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Horace Greeley, The American Conflict: A History of the Great Rebellion in the United States of America, 1860-65: its Causes, Incidents, and Results: Intended to exhibit especially its moral and political phases with the drift and progress of American opinion respecting human slavery from 1776 to the close of the War for the Union. Volume I. 114 0 Browse Search
Harper's Encyclopedia of United States History (ed. Benson Lossing) 98 0 Browse Search
Rebellion Record: a Diary of American Events: Documents and Narratives, Volume 4. (ed. Frank Moore) 30 0 Browse Search
George Meade, The Life and Letters of George Gordon Meade, Major-General United States Army (ed. George Gordon Meade) 30 0 Browse Search
General James Longstreet, From Manassas to Appomattox 28 0 Browse Search
Hon. J. L. M. Curry , LL.D., William Robertson Garrett , A. M. , Ph.D., Confederate Military History, a library of Confederate States Military History: Volume 1.1, Legal Justification of the South in secession, The South as a factor in the territorial expansion of the United States (ed. Clement Anselm Evans) 20 0 Browse Search
Southern Historical Society Papers, Volume 32. (ed. Reverend J. William Jones) 20 0 Browse Search
Edward L. Pierce, Memoir and letters of Charles Sumner: volume 2 14 0 Browse Search
Rebellion Record: a Diary of American Events: Poetry and Incidents., Volume 4. (ed. Frank Moore) 12 2 Browse Search
Southern Historical Society Papers, Volume 25. (ed. Reverend J. William Jones) 12 0 Browse Search
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Browsing named entities in Harper's Encyclopedia of United States History (ed. Benson Lossing). You can also browse the collection for James K. Polk or search for James K. Polk in all documents.

Your search returned 49 results in 38 document sections:

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Harper's Encyclopedia of United States History (ed. Benson Lossing), Abolitionists. (search)
olitionists, including Birney, the Tappans, Gerrit Smith, Whittier. Judge Jay, Edward Beecher, Thomas Morris, and others seceded, and in 1840 organized the American and Foreign Anti-Slavery Society, and under this name prosecuted their work with more success than the original society. In 1839-40 the liberty party (q. v.) was formed, and in the Presidential election of 1844 Birney and Morris received 62,300 votes, most of which would have gone to Clay, and thus made possible the election of Polk, the annexation of Texas. and the addition of an immense amount of slave territory to the United States. In the next two Presidential elections the abolitionists voted with the free soil party (q. v.), and after 1856 with the Republicans, though rather as an auxiliary than as an integral part of the party. During the period 1850-60 the most active exertions of the abolitionists were centred in assisting fugitive slaves to reach places of safety in Canada (see fugitive slave law and undergr
Harper's Encyclopedia of United States History (ed. Benson Lossing), Bancroft, George, (search)
cement of the work. The tenth volume brings the narrative down to the conclusion of the preliminary treaty of peace in 1782. In 1838 President Van Buren appointed Mr. Bancroft collector of the port of Boston. He was then engaged in delivering frequent political addresses, and took a deep interest in the philosophical movement now known as transcendentalism. He was a Democrat in politics, and in 1840 received the nomination for governor of Massachusetts, but was not elected. In 1845 President Polk called Mr. Bancroft to his cabinet as Secretary of the Navy, and he signalized George Bancroft, Ll.D. his administration by the establishment of the Naval Academy at Annapolis. While Secretary of the Navy he gave the order to take possession of California, which was done by the navy; and while acting temporarily as Secretary of War he gave the order for General Taylor to cross the Rio Grande and invade the territory of Mexico. In 1846 Mr. Bancroft was sent as United States minister p
Harper's Encyclopedia of United States History (ed. Benson Lossing), Banks, Nathaniel Prentiss, 1816-1894 (search)
Banks, Nathaniel Prentiss, 1816-1894 Military officer; born in Waltham, Mass., Jan. 30, 1816. His early education was obtained at a common school. He became a lawyer and Democratic orator; edited a newspaper in Waltham and Lowell; and during the administration of President Polk held office in the Boston Custom-house. In 1849 he was a member of the Massachusetts legislature, and speaker of the Lower House in 1851-52. He was president of the State Constitutional Convention in 1853, and a member of Congress in 1853-57, separating from the Democratic party on the question of slavery; and, after a long contest, was elected speaker of the House of Representatives in 1855. Mr. Banks was chosen governor of Massachusetts in 1858, and served until 1861. When the Civil War broke out he Nathaniel Prentiss Banks. was president of the Illinois Central Railroad. Offering his services to President Lincoln, he was made a major-general of volunteers May 16, 1861, and appointed to command t
Harper's Encyclopedia of United States History (ed. Benson Lossing), Belmont, battle at. (search)
er Gen. C. F. Smith. marched from Paducah to menace Columbus in the rear. Grant went with McClernand. The troops landed 3 miles above Belmont, Nov. 7, 1861, and while they were pushing on the gunboats opened fire upon Columbus. General (Bishop) Polk, the commander, sent General Pillow over the river to reinforce the little garrison at Belmont. A sharp battle ensued, and the Nationals were victorious; but, exposed to the heavy artillery at Columbus, the post was untenable. Giving three cheers for the Union, the Nationals set fire to the Confederate camp, and hastened back towards their boats with the captured men, horses, and artillery. Polk opened seven of his heaviest guns upon them, and at the same time sent over some fresh troops under General cheatham. Then he crossed over himself, with two regiments, making the whole Confederate force about 5,000 men. They fell upon Grant, and a desperate struggle ensued. Grant fought his way back to the transports under cover of a five fr
Harper's Encyclopedia of United States History (ed. Benson Lossing), Blair, Francis Preston, 1791-1876 (search)
Blair, Francis Preston, 1791-1876 Statesman: born in Abingdon, Va., April 12, 1791 was originally a supporter of Henry Clay, but became an ardent Jackson man in consequence of the agitation over the Bank of the United States (q. c.), and at the suggestion of the President established The globe in Washington, D. C., which was the recognized organ of the Democratic party until 1845, when President Polk displaced him. The Spanish mission was offered to Mr. Blair by the President, but refused. In 1864 his efforts led to the unsatisfactory peace conference of Feb. 3, 1865. He died in Silver Spring, Md., Oct. 18., 1876.
