Thursday, December 10, 2015

Seaman Joseph Ridgaway, of the Hunley-- Part 1

From Find-A-Grave.

Seaman Joseph F. Ridgaway.

second in command of the Confederate submarine H.L. Hunley when it sank the USS Housatonic in 1864.  Born late 1833 to James and Elizabeth Ridgaway of Talbot County, Maryland.  He earned his experienced seaman certificate at age 16.

On August 29, 1862, he joined the Confederate States Navy in Richmond, Virginia.

Eventually he ended up in Charleston, S.C. and served on the CSS Indian Chief and later the submarine H.L. Hunley where he initially only had the duty to operate a crank used in its propulsion.  But, when William Alexander, one of the sub's builders, was transferred back to Mobile in early 1864, Lt. Dixon, its commander, promoted Ridgaway to second in command.

--Old B-Runner

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