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Harper's Encyclopedia of United States History (ed. Benson Lossing), Arbuthnot, Marriott, -1794 (search)
Arbuthnot, Marriott, -1794 British naval officer; born about 1711; became a post-captain in 1747. From 1775 to 1778 he was naval commissioner resident at Halifax, Marriott Arbuthnot. Nova Scotia. Having been raised to the rank of vice-admiral in 1779, he obtained the chief command on the American station, and was blockaded by the Count d'estaing in the harbor of New York. In the spring of 1780 he co-operated with Sir Henry Clinton in the siege of Charleston, S. C. In February, 1793, he became admiral of the blue. He died in London, Jan. 31, 1794.
Harper's Encyclopedia of United States History (ed. Benson Lossing), Army. (search)
' pay, auditors were appointed to adjust all accounts; and each soldier who should serve until the end of the war was promised a gratuity of $80. The officers were promised half-pay for seven years from the conclusion of peace. In the spring of 1779, on the report of a committee of Congress, that body proceeded to a new organization of the army. Four regiments of cavalry and artillery, hitherto independent establishments raised at large, were now credited towards the quota of the States in wental paper money had greatly depreciated. It was found necessary to replenish the regiments by drafts from the militia. The whole force of the American army, exclusive of a few troops in the Southern department, consisted, late in the spring of 1779, of only about 8,600 effective men. At that time the British had 11,000 at New York and 4,000 or 5,000 at Newport, besides a considerable force in the South. In 1780 a committee of Congress, of which General Schuyler was chairman, were long in ca
Harper's Encyclopedia of United States History (ed. Benson Lossing), Avery, Waightstill, 1745-1821 (search)
. May 3, 1745; studied law in Maryland. and began its practice in Mecklenburg county, N. C., in 1769. He was prominent there among the opposers of the obnoxious measures of the British Parliament bearing on the colonies, and was one of the promoters and signers of the famous Mecklenburg Declaration of Independence. He was a delegate to the Provincial Congress at Hillsborough in 1775 which organized the military forces of the State: and in the summer of 1776 he joined the army, under General Rutherford, in the Cherokee country. He was a commissioner in framing the treaty of Holston, which effected peace on the Western frontier. Mr. Avery was active in civil affairs; and in 1779 was colonel of the county militia, serving with great zeal during the British invasion of North Carolina. He removed to Burke county in 1781, which he represented in the State legislature many years. He was the first State attorney-general of North Carolina. He died in Burke county, N. C., March 15, 1821.
Harper's Encyclopedia of United States History (ed. Benson Lossing), Barber, Francis, 1751- (search)
Barber, Francis, 1751- Military officer; born in Princeton, N. J., in 1751; was graduated at the College of New Jersey in 1767, and became rector of an academy at Elizabeth, N. J., and pastor of the Presbyterian Church there in 1769. Leaving these posts, he joined the New Jersey line in the Continental army as major, in February, 1776. In November he was made a lieutenant-colonel, and was afterwards assistant inspector-general under Baron Steuben. He was active in several battles until 1779, when he was adjutant-general in Sullivan's campaign, and was wounded in the battle of Newtown. In 1781 he was successful in quelling the mutiny of Pennsylvania and New Jersey troops. He was with the army at Newburg in 1783, and was killed by the falling of a tree while he was riding in the edge of a wood, Feb. 11 the same year.
