Page:Appletons' Cyclopædia of American Biography (1900, volume 4).djvu/95

Rh 1882. He studied theology in Emmettsburg and Baltimore, was ordained priest in IH'SS, and imme- diately afterward appointed president of Mount St. Mary's college, where he made many improvements. Among others, he began the erection of a fine church. He twice declined a bishopric. Dr. Mc- Caffrey was a man of wide erudition and much literary ability. His principal publications were a course of lectures on literary and philosophical subjects delivered before the Philomathean society of Mount St. Mary's, a series of lectures before the Catholic association of Baltimore, several addresses, among which one on the "Landing of the Pilgrims " attracted great attention, and funeral orations on Bishop Dubois and Bishop Brute, which have been considered models of their kind. He was also the author of a series of catechisms (New York).

McCAGG, Ezra Butler, lawyer, b. in Kinder- hook, N. Y., 22 Nov., 1825. He studied law in Hudson and settled in 1847 in Chicago, where he has taken a high rank in his profession, having refused a nomination by both parties for judge of the Illinois supreme court. Mr. McCagg was a member of the IJ. S. sanitary commission, and presi- dent of the Northwestern sanitary commission and of the board of trustees of the Illinois eastern hos- pital for the insane, and first president of the Lin- coln park trustees. His library and art collection, one of the best in the west, was destroyed by the fire of 1871. He has since then collected another large library and many choice works of art. Among them is the historical picture by G. P. A. Healy rep- resenting the conference between Lincoln, Grant, Sherman, and Porter, on board "The Queen," 28 March, 1865, at City Point, which is represented in the article Sherman, "William Tecumseh. Mr. McCagg has delivered many lectures, and pub- lished numerous pamphlets.

McCAINE, Alexander, clergyman, b. in Tip- perary, Ireland, about 1775 ; d. in Montgomery, Ala., 1 June, 1856. He was educated in England, and was intended for the Anglican ministry ; but, after emigrating to the United States in 1791, he accepted the Methodist doctrines, was admitted in- to the conference in 1797, and ordained an elder in 1801. He was for many years a travelling com- panion of Bishop Francis Asbury, filled important pulpits, and located in 1821. He became interested in the question of lay representation in the councils of his church, and after the adverse decision of the general conference of 1824 published a treatise in support of his views, called " History and Mystery of Methodist Episcopacy " (Baltimore, 1829), which called forth a reply from Bishop John Emory, en- titled " Defence of our Pathei-s." He was a leader in the organization of the Methodist Protestant church in 1830, and one of the most eloquent and influential ministei's in that denomination.

McCALL, Edward R., naval officer, b. in Charleston, S. C, 5 Aug., 1790; d. in Bordentown, N. J., 31 July, 1853. He entered the navy as mid- shipman, 1 Jan., 1808, and was promoted to a lieu- tenancy, 11 March, 1813, at which time he was on duty on board the brig " Enterprise," fourteen guns, then under the command of Lieut. Johnston Blakeley, who was shortly afterward succeeded by Lieut. William Burrows (q. v.). The " Enterprise " left Portsmouth. N. H., for a cruise, 1 Sept., 1813. and on the 4th, at 20 minutes past 3 p. m., she brought to action the British brig " Boxer," fourteen guns. Lieut. Burrows being mortally wounded early in the engagement, though he refused to leave his post, the command devolved on Lieut. McCall, who carried the ship gallantly through the action, the enemy surrendering at 4 p. m. By reso- lution, approved 6 Jan., 1814, congress caused to be presented to the nearest male relative of Lieut. Burrows, and to Lieut. McCall, gold medals " in testimony of the high sense entertained of their gallantry and good conduct in the conflict with the British sloop ' Boxer.' " Lieut. McCall was promoted to the rank of master-commandant, 3 March, 1825, and to that of captain, 3 March, 1835.

McCALL, George Archibald, soldier, b. in Philadelphia, Pa., 16 March, 1802; d. in West Chester, Pa., 26 Feb., 1868. He was the son of Archibald McCall, merchant of Philadelphia. He was graduated at the U. S. military academy in 1822, and, after serving as aide to Gen. Edmund P. Gaines in 1831-'6, was commissioned captain in 1836 and major in 1847, and served in the Florida and Mexican wars, receiving the brevets of major and lieutenant-colonel " for gallant and distinguished services in the battles of Palo Alto and Eesaca de la Palma." On his return from the Mexican war he was given a sword by the citizens of Phila- delphia. In 1850 he was appointed inspector- general of the army, with the rank of colonel, which place he resigned, 22 Aug., 1853, and settled in Chester county. Pa. At the beginning of the civil war he tendered his services to Gov. Andrew D. Curtin, who made him major-general of militia, with the task of organizing the Pennsylvania re- serves. He was commissioned brigadier-general of volunteers on 17 May, 1861. He commanded the reserves, which formed a division of three brigades, until June, 1862, planning the successful movement against Dranesville, 20 Dec, 1861, and command- ing all the National troops at the battle of Me- chanicsville, 26 June, 1862, where he repelled a greatly superior force. He was at Gaines's Hill and Charles City Cross-roads, but was taken prisoner at New Market Cross-roads, on 30 June. and confined in Libby prison for several weeks, after which he was on sick-leave, and resigned from the army, 31 March, 1863. In August, 1862, he received a sword from the citizens of Chester county. Pa., and in the autumn of that year he was Demo- cratic candidate for congress from Pennsylvania. He was the author of " Letters from the Frontier," a posthumous work (Philadelphia, 1868). — His cousin, Peter, lawyer, b. in Trenton, N. J., 31 Aug., 1809 ; d. in Philadelphia, Pa., 30 Oct., 1880, was graduated at Princeton in 1826, studied law with Joseph R. IngersoU in 1830, was admitted to the bar in Philadelphia, and until within a few months of his death continued in the practice of his profession, in which he became eminent in all its departments. He served in the councils of the city, and in 1844-'5 was its mayor. He was for thirty years one of the vice-provosts of the Law acadeniy of Philadelphia, and for many years pro- fessor of pleading and practice in the law depart- ment of the University of Pennsylvania, of which institution he was a trustee from 1861 till his death. Among his published addresses are " Progress and Infiuence of the Society of Friends in Philadel- phia," delivered before the Historical society of Pennsylvania (Philadelphia, 1832) ; " Rise and Progress of Civil Society " (1836) ; and " History of Pennsylvania Law and Equity" (1838). — An- other cousin, John Cadwalader, poet, b. in Phila- delphia, 24 Dec, 1793; d. there, 3 Oct.. 1846, stud- ied law, and was admitted to the bar of his native city in 1815. Pie published " The Troubadour, and other Poems " (Philadelphia, 1822), and " Fleurette, and other Rhymes " (1828).

'''McCALL. Hugh,''' soldier, b. in South Carolina in 1767; d. in Savannah, Ga., 10 June, 1824. He became ensign of the 3d sub-legion, 12 May, 1794,