Page:Appletons' Cyclopædia of American Biography (1900, volume 1).djvu/781

Rh bash," of the South Atlantic blockading squad- ron, in 1861-'3, and at the battle of Port Royal, 7 Nov., 1861, taking part in the capture of Forts Beauregard and Walker. He was commissioned commander, 16 July, 1862, and was commandant at the naval academy in 1863. In 1864-'5 he com- manded- the steamer "Augusta," served as fleet- captain of the West India squadron in 1865-6, was commissioned captain, 25 July, 1866, made his last cruise in command of the flagship "Guerriere," of the South Atlantic squadron, in 1868, and after- ward served on ordnance duty at Philadelphia. He was retired 5 Jan., 1874.

CORCORAN, James Andrew, clergyman, b. in Charleston, S. C, 20 March, 1820 ; d. in Philadel- phia, 16 July, 1889. He was sent to Rome at the age of fourteen, and was graduated with the repu- tation of the best linguist among the students of his time, was ordained in 1842, returned to Charles- ton in 1843 and organized the Diocesan seminary, in which he was appointed professor of theology in 1844. He held this place till 1851, being also pastor of the cathedral and chaplain to the Sisters. He was for fifteen years editor of the " United States Catholic Miscellany." He was chosen sec- I'etary of the Baltimore provincial councils of 1855 and 1858, and of the plenary council of 1866. As his duties consisted in preparing matter for the sessions of these bodies, framing decrees, and reducing everything to order and system. Dr. Cor- coran had considerable influence on the legisla- tion of the Catholic church in the United States. He accompanied the four doctors sent by Gen. Beauregard in 1862 to the relief of the inhabitants of Wilmington who were suffering from yellow fever, and continued to be their pastor till 1868. He was present at the general council of the Vatican, being selected by the American bishops as a representative doctor of the Catholic church of the United States, and in 1870 was appointed professor in the seminary of St. Charles Borromeo, Philadelphia, and founded the " Catholic Quarter- ly Review," of which he was editor,

CORCORAN, Michael, soldier, b. in Carrow- keel, county Sligo, Ireland, 21 Sept., 1827 ; d. near Fairfax Court -House, Va., 22 Dec, 1863. He was the son of a captain in the British army, received a good educa- tion, and was appointed in the Irish con- stabulary at the early age of eighteen, but resigned his commis- sion from pa- triotic mo- tives in 1849, emigrated to the United States, and settled in New York city, where he obtained a clerkship in the post-oflBce, and afterward in the office of the city register. He entered the 69th regiment of New York militia as a private, rose through the suc- cessive grades, and in August, 1859, was elected colonel. When the militia paraded in honor of the Prince of Wales in 1860, he refused to order out his regiment, for which he was subjected to a trial by court-martial that was still pending when the civil war began. Upon the first call of the presi- dent for troops. Col. Corcoran led the 69th regi- ment to the seat of war. It was ordered into Virginia, built Fort Corcoran on Arlington heights, and fought with impetuous valor at the battle of Bull Run, 21 July, 1861. The colonel was wounded and taken prisoner, and was first sent to Rich- mond, and afterward taken to Charleston, Colum- bia, Salisbury, back to Richmond, and to other places, being kept in close confinement for nearly a year. With some other national officers he was reserved for execution in case the U. S. government carried out its threat of punishing the crews of captured privateers. He was ofliered his liberty on condition of not again taking up arms against the south, but refused to accept it on such terms. An exchange being finally effected, 15 Aug., 1862, he was released, and commissioned brigadier-gen- eral, dating from 21 July, 1861. He next organ- ized the Corcoran legion, which took part in the battles of the Nansemond river and Suffolk, during April, 1863, and held the advance of the enemy upon Norfolk in check. In August, 1863, the legion was attached to the Army of the Potomac. Gen. Corcoran was killed by the falling of his horse upon him while he was riding in company with Gen. Thomas Francis Meagher.

CORCORAN, William Wilson, banker, b. in Georgetown, D. C, 27 Dec, 1798 ; d. in Washing- ton, D. C, 24 Feb., 1888. His father, Thomas, was born in Limerick, Ireland, and, coming to this coun- try in 1783, married Hannah Lemmon, of Balti- more county, Md., in 1788, and settled in George- town, then a busy commercial port. Here he prospered in business, and became a magistrate, member of the levy court, postmaster, and college trustee. The son, after pursuing classical and mathematical studies in private schools and in Georgetown college, entered upon business at the age of seventeen, at first under the direction of two older brothers, who combined with the dry- goods trade a wholesale auction and commission business, and were very prosperous until 1823, when, in a time of general financial stringency, they were compelled to suspend, after sinking more than their capital in a resolute effort to maintain their credit. As it was, they paid in full all con- fidential debts, and compromised with their re- maining creditors at the rate of fifty per cent. In 1828 Mr. Corcoran took charge of the large real estate held in the District of Columbia by the U. S. bank and the Bank of Columbia, and, after his father's death in 1830, devoted himself with unre- mitting assiduity to this responsible trust until 1836. In 1835 he married Louise Amory Morris, daugh- ter of Com. Charles Morris. Mrs. Corcoran died in 1840, leaving a beloved memory, which, with that of the daughter, is shrined in " The Louise Home." In 1837 Mr. Corcoran began business as a broker and banker in Washington, and three years later he called the late George W. Riggs into partnership with him, and in 1845 the firm established itself at the seat of the old U. S. bank in Washington. Among the first uses that Mr. Corcoran made of his accumulations was the disbursement of $46,000 in absolute discharge of the debts for which a legal compromise had been made in 1823. He paid them all to the uttermost farthing, with interest calcu- lated to the date of this complete settlement. The firm of Corcoran & Riggs was now strong enough