Charles G. Ridgely

Ridgely 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 Ridgely.[1][lower-alpha 2]

The sloop-of-war USS Erie

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] Ridgely 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]

A painting of the frigate USS Constellation

In 1820, Ridgely 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, Ridgely 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 Ridgely'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, Ridgely 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]

Ridgely and 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 Ridgely.[14]

From 1827 to 1830, Ridgely 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, Ridgely 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]