Biography
Page was born in Clarke County, Virginia. Page joined the US Navy as a midshipman March 12, 1824. During the American Civil War, Page served as a Naval aide to the Governor of Virginia John Letcher in 1861. Page was in command of the garrison that controlled Fort Morgan, Alabama during the Union's attack on Mobile Bay. Fort Morgan withheld the Union attack on April 5, 1864, but was besieged on April 9. Federal troops moved works closer to the outdated fort for the next two weeks. When Union fire threatened to ignite the Confederate powder magazine, the defenders put the kegs in the cisterns. On August 23 General Page unconditionally surrendered the fort, because his troops had little usable gunpowder. Indignant, he broke his sword over his knee instead of surrendering his sword to the Federals. Page's situation was further worsened when he was suspected of destroying munitions and works within the fort after he had agreed to surrender. For this he was arrested by the Federal authorities and imprisoned once he personally surrendered. He died in Blue Ridge Summit, Pennsylvania, and is buried in Cedar Hill Cemetery, Norfolk, Virginia.
Read more about this topic: Richard Lucian Page
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