Thomas Ridgway (August 18, 1861 – May 5, 1939) was a career officer in the

United States Army The United States Army (USA) is the primary Land warfare, land service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is designated as the Army of the United States in the United States Constitution.Article II, section 2, clause 1 of th ...

. A

Coast Artillery Coastal artillery is the branch of the armed forces concerned with operating anti-ship artillery or fixed gun batteries in coastal fortifications. From the Middle Ages until World War II, coastal artillery and naval artillery in the form of c ...

specialist, Ridgway served from 1883 to 1919 and attained the rank of

colonel Colonel ( ; abbreviated as Col., Col, or COL) is a senior military Officer (armed forces), officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations. In the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries, a colon ...

. A veteran of the

Spanish–American War The Spanish–American War (April 21 – August 13, 1898) was fought between Restoration (Spain), Spain and the United States in 1898. It began with the sinking of the USS Maine (1889), USS ''Maine'' in Havana Harbor in Cuba, and resulted in the ...

Philippine–American War The Philippine–American War, known alternatively as the Philippine Insurrection, Filipino–American War, or Tagalog Insurgency, emerged following the conclusion of the Spanish–American War in December 1898 when the United States annexed th ...

Boxer Rebellion The Boxer Rebellion, also known as the Boxer Uprising, was an anti-foreign, anti-imperialist, and anti-Christian uprising in North China between 1899 and 1901, towards the end of the Qing dynasty, by the Society of Righteous and Harmonious F ...

, and

World War I World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

, he was most notable for his service as commander of several Coast Artillery posts and districts and acting commander of the

Hawaiian Department Hawaiian may refer to: * Native Hawaiians, the current term for the indigenous people of the Hawaiian Islands or their descendants * Hawaii state residents, regardless of ancestry (only used outside of Hawaii) * Hawaiian language, a Polynesian lan ...

. Ridgway was the father of General

Matthew Ridgway Matthew Bunker Ridgway (3 March 1895 – 26 July 1993) was a senior officer in the United States Army, who served as Supreme Allied Commander Europe (1952–1953) and the 19th Chief of Staff of the United States Army (1953–1955). Although he ...

Early life

Thomas Ridgway was born in

Brooklyn Brooklyn is a Boroughs of New York City, borough of New York City located at the westernmost end of Long Island in the New York (state), State of New York. Formerly an independent city, the borough is coextensive with Kings County, one of twelv ...

New York New York most commonly refers to: * New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States * New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York New York may also refer to: Places United Kingdom * ...

on August 18, 1861, the son of attorney James Ridgway and Esther Lucas Molière Ridgway. He attended the public schools of Brooklyn, and was a student at

New York University New York University (NYU) is a private university, private research university in New York City, New York, United States. Chartered in 1831 by the New York State Legislature, NYU was founded in 1832 by Albert Gallatin as a Nondenominational ...

for two years as a member of the class of 1881. While at NYU, Ridgway became a member of the

Delta Phi Delta Phi () is a fraternal society established in Schenectady, New York, on November 17, 1827. Its first chapter was founded at Union College, and was the third and final member of the Union Triad. In 1879, William Raimond Baird's '' America ...

fraternity. In 1879, Ridgway was appointed to the

United States Military Academy The United States Military Academy (USMA), commonly known as West Point, is a United States service academies, United States service academy in West Point, New York that educates cadets for service as Officer_(armed_forces)#United_States, comm ...

by U.S. Representative

Simeon B. Chittenden Simeon Baldwin Chittenden (March 29, 1814 – April 14, 1889) was a United States representative from New York. Early life Chittenden was born in Guilford, New Haven County, Connecticut on March 29, 1814. He was the son of Abel Chittenden (17 ...

. He graduated in 1883 ranked 10th of 52, and received his commission as a second lieutenant in the

Artillery Artillery consists of ranged weapons that launch Ammunition, munitions far beyond the range and power of infantry firearms. Early artillery development focused on the ability to breach defensive walls and fortifications during sieges, and l ...

branch.

