Thomas Riley - Coal Heaver
Thomas Riley was born circa 1840 in Ireland, and enlisted on 25 July 1863 at the New York Naval Rendezvous as an landsman for a one year enlistment contract [1]
Riley served aboard the U.S.S. Owasco [2]. Since the Owasco was at the Pensacola Navy Yard undergoing repairs that would last until October 1864, Riley went with a number of his shipmates to augment the Tecumseh's complement for the impending Battle of Mobile Bay after a number of her crew were sent ashore sick[3]. He was officially attached to the Tecumseh on 3 August 1864.[2] Riley was aboard the Tecumseh during the Battle of Mobile Bay and was reported lost with her. [4], [5]. He had been in the Navy for just over one year.
Dependents
Awards & Memorials
Alternate Spellings of Name
References and Sources
[1] Return of the United States Naval Rendezvous, New York, New York, for the week ending July 25, 1863[2] NARA T1099. An index to rendezvous reports during the Civil War, 1861-1865.
[3] "Various Naval Matters" Army and Navy Journal, August 27, 1864 p13
[4] "Navy Gazette: List of Deaths in the Navy of the United States, reported to the Bureau of Medicine and Surgery, Navy Department, during the week ending December 3d, 1864." Army and Navy Journal, 10 Dec. 1864, p. 253.
[5] Officers and Enlisted Men who Died in the Active Service of the U.S. Navy 1776-1885
