DOB:  October 7 1842 DOD:  July 22, 1864 Age at Enlistment: 18 Date of Enlistment:  May 9,1861 Place of Enlistment:  Franklin, TN Rank at Enlistment:  Private Rank at Discharge:  2nd Lieutenant Casualty:  Kit was wounded in the right hand and hip at Perryville, KY on October 8, 1862 and captured at Harrodsburg, KY on October 10.  He was mortally wounded at the Battle of Atlanta on July 22, 1864 and died that night. Comments:  Christopher Ridley was born in Smyrna, TN and lived there until his father died when he was two.  His mother moved back to Franklin where her family lived at Aspen Grove Plantation.  His mother remarried to John Campbell of Nashville and Christopher lived here for many years until his Stepfather moved the family back to Franklin.  He was educated at the School of Peebles & Paschal and graduated in 1860.  Afterwards he began studying law and was pursuing this career path when the war broke out.  His Uncle died shortly before 1861 and left his plantation in Mississippi to Christopher.  From this plantation he selected a 22 year old slave named Daniel Ridley to be his body servant when he entered the military.  He is described by his family, “He was over six feet in his boots, of Roman cast of countenance and his doting kin thought he was the ‘noblest Roman of them all.’” He was given the nickname of “Kit” at an early age and that is the name he is most commonly referred to as. Christopher enlisted at the company’s formation as a Private.  A few sources have said he was 4th Sergeant originally but every roster in his service record states he is a Private until the company reorganization on April 30, 1862, where he was elected 1st Sergeant.  He went to Virginia with the regiment and received a furlough to visit home in Franklin in March 1862.  While at home Buell’s Union Army began marching through Franklin on their way south from Nashville and Christopher was forced to return to the army.  He was wounded twice at the Battle of Perryville, a day after his 20th birthday, and evacuated with most of the wounded from the 1st Tennessee to Harrodsburg, KY.  He was captured there on October 10 when the Federal army captured the town.  After his capture, his body servant Dan ran off with the Federal Army.  He was sent to Louisville, KY and put aboard the steamboat Mary Craine on December 5, 1862 and sailed down river to Vicksburg where he was exchanged.  Christopher was promoted to 3rd Lieutenant on June 6, 1863 to replace Thomas Carl who received a crippling wound at Perryville.  He was elected 2nd Lieutenant after Joseph Brown received a crippling wound at Missionary Ridge. A few days before the Battle of Atlanta on July 22, 1864, William Pollard states:  “I will mention a touching incident.  A few days before the battle July 22nd, 1864, Lt. C. H. (Kit) Ridley, a class mate at school and devoted friend told me that he felt he would be killed in the next battle.  He asked me to walk out with him, and there alone in the bushes that none could see us but God could hear.  When the battle the 22nd of July cam off Kit was killed, and one of the truest, noblest and bravest souls sacrificed his life on the alter of his country.” It is stated that Christopher was killed in the advance.  His Uncle Dr. James Ridley wrote a letter to Christopher’s mother: “Our Brigade (Maney’s) went into the fight to the right and east of Atlanta, and while advancing Kit fell mortally wounded.  I bore him from the field on a litter, placed him in an ambulance and carried him to th division hospital with my heart nearly broken in sympathy with our dear boy….After a night of agony, having sent messages of love, his ring and bible to his mother, and having expressed a willingness to die, his spirit took flight with the dawn of the new day.” Another relative of Christopher’s states he had a letter to mother in his pocket stating the death of Henry Walker at Kennesaw Mountain and the pocket testament given to the Williamson Grays by the Presbyterian Church at the company’s formation.  Both were covered in Christopher’s blood.  It can be assumed these were in his coat pocket and the mortal wound he received was in the chest somewhere.  He was originally buried Oakland Cemetery in Atlanta after his death but his mother had his remains brought back to Tennessee and buried next to his father in Smyrna, TN.  His grave would be moved one more time when the family cemetery was relocated to Mapleview Cemetery in Smyrna. 

Top: Prewar Portrait of Christopher Below:  Christopher’s Grave in Mapleview Cemetery in Smyrna, TN