Start of career

Ridgway became a specialist in the use of coastal artillery for harbor defenses, a major strategic concern for the United States government in the late 1800s and early 1900s as the expansion of several nations' navies detracted from the natural defenses America enjoyed because of its location between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. Initially assigned to the 5th Artillery Regiment, Ridway's early assignments included postings to New York's

Fort Wadsworth Fort Wadsworth is a former United States military installation on Staten Island in New York City, situated on The Narrows which divide New York Bay into Upper and Lower bays, a natural point for defense of the Upper Bay, Manhattan, and beyon ...

Fort Hamilton Fort Hamilton is a United States Army installation in the southwestern corner of the New York City borough of Brooklyn, surrounded by the communities of Bay Ridge and Dyker Heights. It is one of several posts that are part of the region which ...

, and Riverside Park. From May 1886 to October 1887, Ridgway was assigned as professor of military science at St. Paul's School in Garden City. From December 1887 to July 1888, Ridgway attended the Torpedo School at Fort Totten. After graduating, Ridgway returned to duty at Fort Hamilton, where he remained until May 1890. He was assigned to the

Presidio of San Francisco The Presidio of San Francisco (originally, El Presidio Real de San Francisco or The Royal Fortress of Saint Francis) is a park and former U.S. Army post on the northern tip of the San Francisco Peninsula in San Francisco, California, and is part ...

from May 1890 to June 1891 and

Fort Alcatraz Fort Alcatraz was a United States Army coastal fortification on Alcatraz Island near the mouth of San Francisco Bay in California, part of the Seacoast defense in the United States#Third System, Third System of fixed fortifications, although very ...

from June 1891 to August 1892. Ridgway was promoted to

first lieutenant First lieutenant is a commissioned officer military rank in many armed forces; in some forces, it is an appointment. The rank of lieutenant has different meanings in different military formations, but in most forces it is sub-divided into a se ...

in February 1891. From 1892 to 1896, he was assigned to the staff of the artillery school at

Fort Monroe Fort Monroe is a former military installation in Hampton, Virginia, at Old Point Comfort, the southern tip of the Virginia Peninsula, United States. It is currently managed by partnership between the Fort Monroe Authority for the Commonwealth o ...

Virginia Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern and Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States between the East Coast of the United States ...

. He graduated from the Fort Monroe artillery officer's course in September 1896. Ridgway served with a light artillery battery at

Fort Riley Fort Riley is a United States Army installation located in North Central Kansas, on the Kansas River, also known as the Kaw, between Junction City and Manhattan. The Fort Riley Military Reservation covers 101,733 acres (41,170 ha) in Ge ...

Kansas Kansas ( ) is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. It borders Nebraska to the north; Missouri to the east; Oklahoma to the south; and Colorado to the west. Kansas is named a ...

from December 1896 to March 1898, when he was transferred to the 6th Artillery.

Spanish–American War

At the start of the

, Ridgway was assigned to assist in the rapid improvement of coastal defenses in the eastern United States. These postings included

Tybee Island, Georgia Tybee Island ( ) is a city and a barrier island in Chatham County, Georgia, 18 miles (29 km) east of Savannah. The name is used for both the city and the island, but geographically the two are not identical: only part of the island's terri ...

(March 1898),

Fort McHenry Fort McHenry is a historical American Coastal defense and fortification, coastal bastion fort, pentagonal bastion fort on Locust Point, Baltimore, Locust Point, now a neighborhood of Baltimore, Maryland. It is best known for its role in the War ...

Maryland Maryland ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It borders the states of Virginia to its south, West Virginia to its west, Pennsylvania to its north, and Delaware to its east ...

(March to April 1898), Fort Hamilton (April 1898), and

Washington Barracks Fort Lesley J. McNair, also historically known as the Washington Arsenal, is a United States Army post located on the tip of Buzzard Point, the peninsula that lies at the confluence of the Potomac River and the Anacostia River in Washington, D.C ...

