Military officer; born in Tyrone county,
Ireland, Jan. 12, 1792: was brought to
America by his parents in his early youth; engaged in
[
86]
mercantile pursuits; but entered the army in 1813; was made full captain in 1814, and served to the end of the war. He resumed mercantile life and became largely interested in manufactures.
Commissioned major-general of volunteers when the war with
Mexico broke out, he took an active part in the campaign under
Scott from
Vera Cruz to the city of
Mexico.
When the
Civil War broke out, he was placed in command of a division of three months men, and was assigned to a military department composed of the States of
Pennsylvania,
Delaware, and
Maryland, and the District of Columbia.
In command of troops watching the forces under the
Confederate General Johnston at
Winchester, Va., the failure of
General Scott to send him orders for which he had been positively directed to wait, caused him to fail to co-operate with
McDowell in his movements that resulted in the battle of
Bull Run (q. v.). For this failure he was unjustly dismissed from the service, and he was under a cloud for some time.
Documentary evidence finally exonerated him from all blame.
He did not re-enter the service.
He died in
Philadelphia, Pa., Aug. 7, 1881.
