Jurist; born in
Charlestown, Mass., April 4, 1820; graduated at Harvard University in 1838; studied at the Cambridge Law School, and practised the profession of law several years.
In 1848 he was a State
Senator, and from 1849 to 1853 was United States, marshal for
Massachusetts.
He was engaged in his profession at
Worcester, Mass., when the
Civil War began, and was one of the earliest Union volunteers, becoming major of a rifle battalion April 16, 1861, and colonel of the 15th Massachusetts Regiment in July following.
Before the arrival of
Colonel Baker, he commanded at Ball's Bluff (q. v.)and again after that officer's death.
In April, 1862, he was made brigadier-general; served on the
Peninsula; was wounded at
Fair Oaks; was in the battles of
South Mountain and
Antietam; and commanded a division in the 11th Army Corps at.
Chancellorsville.
In the
Richmond campaign of 1864-65 he was continually engaged, and in December, 1864, he was in temporary command of the 24th Army Corps.
In April, 1865, he was brevetted major-general of volunteers, and in 1867 was appointed a justice of the Superior Court of
Massachusetts.
He was United States Attorney-General in 1877-81, and justice of the
Massachusetts Supreme Court from 1881 till his death, in
Boston, Jan. 7, 1891.