Page:Appletons' Cyclopædia of American Biography (1900, volume 4).djvu/119

Rh Brudenell, Lady Harriet and Madame Riedesel having good-naturedly consented to grace tlie nup- tials by their presence. Duluth, having arrived within a quarter of a mile of the house of a Mrs. McNeil (where Jane was waiting), halted in the woods until lie should be joined by her by precon- certed arrangement. Meanwliile another body of Indians from the English camp, under Le Loup, a fierce Wyandotte cliief, returning from a maraud- ing expedition, drove in a scout of Americans, and stopping on their return at Mrs. McNeil's, took her and Jane captive, with the intention of bringing them into the British camp. On their way back they encountered Duluth's party, when the half- breed claimed Jane as being under his protection. Le Loup being unwilling to deliver his prisoner — wishing the honor of being her escort — high words ensued between the two leaders, when Le Loup, en- raged at being opposed, in a fit of violent passion shot her through the heart. Then, having scalped his victim, he carried the reeking scalp into the British camp, where it was immediately recognized by its long and beautiful hair by IMrs. McNeil, who, having been separated from Jane before the catastrophe, had arrived at Burgoyne's head- quarters a little in advance. The next day her mangled body was conveyed by her brother. Col. John McCrea, to the camp-ground of the fort, and there buried. On 23 April, 1822, the remains were removed to the burial-ground at the lower end of the village of Fort Edward, and in ]8.'32 they were again removed to the Union cemetery, between Fort Edward and Sandy Hill, where they now lie. Miss McCrea is described by those who knew her personally as a young woman of rare accomplish- ments, great personal attractions, and remarkable sweetness of disposition. She was of medium stature, finely formed, and of a delicate blonde com- plexion. Her hair was of a golden-brown and silken lustre, and, when unbound, trailed upon the ground. Her father was devoted to literary pur- suits, and she had acquired a taste for reading un- usual in one of her age in those early times. Her tragic death was to the people of New York what the battle of Lexington was to the New England colonies. In each case the effect was to consolidate the inhabitants more firmly against the invaders. The blood of the unfortunate maiden was not shed in vain. As has been justly said, her name was passed as a note of alarm along the banks of the Hudson, and was a rallying-cry among the Green mountains of Vermont. It thus contributed in no slight degree to Burgoyne's defeat, which be- came a precursor and principal cause of American independence. Descendants of the McCrea family are still living at Ballston and in other parts of the state of New York.

McCREERY, Thomas Clay, senator, b. in Daveiss county, Ky., in 1817 ; d. in Owensboro', Ky., 10 July, 1890. He studied law, was a presidential elector in 1852 and a visitor of the U. S. military academy in 1858, and in 1868 was elected a U. S. sena- tor in the place of James Guthrie, who had resigned, and served from Feb., 1868, till March, 1871. He was again elected in the place of Willis B. Machen, and served from March, 1873, till March. 1879.

McCULLAOH, John, missionary, b. in Edinburgh. Scotland, 26 May, 1811 ; d. in Henderson, Ky., 19 Aug., 1888. When a member of a church he organized Sunday-schools among the fishermen and coal-miners of Scotland, and subsequently among the Roman Catholics of Connaught. Ire- land. In 1834 he emigrated to the United States, connected himself with the American Sunday- school union as a volunteer, and labored at first among the so-called " bark-peelers " of Sullivan county. New York, then in southern Illinois, and after 1839 in Henderson, Ky. In 1840 he entered regularly into the service of the Sunday-school union, and during the next twelve years he organ- ized schools in seventy-five counties of Kentucky. In 1852 he was relieved of active missionary work, and made superintendent of missions in the south, which post he resigned in 1884.

McCULLOCH, Ben, soldier, b. in Rutherford county, Tenn., 11 Nov., 1811: d. near Pea Ridge, Ark., 7 March, 1862. He was a son of Lieut. Alex- ander McCuUoch, who fought under Gen. Andrew Jackson in the Creek war. His ed- ucation was slight, but travel and ex- tensive reading supplied the lack of early study. Leaving school at the age of four- teen, he became an expert hunter and boatman. In 1835, when about to join a party of trappers on a trip to the Rocky mountains, he heard of the expedition of his neighbor, David Crockett, and other friends, in aid of the Texan revolutionists, and hastened to unite with them, but arrived too late at Nacogdoches, the place of meeting, and started alone for Brazos river, where he was taken ill, and did not recover until after the fall of the Alamo. When health returned, he joined Gen. Samuel Houston's army, and did good service at San Jacinto, in command of a gun. After the army was disbanded he settled in Gon- zales, where he engaged in surveying and locating lands on the frontier, and was elected to the con- gress of Texas in 1839. In 1840-'l he was engaged in repelling Indian raids, notably at the sanguinary fight at Plum creek. He subsequently had many encounters with Comanches and other Indian tribes, and with Mexican raiders. When Texas was admitted to the Union, 29 Dec. 1845, he was elected to the first legislature, and was appointed major-general of the state militia for the western district, comprising the entire region west of the Colorado river. At the beginning of the IMexican war he raised a picked company of Texas rangers, who provided their own horses and arms. His ser- vices as a scout were highly valued by Gen. Zach- ary Taylor, and at Monterey his company, which was sent forward to feel the strength and position of the Mexican forces, opened the fight. He was made quartermaster, with the rank of major, 16 July, 1846, led his scouts on a daring reconnois- sance at Buena Vista, and fought with bravery throughout the day. He was afterward attached to the army of Gen. Winfield Scott, resigned his staff appointment on 6 Sept.. 1847, and with his company of spies performed useful seiwices at the taking of the city of Mexico. In 1849 he went to California, settled at Sacramento, and was elected sheriff of the county. He returned to Texas in 1852, and in the following year was ap- pointed by President Pierce U. S. marshal, in which office he was continued by President Buclianan. He spent much time in Washington, where he in- terested himself in studying improvements in ord- nance and small arms. In 1857 he was appointed.