Virginia Civil War Biographies Page

General Richard L. Page, distinguished in the naval and military history of the Confederate States, was born in Clarke county, Va., in 1807. The worthy Virginia family to which he belongs is descended from John Page an immigrant from England in early days, one of whose descendants, John Page, wedded Jane Byrd of Westover. Their son, Mann Page, was father to William Byrd Page, born at North End, Gloucester county, in 1768, who was a farmer by occupation, and died at Fairfield, Clarke county, in 18l2. He married Ann Lee, who was born at Leesylvania, Prince William county, in 1776, and died at Washington, D. C. She was a daughter of Henry Lee, and sister of Gen. Henry Lee, the famous cavalry officer, known as "Light Horse Harry," father of Gen. Robert E. Lee. Another brother, Charles Lee, was attorney-general of the United States in Washington's administration. Richard L. Page, son of William Byrd and Ann Page, became a midshipman in the United States navy March 12, 1824, being first assigned to the sloop-of-war John Adams, of the West Indies squadron, Commodore Porter, making two short cruises. In 1825 he was ordered to the frigate Brandywine to convey General La Fayette to France under Commodore Morris. In the Mediterranean he was transferred to the frigate Constitution. He returned to the United States in 1828 in the Constitution, after which he was ordered to the frigate Constellation, Commodore Wadsworth, and was detached from her at New York to prepare for his examination. From 1830 to 1834 he was attached to the sloop-of-war Concord as passed midshipman and sailing master, which ship, after conveying John Randolph as minister to Russia, joined the squadron in the Mediterranean. March 26, 1834, he was commissioned lieutenant and ordered to the Enterprise on the Brazil station, was then transferred to the Ontario, afterward served as executive officer of the schooner Enterprise on the East India station, was transferred to the sloop-of-war Peacock, and returned to the United States in her the fall of i837, having circumnavigated the globe, when he was given two years' leave of absence to visit Europe. Subsequent duty was as ordnance officer in the Norfolk navy yard, then to the frigate Macedonia in the West Indies for two cruises of one year each, with Commodores Wilkinson and Shubrick; next two years at. the Norfolk naval rendezvous; then as executive officer of the sloop-of-war Fairfield of the Mediterranean squadron in 1844 and 1845. Returning in the Fair- field to the United States, he was ordered to the receiving battleship Pennsylvania at Norfolk in i845. He was executive officer, and for two years lieutenant command-in- the frigate Independence, flagship of Commodore Shubrick, during the Mexican war. Returning home in 1849, he-.was ordered on ordnance duty at Norfolk navy yard. In 1852-54, in command of the United States brig Perry, he served with the African squadron, and following that cruise became executive officer at the Norfolk navy yard, and a member of the Retiring board. He was promoted commander September 14, 1855. As assistant inspector of ordnance he remained at Norfolk until the spring of 1857, when he was given command of the sloop-of-war Germantown and attached to the East India squadron, returning to the United States in her in 1859. At the outbreak of the war of the Confederacy he was on duty at Norfolk as ordnance officer, to which he had been recalled a year previous. As soon as Virginia seceded he resigned his rank and office, and was appointed aide-de-camp on the staff of Governor Letcher of Virginia, with special duties in the organization of a State navy. He superintended the erection of the fortifications at the mouth of the James river, and those on the Nansemond river and Pagan creek. On June 10, 1861, he entered the navy of the Confederate States, with a commission as commander. Until the evacuation of Norfolk he served as ordnance officer at the navy yard, and during the actions of the Virginia in Hampton Roads he served as a volunteer in firinzg the 11-inch gun at Sewell's point against the Federal vessels. With the machinery and mechanics removed from Norfolk at its evacuation, Commander Page, having been promoted to captain, established the ordnance and construction depot at Charlotte, N. C., which he managed with such efficiency that the works became indispensable to the Southern Confederacy. In this important duty he was engaged for about two years, except the period of his assignment to the command of the naval forces at Savannah, and with Commodore Tattnall on the gunboat Savannah at the naval battle of Port Royal. March 1, 1864, he was commissioned brigadier-general in the provisional army and assigned to the command of the outer defenses of Mobile bay. He established his headquarters at Fort Morgan, where, on August 8th, he was summoned to surrender by Farragut's flag lieutenant and General Granger's chief of staff. Although he had but about 400 effective men and twenty-six serviceable guns to oppose 10,000 troops and over 200 guns of the attacking forces, he gallantly replied that he would defend the post to the last extremity. During the succeeding two weeks the enemy was busy advancing his lines on the land side, meantime keeping up a desultory fire day and night, and on the morning of August 22d a furious bombardment began. The heavy guns on Mobile point were trained at a distance of only 250 yards, and the enemy's navy took station at convenient points, the ironclads at close range, and an incessant fire followed. During twelve hours 3,000 shells were thrown into the fort. But General Page and his heroic men kept up the fight with all their power; the citadel of the fort took fire at 9 o'clock at night; the walls of the fort were repeatedly breached, and the best guns, disabled. Serving the guns that were left and spiking those dismounted, fighting the fire which was threatening the magazine, and throwing into the cisterns all powder not immediately needed, the garrison fought all night in a storm of shot and shell, until, with no means of defense, they were compelled to capitulate on the following morning, August 23d, with the honors of war. The defense of Fort Morgan, under the command of General Page is one of the most celebrated instances of heroism in the history of the war. After the capitulation, General Page was held as a prisoner of war until September, 1865. Since that date he has resided at Norfolk, where he now enjoys the esteem and honor due his long and distinguished public services. For nearly seven years of this time he served with marked efficiency as superintendent of the public schools of Norfolk. In 1841 he married Miss Alexina Taylor, of Norfolk, Va.

Confederate Military History, Vol. III, pp. 641-644.

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