Citation Confederate Medal of Honor

Captain Samuel Jones Ridley 1st Mississippi Artillery, C.S.A. Battle of Baker's Creek, Mississippi Killed 16 May 1863

Riding hard to bring the last reserves to the field after the Confederate line had been broken on the far left, Captain Ridley personally guided the 42nd Georgia Volunteers and two guns of his battery to a position where they could enfilade the advance of the enemy. Although badly outnumbered Captain Ridley directed and maintained a heavy fire into the attacking enemy line, thwarting the momentum of the assault that threatened to develop the Confederate left flank. Seeing all infantry support driven from the field and realizing that many of his men lay killed or wounded, Captain Ridley nevertheless joined the survivors of one gun crew to keep the cannon firing. Ignoring his own safety despite horrific casualties and realizing that his own position was in danger of being overrun, he continued to serve the gun until he alone stood at the cannon's mouth. When last seen alive, he was still at his post, dealing destruction to the enemy and unwilling unto death to yield his ground.

BORN: 1820, DAVIDSON CO. TN.

BURIED: McMahon
Gluckstadt
Madison County
Mississippi, USA
Plot: center grave of 5 existing

Capt. Samuel Jones Ridley

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