Worth Bagley Memorial, Oakwood Cemetery, Raleigh

Worth Bagley was born in Raleigh, NC in 1874 to a prominent Raleigh family. He was a naval officer aboard the USS Winslow during the Spanish-American War. As the first soldier to die during this conflict on May 11, 1898, he became the war’s first national hero. Bronze Plaque: WORTH BAGLEY / ENSIGN UNITED STATES NAVY /THE FIRST AMERICAN OFFICER / AND ONLY LINE OFFICER OF THE NAVY / WHO FELL IN / THE SPANISH-AMERICAN WAR / KILLED ON BOARD / THE U.S. TORPEDO BOAT WINSLOW / DURING THE BOMBARDMENT / AT CARDENAS, CUBA, MAY 11, 1889 / SON OF WILLIAM HENRY BAGLEY / AND ADELAIDE WORTH BAGLEY / BORN IN RALEIGH N.C. APRIL 6, 1874 / APPOINTED CADET U.S. NAVAL ACADEMY / JULY 1, 1889 / COMMISSIONED ENSIGN U.S. NAVY / JULY 7, 1897 / “AND THUS THIS MAN DIED, LEAVING HIS DEATH / FOR AN EXAMPLE OF A NOBLE COURAGE / AND A MEMORY OF VIRTUE NOT ONLY UNTO YOUNG MEN, BUT UNTO ALL HIS NATION.” / SECOND MACCABEES, 6:31