, D.C. (April 1898). He was transferred back to the 5th Artillery in late April 1898. After returning to the 5th Artillery, Ridgway served at

Fort Myer Fort Myer is the previous name used for a U.S. Army Military base, post next to Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington County, Virginia, and across the Potomac River from Washington, D.C. Founded during the American Civil War as Fort Cass and ...

(May 1898), Fort Hamilton (May 1898),

Fort Hancock, New Jersey Fort Hancock is a former United States Army fort at Sandy Hook, New Jersey, Sandy Hook in Middletown Township, New Jersey, Middletown Township, New Jersey. The coastal artillery base defended the East Coast of the United States, Atlantic coast a ...

(May to July 1898), Fort Hamilton, (July 1898), and Fort Wadsworth (May to December 1898). After the war, Ridgway was assigned to Fort Hamilton from December 1898 to January 1900. He was promoted to

captain Captain is a title, an appellative for the commanding officer of a military unit; the supreme leader or highest rank officer of a navy ship, merchant ship, aeroplane, spacecraft, or other vessel; or the commander of a port, fire or police depa ...

in the 5th Artillery in March 1899, and he served as regimental

adjutant Adjutant is a military appointment given to an Officer (armed forces), officer who assists the commanding officer with unit administration, mostly the management of “human resources” in an army unit. The term is used in French-speaking armed ...

from May 1899 to January 1900.

Post-war

From January to August 1900, Ridgway commanded Battery N, 5th Artillery at Fort Monroe. He was then transferred to Light Battery F, 5th Artillery, which he commanded when it served in the

Philippines The Philippines, officially the Republic of the Philippines, is an Archipelagic state, archipelagic country in Southeast Asia. Located in the western Pacific Ocean, it consists of List of islands of the Philippines, 7,641 islands, with a tot ...

during the

and in

China China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. With population of China, a population exceeding 1.4 billion, it is the list of countries by population (United Nations), second-most populous country after ...

during the U.S. response to the

. He returned to the United States in June 1901, and commanded his battery at

Fort Walla Walla Fort Walla Walla is a United States Army fort located in Walla Walla, Washington. The first Fort Walla Walla was established July 1856, by Lieutenant Colonel Edward Steptoe, 9th Infantry Regiment. A second Fort Walla Walla was occupied Septe ...

Washington Washington most commonly refers to: * George Washington (1732–1799), the first president of the United States * Washington (state), a state in the Pacific Northwest of the United States * Washington, D.C., the capital of the United States ** A ...

from July 1901 to October 1902 and

Fort Snelling Fort Snelling is a former military fortification and National Historic Landmark in the U.S. state of Minnesota on the bluffs overlooking the confluence of the Minnesota and Mississippi Rivers. The military site was initially named Fort Saint An ...

Minnesota Minnesota ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Upper Midwestern region of the United States. It is bordered by the Canadian provinces of Manitoba and Ontario to the north and east and by the U.S. states of Wisconsin to the east, Iowa to the so ...

from October 1902 to August 1906. He was promoted to

major Major most commonly refers to: * Major (rank), a military rank * Academic major, an academic discipline to which an undergraduate student formally commits * People named Major, including given names, surnames, nicknames * Major and minor in musi ...

in June 1906. Ridgway performed staff duty at Fort Caswell, North Carolina, from August 1906 to June 1907 and Fort Monroe from June 1907 to November 1909. When the army created the

Coast Artillery Corps The U.S. Army Coast Artillery Corps (CAC) was an Corps#Administrative corps, administrative corps responsible for coastal defence and fortification, coastal, harbor, and anti-aircraft Seacoast defense in the United States, defense of the United ...

as a separate branch in 1907, Ridgway was assigned to the Coast Artillery. He was posted to

Fort Andrews Fort Andrews was created in 1897 as part of the Coast Defenses of Boston, Coast (later Harbor) Defenses of Boston, Massachusetts. Construction began in 1898 and the fort was substantially complete by 1904. The fort was named after Major G ...

Massachusetts Massachusetts ( ; ), officially the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, is a U.S. state, state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It borders the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Maine to its east, Connecticut and Rhode ...

from November 1909 to September 1912. Ridgway was promoted to lieutenant colonel in July 1910 and

in September 1912.

