Page:Appletons' Cyclopædia of American Biography (1892, volume 3).djvu/631

Rh a private soldier, in 1683 in one of the companies of marines that were sent by Gov. de la Barre against the Iroquois, and was afterward with Denonville's expedition against the Senecas, being stationed successively at Chambly and at Fort Frontenac, Fort Niagara, and Fort St. Joseph's. He was sent to Mackinaw and Sault Ste. Marie with a detachment, was at Green Bay the year fol- lowing, and claimed to have explored and discov- ered Long river, a branch of the Mississippi. He returned to Quebec, and went to France in 1690, but came back the following year, and soon after- ward was sent by Count Frontenac with despatches to the French government announcing the failure of Sir William Phipp's expedition against Quebec. The vessel on which he sailed put into Placentia, Newfoundland, and he rendered such valuable ser- vice in defending that port from an attack by the English that he received a command as king's lieu- tenant in Newfoundland and Acadia. In 1693, be- coming involved in difficulties with De Brouillon, the governor of Newfoundland, he made his escape to Portugal, and thence went to Spain, Denmark, and England. He afterward solicited advancement and redress from the French court in vain. He Eiiblished " Nouveaux voyages de M. le baron de ahontan dans PArnerique Septentrionale " (2 vols., the Hague, 1703) ; " Dialogue de M. le baron de Lahontan et d'un sauvage dans l'Amerique, avec les voyages du meme en Portugal " (Amsterdam, 1704) ; and " Response a la lettre d'un particulier opposee au manifeste de S. M. le roi de la Grande Bretagne contre la Suede," published after his death. Truth and fiction are so blended in his works they have long ceased to have anv authority.

LAIDLEY, Theodore Thaddeus Sobieski, soldier, b. in Guyandotte, Va., 14 April, 1822 : d. in Palatka, Fla., 4 April, 1886. He was graduated at the U. S. military academy in 1842, and was appointed 2d lieutenant in the ordnance corps. From 1842 till 1846 he served as assistant in vari- ous arsenals, and then in the war with Mexico, where he participated in the siege of Vera Cruz, battle of Cerro Gordo, and the siege of Pueblo. Just before the battle of Cerro Gordo, Lieut. Laid- ley and Lieut. Roswell S. Ripley were charged with the placing of an eight-inch howitzer on the sum- mit of a hill on the south side of the Rio del Plan in such a manner as to enfilade the enemy's line of batteries from the right. The work was accom- plished at night, over an almost impracticable route that was obstructed by rocks and tropical shrub- bery. The gun was placed, and in the morning an effective fire was at once opened, and the enemy driven out of his works. The appearance of a gun of such calibre, with sufficient supports, in such a plaoe, discouraged the Mexicans, and their forces surrendered. Laidley received the brevets of cap- tain and major, and at the close of the war returned to Watervliet arsenal as assistant ordnance officer. Subsequently for ten years he was engaged on ord- nance duty at various stations, becoming captain in July, 1856. In 1858 he was assigned the duty of compiling anew ordnance manual, which became known as the " Ordnance Manual of 1861 " and remained a standard for many years. During the civil svar he was inspector of powder in 1861-'2, and then was in command of Frankford arsenal until 1864, when he became inspector of ordnance, and was given charge of the Springfield armory until 1866. Afterward he had command of the New York arsenal on Governor's island, and later of that at Watertown, N. Y., becoming colonel in April, 1875. He served on several boards for mak- ing scientific tests and experiments, and was presi- dent of the commission to test the strength and value of all kinds of iron, steel, and other metals at the Watertown arsenal in 1875-'81. Col. Laidley was retired, at his own request, in December, 1882, after over forty years of active service, being at the time of his retirement senior colonel in the ord- nance department. He invented several valuable appliances that are now used in the department, including an igniter, a laboratory forge, an artil- lery forge, and a cavalry forge. Besides important government reports, he was the author of " Instruc- tions in Rifle Practice " (Philadelphia, 1879).

LAIDLIE, Archibald, clergyman, b. in Kelso. Scotland, 4 Dec, 1727 ; d. in Red Hook, N. Y., 14 Nov., 1779. He was graduated at Edinburgh uni- versity, and, having been ordained in 1759. became pastor of the Scotch church in Flushing, Holland, where he remained four years. He then accepted a call to the Collegiate Dutch Reformed church of New York, and preached his first sermon there, 15 April, 1764. He was the first minister that was called to preach in English in connection with the Reformed Dutch church, and the fact of his assum- ing the pastorate of the chief congregation of this body practically ended the long-continued contro- versy over the use of the Dutch language in their churches. Dr. Laidlie was eminently successful as a preacher: but his brief ministry was inter- rupted by the Revolutionary war, which forced him to retire to Red Hook, where he remained till his death. Princeton gave him the degree of I). D. in 1770. He translated the Heidelberg catechism into English for the use of his church (1770).

LAIGHTON, Albert, poet. b. in Portsmouth, N. H., 8 Jan., 1829 : d. there. 6 Feb., 1887. He was educated at private schools in his native place, and was for much of his life connected with a bank in that town. He wrote much poetry for periodicals, beginning in his fifteenth year, and published two volumes of his collected verses (Boston, 1859 and 1878). His longest poem, " Beauty," was read be- fore the literary societies of Bowdoin college and elsewhere in 1858, and parts of it are included in his published volumes. He also compiled, with A. M. Payson, " Poets of Portsmouth." a collection of poems bv natives of that town, with a preface by the Rev." Andrew P. Peabody, D. D. (1865).

LAIRD, Alexander, Canadian statesman, b. in Kilmalcolm, Renfrewshire. Scotland, 12 April, 1798; d. in New Glasgow, Prince Edward island, 15 April, 1873. He went to Prince Edward island in 1819, represented the first district of Queens county for sixteen years in the provincial parliament, and served four years as a member of the administration. In 1847 he promoted a petition on behalf of constitutional rule, which was granted in 1851. He was well known as a scientific farmer, and did much to improve the character of agriculture and stock in Canada.— His son. David, statesman, b. in New Glasgow. Prince Edward island, 12 March, 1833, was educated at the Presbyterian theological seminary in Truro, Nova Scotia, and established the Charlottetown " Patriot," of which he is now (1887) the editor. Like his father, Mr. Laird was an ardent Liberal, but he was for a time at variance with the leaders of his party in consequence of their desire to exclude the Bible from the public schools. He was at first opposed to confederation, but when more favorable terms had been granted to Prince Edward island he gave in his adhesion to the scheme. He represented Belfast in the assembly of his native province from 1871 until the province entered the Dominion in 1873, when he was elected to the Dominion parliament. He was re-elected by acclamation on his being appointed to office, and