Journalist; born in Dowington, Pa., Nov. 20, 1841; received a public school education; became a copy-holder on the Philadelphia
Press in 1857; was promoted to reporter, news-editor,
Washington correspondent, and, at the outbreak of the
Civil War, war correspondent with the Army of the Potomac; and served as such from the
battle of Bull Run till the end of the
Chickahominy campaign, when illness compelled him to return to
Philadelphia.
After his recovery he was managing editor of the
Press; again went to the war in 1864, and served under
General Banks in the
Red River campaign; then returned to
Philadelphia and resumed editorial charge of the
Press.
He joined the editorial staff of the New York
Tribune in 1865, and was its managing editor in 1866-69, during which time he established the
Morning post in
Philadelphia, and the
Standard in New York; was correspondent for the New York
Herald in
Europe in 1871-77, when he accompanied
ex-President Grant on his journey round the world.
He resumed editorial work on the
Herald in 1879-82, and was then appointed minister to
China, which office he resigned in 1885; and was appointed librarian of Congress in 1897.
He was author of
Around the world with General Grant; editor of
Memoral history of the City of Philadelphia, from its first settlement to the year 1895; and
Narrative and critical history, 1681-1895.
He died in
Washington, D. C., Jan. 17, 1899.