Later career

After becoming a colonel, Ridgway was assigned to

Fort Barrancas Fort Barrancas (1839) or Fort San Carlos de Barrancas (from 1787) is a United States military fort and National Historic Landmark in the former Warrington area of Pensacola, Florida, located physically within Naval Air Station Pensacola, which ...

Florida Florida ( ; ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It borders the Gulf of Mexico to the west, Alabama to the northwest, Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia to the north, the Atlantic ...

as commander of the Coast Defenses of

Pensacola Pensacola ( ) is a city in the Florida panhandle in the United States. It is the county seat and only city in Escambia County. The population was 54,312 at the 2020 census. It is the principal city of the Pensacola metropolitan area, which ha ...

. He commanded the Coast Defenses of

Boston Boston is the capital and most populous city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Massachusetts in the United States. The city serves as the cultural and Financial centre, financial center of New England, a region of the Northeas ...

beginning in November 1915, and remained in this position during the early stages of U.S. involvement in

. He commanded the South Atlantic Coast Artillery District in

Charleston, South Carolina Charleston is the List of municipalities in South Carolina, most populous city in the U.S. state of South Carolina. The city lies just south of the geographical midpoint of South Carolina's coastline on Charleston Harbor, an inlet of the Atla ...

from March 17 to August 1918, after which he was assigned to command the Coast Defenses of

Portland, Maine Portland is the List of municipalities in Maine, most populous city in the U.S. state of Maine and the county seat, seat of Cumberland County, Maine, Cumberland County. Portland's population was 68,408 at the 2020 census. The Portland metropolit ...

. He continued in this post through the end of the war. In February 1919, Ridgway was assigned to command the Coast Defenses of

Oahu Oahu (, , sometimes written Oahu) is the third-largest and most populated island of the Hawaiian Islands and of the U.S. state of Hawaii. The state capital, Honolulu, is on Oahu's southeast coast. The island of Oahu and the uninhabited Northwe ...

, where he remained until retiring in October 1919. From June to July 1919, he also served as acting commander of the army's

. Ridgway was visiting a laboratory in January 1912 when an explosion occurred, which resulted in him losing sight in one eye. In September 1919, he requested retirement for the disability that resulted from this injury, which was approved in October 1919.

Retirement and death

In retirement, Ridgway was a resident of

San Diego San Diego ( , ) is a city on the Pacific coast of Southern California, adjacent to the Mexico–United States border. With a population of over 1.4 million, it is the List of United States cities by population, eighth-most populous city in t ...

California California () is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States that lies on the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. It borders Oregon to the north, Nevada and Arizona to the east, and shares Mexico–United States border, an ...

. He died in San Diego on May 5, 1939. He was buried at

Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery is a federal United States National Cemetery System, military cemetery in San Diego, California. It is located on the grounds of the former Army coastal artillery station Naval Base Point Loma, Fort Rosecrans a ...

in San Diego.

Family

In February 1890, Ridgway married Ruth Starbuck Bunker (1870–1956). They were the parents of two children, Matthew and Ruth.

was a career army officer who attained the rank of

general A general officer is an Officer (armed forces), officer of high rank in the army, armies, and in some nations' air force, air and space forces, marines or naval infantry. In some usages, the term "general officer" refers to a rank above colone ...

and served as

Chief of Staff of the United States Army The chief of staff of the Army (CSA) is a statutory position in the United States Army held by a general officer. As the highest-ranking officer assigned to serve in the Department of the Army, the chief is the principal military advisor and a ...

Notes

References

External links

*
Thomas Ridgway
at United States Army Pacific {{DEFAULTSORT:Ridgway, Thomas 1861 births 1939 deaths United States Army colonels Military personnel from Brooklyn United States Army Coast Artillery Corps personnel United States Military Academy alumni American military personnel of the Spanish–American War American military personnel of the Philippine–American War American military personnel of the Boxer Rebellion United States Army personnel of World War I Burials at Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery United States Army Field Artillery Branch personnel 19th-century United States Army personnel