326. Miltonian Goes Down with His Sub

Updated: Mar 23, 2022

One of the biggest nautical stories of the 1920's occurred just off America's East Coast in 1925 and by chance a young man from Milton happened to be aboard. Brady Domone Lindsey was born on July 31, 1901 in Indian Springs, Santa Rosa County, the son of Annie Lucretia "Lou" Redd (1885-1950) and John W. Lindsey (1876-1913). His grandfather was an old Confederate soldier by the name of Archibald "Arch" Lindsey, (1845-1918) who served in Co. A of the 33rd Alabama Infantry Regiment. His regiment served with the Army of Tennessee and fought in every one of their battles until the end of the war. After the war, Arch and his wife Sarah Minerva Dannelly appeared in Indian Springs sometime before 1880. At that time, Arch was working as a sailor, but five years later he was back into farming.

By 1900, his son John was working as a local sailor himself while his "soon to be" was living right next door with her family in the same community of Indian Springs. Annie Lucretia "Lou" Redd was the daughter of Jacob Joseph Redd and Martha Jane Blackmon who supported their twelve children as a laborer on the railroad. Then one thing led to another and John and Lou were married on 11-6-1901. As newly weds perhaps he chose to give up the seafaring life to be closer to home. Thus, he decided to support his new family through a variety of local labor jobs. In the meantime, Lou was giving birth to four children; Brady (1901-1925), Kenneth (1905), Violet (1908) and Gordon "Gordie" Lindsey (1913). However, shortly after Gordie was born his father John passed away on March 16, 1913 and was buried in the Black Hammock Cemetery in Avalon Beach.

The year 1924 found Lou a widow with four children, and renting a house at 527 East Government Street with the help from her son Kenneth. Her oldest, Brady Domore Lindsey had already enlisted in the US Navy in 1922 and was assigned to the submarine S-51. But why the Navy? Was it because Pensacola was a Navy town or perhaps because his grandfather (in 1880) and his father (in 1900) had told him of their own seafaring stories, which in turn influenced him toward the sea. But regardless, the sun rose in the new year of 1925 with high hopes for a better life. Sadly, it was not to be. On April 13th, her father passed away and was buried with her husband in the Black Hammock Cemetery. But tragically the worst was yet to come.

On the night of September 25, 1925, her son's submarine was cruising on the surface 14 miles west of Block Island and just east of Long Island. The sub was only four years old and Brady was assigned as her 2nd Class Engineman. This meant that his job was taking care of the boats engine located in the stern of the submarine. But unknown to the S-51, a merchant ship, the City of Rome was heading right toward her. Both ships altered course based on the other's position as indicated by their running lights. When a collision was inevitable the steamer threw her rudder hard over and reversed her engine but all to no avail! The much heavier merchant ship slammed into the sub's side just forward of the conning toward, cutting a huge gash in her side. The crew inside had no warning before the sea rushed in to spell their doom. Only ten of the crewman of the 33 aboard made it out alive. Of these, only three were able to be rescued. One of them was the commanding officer Lt. Rodney Hiram Dobson who perished in the cold water. Luckily, the three surviving men were bunked near the conning tower hatch but stated those below had no chance especially with the release of the battery's chlorine gas.

Divers were immediately summoned and began the task of either saving the trapped men or exhuming their bodies once they were able to locate the wreckage. They worked in pairs at a depth of 138' with one inside and one outside waiting for bodies or survivors. One hundred hours after the sinking, all hope of finding any of the crew still alive was abandoned. One of the first to be recovered was William Charles Teachmacher still in his bunk. Ironically, at the wheel of the sub at the time of the collision was William's 19-year old twin brother Frederick Peter whose body was one of the six never recovered. Most of the crew could not be brought out of the wreckage until the submarine was raised in July 1926. Erroneously, the body of 2nd Class Brady D. Lindsey from Milton, Florida was reported recovered on the 2nd of October. He was found in the stern motor room with the compartment's door wide open to the sea. His mother had already received a telegraph from the Navy department at her home at 527 East Government Street in Pensacola that her son had perished. But now she was told that at least he had been found and would be returned to her. But alas, she was then told that his body was never recovered. The fact that he was not in the motor room indicates that he was able to get out of the stricken sub but perished with the others by drowning in the frigid waters.

Afterwards Annie went on with her life as always. She had already remarried before Brady's death to Thomas J. Butts, a local carpenter sometime around 1920. But, for whatever reason he disappeared prior to the 1927. By 1930, she had moved from her long standing home at 527 East Government Street, which was now occupied by her son Kenneth. Instead she now lived at #2 North 12th Avenue with her son "Gordie" and her married daughter Violet Grant. She would eventually pass away in 1950 and was finally reunited with her husband and parents in Black Hammock Cemetery.

Grave of CSA Archibald Lindsay (also Lindsey),

Black Hammock Cemetery

Grave of his father John W. Lindsey,

Black Hammock Cemetery

The only known photograph of Annie Lucretia "Lou" Redd Lindsey flanked by her two brother John Boss Redd left and Burrell Taylor Redd right

The S-51 Submarine in 1924

Commanding Officer of the ill fated S-51 Lt. Rodney Hiram Hobson

who survived the collision but perished in the frigid waters

US Navy service card of Brady D. Lindsay

Block Island east of Long Island and west of Martha's Vineyard 1925

Alton Evening Telegraph headline of 9-26-1925

Alton Evening Telegraph of 9-26-1925

Alton Evening Telegraph of 9-26-1925

Alton Evening Telegraph of 9-26-1925

comparing S-51 to previous Navy

Submarine Disasters

Boston Globe 9-26-1925

The divers worked under very adverse conditions to determine if there were any survivors trapped below. The water was freezing at a depth of 138 feet with very little visibility

Article of September 29, 1925

Article of September 29, 1925

Article of September 29, 1925

Tragically, William (left) Teschemacker was steering the S-51 at the time of the collision while his 19-year old twin brother Frederick Peter (right) was in his bunk. Both perished but only William's body was recovered.

2nd Class Brady D. Lindsey was recovered from the S-51 on October 2, 1925 however next article lists him as never being recovered, which is more likely the truth.