Southampton-Prince William County Virginia USGenWeb Archives Military.....Ridley, William G., 1897 

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The Norfolk Virginian., May 23, 1897, Image 9 col. 3 

     SKETCH OF ANOTHER HERO. 
           ________ 

The Record of the Gallant Youth, 

         Wm. G. Ridley.

           Norfolk, Va., May 20, 1897. 

Editor of The Virginian: 

  In last Sunday's issue of your paper was an article entitled "A Norfolk 
Hero." by "Company F."  In it an account is given of the memorable charge 
by Mahone's Brigade at the second battle of Manassas, August 30th, 1862, 
and among the list of killed was mentioned William G. Ridley.  This young 
soldier was the eldest son of the late Francis T. Ridley and Elizabeth 
Goodwyn Ridley, of Southampton county, Va.  At an early age he was placed 
at the well known school of the Rev. William Dinwiddie at Greenwood, in 
Albemarle county, and remained there five years.  He then completed a term 
at the University of Virginia, where his fine classical education bespoke 
for him an "A. M." and a brilliant future, but filled with the same ardor 
that animated every Virginia's son, and manifesting his revolutionary 
heritage, he remained at home but a few days and entered the army, joining 
"Company F.," Sixth Virginia Regiment, then stationed at Craney Island, 
near Norfolk.  After the evacuation of Norfolk his brigade was stationed 
around Richmond, where it fought the seven days' battle, William G. Ridley 
celebrating his 19th [sic; 20th] birthday at the battle of Malvern Hill, 
July 1st, 1862.  During the intervening time to August 30th, the command, 
in Longstreet's Corps, joining Jackson to frustrate the movements of Pope 
and McDowell, and after a hard day's march were ordered into this memorable 
battle of Manassas, where fell the youthful hero.  Immediately after the 
battle Gen. Mahone and other friends recovered his body and had it neatly 
buried beneath a large tree near the battlefield, where still remains all 
that is mortal of that brave soldier, the idol of his parents. 

  A little incident occurred on one occasion when working on the 
fortifications around Yorktown.  A fellow soldier, who knew of his family's 
position, remarked: "I should think you would have a substitute."  His reply 
was: "I have more to fight for than any substitute would." 

  The subject of this sketch was the brother of Mrs. Elizabeth N. Neely and 
Mrs. Norfleet Ridley, of Portsmouth, Va. 

                            VIRGINIA. 


Pvt. William Goodwyn RIDLEY, Co. F, 6th Virginia Infantry, 
b. 1 Jul 1842, Southampton Co., d. 30 Aug 1862, Battle of Second Manassas, 
interred in Groveton Confederate Cemetery*, Groveton, Prince William Co., 
"The Norfolk Virginian," May 23, 1897, p. 9, col. 3 

*Find a Grave Mem. #7648140. 

His parents & maternal grandparents are buried in Blandford Cemetery, 
   Petersburg - his father unmarked. 

His father's obit ("Norfolk Virginian," Mar. 30, 1897, p. 6) is posted at: 
   http://files.usgwarchives.net/va/southampton/obits/r340f3ob.txt 

His sisters Elizabeth N. (RIDLEY; Mrs. R. Johnson) NEELY & Annie F. (RIDLEY; 
   Mrs. Norfleet B.) RIDLEY are buried in Cedar Grove Cemetery, Portsmouth. 
   Portsmouth City Virginia USGenWeb Archives, Cedar Grove list: 
   http://www.usgwarchives.net/va/portsmouth/cemeteries/cgcem.html 

The Library of Virginia supposed holds two letters from William to his 
   sister, and an (unsourced) clipping of this memorial, but I can't find 
   them in the new catalog.  The Samuel Bassett French papers has a card 
   on William which mentions he fought the gun-boats at Drewry's Bluff; 
   that no one saw him fall, but Gen. Mahone wrote his father that William 
   was found the next morning, "on the front line of the action where his 
   brigade was engaged, & he fell nobly with his face to the enemy." 
   http://www.lva.virginia.gov 


Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by 
and transcribed by File Manager Matt Harris. 

file at: 
http://files.usgwarchives.net/va/southampton/military/civilwar/r340w3cs.txt