Harper's Encyclopedia of United States History (ed. Benson Lossing), Barney, Joshua, 1759- (search)
f age, his conduct was so gallant that he was made a lieutenant. In that capacity he served in the Sachem (Capt. I. Robinson), and after a severe action with a British brig, in which his commander was wounded, young Barney brought her into port. Soon afterwards he was made a prisoner, but was speedily released, and in the Andrea Doria he was engaged in the defence of the Delaware River in 1777. He was again made prisoner, and was exchanged in August. 1778. A third time he was made captive (1779), and after his exchange was a fourth time made a prisoner, while serving in the Saratoga, 16, was sent to England, and confined in the famous Mill prison, from which he escaped in May, 1781. He was retaken, and again escaped, and arrived in Philadelphia in March, 1782, where he took command of the Hyder Ali, 16, in which he captured the General Monk, of heavier force and metal. For this exploit the legislature of Maryland presented him with a sword. At the close of the war he engaged in b
Harper's Encyclopedia of United States History (ed. Benson Lossing), Bartlett, Josiah, 1729- (search)
n whom for a time devolved the whole executive power of the of government of the State. A delegate to Congress in 1775-76, he was the first to give his vote for the Declaration of Independence, and its first signer after the President of Congress. He was with Stark in the Bennington campaign (see Bennington, battle of), in 1777. as agent of the State to provide medicine and other necessaries for the New Hampshire troops. In Congress again in 1778, he was active in committee duties: and in 1779 he was appointed chief-justice of the Common Pleas in his State. In 1782 he was a judge of the Superior Court of New Hampshire, and chief-justice in 1788. Judge, Bartlett retired from public life in 1794, on account of feeble health, having been president of the State from 1790 to 1793, and, under the new constitution, governor in 1793. He was the chief founder and the president of the New Hampshire Medical Society, and received the honorary degree of M. D. from Dartmouth College. He die
Harper's Encyclopedia of United States History (ed. Benson Lossing), Beaumarchais, Pierre Augutstin caron de, 1732- (search)
lying the Americans with munitions of war with great ability, and afterwards became involved in a lawsuit with them. In 1784 he produced his Marriage of Figaro, which was violently opposed by the Court. His political tendencies were republican, and he sympathized with the French Revolutionists, but did not enter with his usual enthusiasm into their measures. Suspected by the Jacobins, he was compelled to leave the country, and his property was confiscated. He was finally permitted to return to France, but could not recover his wealth. Beaumarchais lived in comparative poverty until May 18, 1799, when he was found dead in his bed, having died of apoplexy. A suit which he had commenced against the United States for payment for supplies furnished to the Continental Congress, between 1776 and 1779, under the mercantile firm name of Roderique Hortales & Co., continued about fifty years, and resulted in 1835 in the payment to his heirs by the United States of the sum of about $200,000.
Harper's Encyclopedia of United States History (ed. Benson Lossing), Bernard, Sir Francis, 1714-1779 (search)
Bernard, Sir Francis, 1714-1779 Colonial governor; born in Nettleham, Lincoln co., England, in 1714: was educated at Oxford, where he was graduated in 1736. The law was his chosen profession. In 1758 he was appointed governor of New Jersey; and in 1760 he was transferred to the chief magistracy of Massachusetts, where he was a most obedient servant of the crown and ministry in the support of measures obnoxious to the colonists. After a stormy administration of nearly nine years Bernard was recalled, when he was created a baronet, chiefly because of his recommendation to transfer the right of selecting the governor's council from the colonial legislature to the crown. Bernard was a friend of learning, and gave a part of his library to Harvard College. He had become so thoroughly unpopular that when he left Boston the bells were rung, cannon were fired, and Liberty-tree was hung with flags, in token of the joy of the people. He died in Aylesbury, England, June 16, 1779.
Harper's Encyclopedia of United States History (ed. Benson Lossing), Brier Creek, battle of. (search)
Brier Creek, battle of. Colonel Ashe, of North Carolina, was sent by General Lincoln, with 2,000 men, to drive the British from Augusta, Ga., in 1779. The latter fled when Ashe appeared on the opposite side of the river, and pushed towards the sea, led by Lieutenant-Colonel Campbell. Ashe crossed and pursued as far as Brier Creek, 40 miles below Augusta, on the Georgia side of the Savannah River, where he encamped. He was surprised (March 3) and utterly defeated by General Prevost, who was marching up from Savannah to support Campbell. Ashe lost almost his entire army by death, captivity, and dispersion. Some were killed, others perished in the morasses, and many were drowned in attempting to pass the Savannah River. This blow deprived Lincoln of about one-fourth of his army and led to the temporary re-establishment of royal authority in Georgia.
Harper's Encyclopedia of United States History (ed. Benson Lossing), Brown, Moses, 1742-1804 (search)
Brown, Moses, 1742-1804 Naval officer; born in Newburyport, Mass., Jan. 20, 1742; served through the Revolutionary War. While in command of the Intrepid he captured four English vessels in the latter half of 1779; and was placed in command of the Merrimack, when that vessel was completed for the government. In 1799-1801 he captured the French ships Le Phenix, Le Magicien, Le Bonaparte, and Le Brillante. He died at sea, Jan. 1, 1804.
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