henry E. Pearson who commanded the USS Zafiro at the Battle of Manila Bay.  I had never heard of the Dewey Medal, so Wikipedia here I come.

It was a military decoration of the United States Navy established by the U.S. Congress on June 3, 1898, to recognize the leadership of George Dewey during the Spanish-American War and the sailors and Marines under his command.  Specifically it was for the Battle of Manila Bay.

To receive one, the person had to have served on one of these ships at the battle on May 1. 1898:

USS  Baltimore

USS Boston

USS Concord

USS  McCullough

USS  Olympia

USS  Petrel

USS Raleigh

--Cooter

USS Zafiro-- Part 3: Busy in the Philippines

Regardless of whether she was a commissioned ship in the U.S. Navy, she accompanied Dewey's fleet when it departed Hong Kong in April 1898 and served as a collier and supply ship during the Battle of Manila Bay and the ensuing Philippines Campaign.

(A collier is a bulk coat ship, also carries supplies, in case you're wondering.

The lack of documents covering her  activities inj1898 and the first half of 1899 precludes any history of her service during that time.  Presumably she plied the waters of the Philippines carrying troops, supplies and dispatches between those points..

Based at Cavite on Luzon, she is known to have performed such missions during the period of time from latter 1899 and June 1904.  Those movements in support of the U.S. Army's suppression of the Philippines Insurrection and campaigns against the Moslem Moro tribesmen took her to a host  of exotic places throughout the islands.

On 10 June 1904, the Zafiro was placed out of commission at Cavite and her name was struck from the  Navy List on 15 January 1906.  On 21 October 1910 she was sold to Mr. J.W. Zeeve of Seattle, Washington.

--Cooter

USS Zafiro (1884) and Its Connection to the Spanish-American War-- Part 1

I wrote about this ship in my Running the Blockade: Civil War Navy blog the last two days in connection to a man named Charles V. Gridley, who was a naval officer during the Civil War, but also, more famously, the Spanish-American War.  He was the man that Commodore George Dewey said "You may fire when you are ready" to at the start of the Battle of Manila Bay which led to the destruction of the Spanish fleet.

Charles Gridley was the commander of the USS Olympia which was serving as Dewey's flagship.  Unfortunately, Gridley became sick soon afterwards and died almost a month and a half later.  He was transferred off the Olympia on the USS Zafiro.

You can read about Gridley's career in my Running the Blockade blog this week.  Go to the My Blogs column and click on this blog.

I'd never heard of this ship, so Wikipedia here I come.

USS ZAFIRO

It was a collier, bulk cargo ship,  that served in the U.S. Navy from 1898 to 1904.

It was constructed in the United Kingdom, but George Dewey purchased her for the U.S. Navy in Hong Kong on 9 April 1898, just before his Asiatic Squadron sailed for  the Philippines at the beginning of the Spanish-American War.

--Cooter