Harper's Encyclopedia of United States History (ed. Benson Lossing), Bragg, Braxton, -1876 (search)
His advance, 8,000 strong, under General Chalmers, encountered a National force under Colonel Wilder at Mumfordsville, on the line of the Nashville and Louisville Railway. The Confederates were repulsed; but Wilder was compelled to yield to General Polk a few days later. Bragg joined Smith at Frankfort, where the combined armies numbered about 65,000 effective men. He now expected to make an easy march to Louisville, but was confronted by General Buell, who had been marching abreast of Braggegan its march (June 23, 1863) from Murfreesboro to Chattanooga. General Burnside, in Kentucky, was ordered to move through the mountains into eastern Tennessee to co-operate with Rosecrans. At that time Bragg's left wing, under General (Bishop) Polk, lay at Shelbyville, behind formidable intrenchments about 5 miles in length, cast up by legally emancipated slaves drawn from northern Georgia and Alabama. General Hardee, with 12,000 men, was at War Trace, on the railway between Murfreesboro an
Harper's Encyclopedia of United States History (ed. Benson Lossing), Buchanan, James, (search)
rtune. He was a Federalist in politics at first, and as such entered Congress as a member in 1821, where he held a seat ten successive years. When the Federal party disappeared he took sides with the Democrats. He supported Jackson for the Presidency in 1828, when the present Democratic party was organized. In 1832-34, Mr. Buchanan was United States minister at St. Petersburg, and from 1834 to 1845 was a member of the United States Senate. He was Secretary of State in the cabinet of President Polk, 1845-49. where he arrived himself on the side of the pro-slavery men, opposing the Wilmot proviso (q. v.), and the anti-slavery movements generally. In 1853 President Pierce sent him as United States minister to England, where he remained until 1856), during which time he became a party in the conference of United States ministers at Ostend, and was a signer of the famous manifesto, or consular letter (see Ostend manifesto). In the fall of 1856 he was elected President of the United S
Harper's Encyclopedia of United States History (ed. Benson Lossing), Chickamauga, battle of (search)
fully 70,000. Johnston, in Mississippi, also sent thousands of prisoners, paroled at Vicksburg and Port Hudson, to still further reinforce Bragg. In battle order on Chickamauga Creek (Sept. 19, 1863), the Confederate right was commanded by General Polk, and the left by General Hood until Longstreet should arrive. During the previous night nearly two-thirds of the Confederates had crossed to the west side of the creek, and held the fords from Lee and Gordon's mills far towards Missionary Ridmand of the left of Bragg's army. Preparations were made for a renewal of the struggle in the morning. It was begun (Sept. 20), after a dense fog had risen from the earth, between eight and nine o'clock. The conflict was to have been opened by Polk at daylight on the National left, but he failed. Meanwhile, under cover of the fog, Thomas received reinforcements, until nearly one-half of the Army of the Cumberland present were under his command, and had erected breastworks of logs, rails, an
Harper's Encyclopedia of United States History (ed. Benson Lossing), Fifty-four forty or fight. (search)
Fifty-four forty or fight. 54° 40′ was the accepted southern limit of Alaska in the possession of Russia. The forty-ninth parallel was held by the United States to be the northern limit of the United States against which there could be no claim by England, and, further, that the territory between 49° and 54° 40′ on the Pacific coast was as much the property of the United States as that of England. In 1818 a treaty provided for the joint occupation of the disputed territory by Great Britain and the United States. In 1844 the watch-word of the Democratic party was Fifty-four forty or fight. Consequently when Polk was elected he claimed this as the boundary of the United States, thus shutting out Great Britain from access to the Pacific Ocean. On June 15, 1846, a compromise was made by which the northern limit of the United States was fixed
Harper's Encyclopedia of United States History (ed. Benson Lossing), Fremont, John Charles 1813-1890 (search)
ession was general that lie had 12,000. Although large bodies of Confederate troops in Kentucky and Missouri were gathered for the purpose of seizing Cairo and Bird's Point, Fremont was not molested in his mission, and Prentiss, at the former place, was amply strengthened. Pillow and Thompson and Hardee, who had advanced in that direction, fell back, and became very discreet. Fremont returned to St. Louis on Aug. 4, having accomplished his wishes and spread alarm among the Confederates. Polk, at Memphis, ordered Pillow to evacuate New Madrid, with his men and heavy guns, and hasten to Randolph and Fort Pillow, on the Tennessee shore. When news of the battle at Wilson's Creek, and the death of Lyon, reached St. Louis, the Confederates were jubilant. Fremont immediately proclaimed martial law, and appointed a provost-marshal. Some of the most active Confederates were arrested, and the publication of newspapers charged with disloyalty was suspended. But the condition of public a
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