RIDLEYS OF SOUTHAMPTON COUNTY, VIRGINIA.
489
discovered in him the requisite ability of mind, was anxious to have him
take the Master's Degree at the university, and persuaded him to return
to Brookland another year, in order to make his success at college the
more easy and certain. In October, 1860, he entered the University of
Virginia, with the intention of remaining there until his education was
finished. Soon after the first acts of the war he became, at the earnest
solicitation of many friends, a member of Company F, a volunteer organ-
ization previously raised in Norfolk, and then stationed on Craney Island,
under command of Capt. Harry Williamson. Here he had many com-
forts not usual to the life of a soldier, and the friends of the company
feted them continually. But, still, with that ardor of patriotism which
characterized so many southern youths, he sighed for a more active life.
He was then a beardless boy, of rather small stature, but with a good
constitution. Under this rudimentary experience of "playing soldier,”
as it was afterwards called, his frame expanded, and he became more
robust. At the reorganization in 1862, he was offered a lieutenancy in
another company, but he preferred to remain with his friends in Company
F. Upon the evacuation of Norfolk, this company, with others, was
marched to Suffolk, and thence to Petersburgh, where it was first placed in
the regiment to which it belonged, and was afterwards known as Com-
pany G, Sixth Virginia Infantry, Mahone's Brigade. The first action
in which William Ridley took part was at Drury's Bluffs, his company
being among those detailed to attack the gun-boats at that place. He
wrote to his father, afterwards, that in his first trial he was calm and com-
posed. Malvern Hill furnished his next experience in battle, and a friend
then on a visit to the brigade described his bravery, immediately before
the battle, as creditable in the highest degree to himself and his lineage.
It was the twentieth anniversary of his birthday, and he wrote home that
in the midst of the desperate charge the thought flashed across his mind,
how unlike this to all previous celebrations of that day. After the battles
about Richmond, when many were filling their places with substitutes, he
was offered one. "His bleeding and injured country required his serv-
ices, and he was unwilling to give her less." Mahone's Brigade was then
stationed at Falling Creek until the middle of August, when Anderson's
Division followed Longstreet's, to re-inforce Jackson and drive Pope from
the Rappahannock. This brigade was not brought into action in the
series of battles that culminated in the great struggle of Second Manas-
sas, Aug. 30, 1862, until the afternoon of that day; it was then that Wil-
liam Ridley fell. His officers and comrades complimented his bravery on
the field, but darkness intervening, no one saw him close his earthly ca-
reer. On the evening of the 31st he was found dead "on the front line
of the action." Thus perished this noble youth, far away from his home,
his last earthly consciousness the shouts of his victorious comrades, who
presently made his grave beneath the bloody sod.
Louisa-Blunt Ridley (1), eldest daughter of Francis (2), was born
in Southampton County, Va., Dec. 23, 1844; was married to Joseph A.
Drewry, of Drewrysville, Southampton County, Dec. 2, 1869, and was
left a widow the 18th of the following May.
*
*It is a little singular that there should be a "Drewry-Ridley" in England, one in
Vermont, one in New York, and an intermarriage between the family of Ridley and
Drewry in Virginia, without any tie of relationship known to exist between the
several branches. Doubtless these several families were originally derived from
one stock.
