Page:Appletons' Cyclopædia of American Biography (1900, volume 5).djvu/71

Rh Republican government of Chili, and, attacking the Spaniards, retook the ships. He was at Valparaiso during the fight between the "Essex" ami the " Phcebe " and " Cherub " (see PORTER, DAVID), and wished to return home at once to enter the army, but the British naval authorities refused to let him go by sea, and, after crossing the Andes in April and meeting with various delays, he reached the United States after the declaration of peace. On his return he was elected to the South Carolina legislature, where he interested himself in projects of internal improvement, and secured the construc- tion of a road over the Saluda mountain. He was afterward chosen to congress as a Federalist, and served two terms in 1821-'5, advocating the cause of the South American republics and that of Greek independence. In 1822 he discharged an important special mission to Mexico during the reign of Iturbide, and in 1835 he returned to that country as U. S. minister. During his term of office, which lasted till 1829, he negotiated a treaty of commerce, and maintained his independence with spirit and courage in the midst of many revo- lutionary outbreaks. He was accused by the Church party of interfering against them, but justified his course in a pamphlet after his return. At the request of Freemasons in Mexico he sent for char- ters for their lodges to the Grand lodge of New York, and he was consequently accused of intro- ducing Masonry into the country. On his return to his native state he became the leader of the Union party there in the struggle against nullifi- cation, opposing it by his speeches and in the pub- lic press, and has been credited with the military organization of the supporters of the National gov- ernment in Charleston. He was authorized by President Jackson to obtain arms and ammunition from the government supplies in the harbor, and it was said by some that he had been secretly com- missioned a colonel. During Van Buren's admin- istration he held the portfolio of war in the cabi- net. In this office he improved the field-artillery of the army, and in 1840 strongly recommended that congress should aid the states in reorganiz- ing their militia. This was his last public office, and he afterward lived in retirement. He was an ear- nest opponent of the Mexican war. Poinsett was the author of various essays and orations on manufac- turing and agricultural topics, and of a discourse on the "Promotion of Science," (in 1841) at the first anniversary of the National institution, to which he gave a valuable museum. He took much interest in botany, and the " Poinsettia Pulcher- rina," a Mexican flower, which he introduced into this country, was named for him. He was also the founder of an academy of fine arts at Charleston, which existed for several years, and published " Notes on Mexico, made in 1822. with an Histori- cal Sketch of the Revolution " (Philadelphia, 1824). He left a mass of correspondence and other papers, which remain unpublished. Columbia gave him the degree of LL. D. in 1825. A portrait of Poin- sett, by John Wesley Jarvis, was presented to the city of Charleston by William Courtenay in 1887.

POINTIS, Jean Bernard Louis Desjean (pwan-tee). Baron de, French naval officer, b. in Brittany in 1645 ; d. in Champigny, near Paris, 24 April, 1707. He entered the navy when he was sixteen years old, and was promoted chef d'escadre in 1693. In 1696 he presented a memoir to Louis XIV., in which he proposed an attack on Cartha- gena, and was authorized to form a company which should provide for the expenses of the expedition in consideration of receiving half the profits. He sailed from Brest, 9 Jan., 1697, and was joined in Santo Domingo by Ducasse, the governor of Tor- tuga, at the head of 600 buccaneers. He arrived off Carthagena on 12 April, and, landing three miles from the city, summoned it to surrender ; but the Spaniards refused, and the French were driven back in several attacks. But, after the storming of the fort of BocaC'hica and several other important points of defence, the city capitulated on condition that the buccaneers should not enter. Booty amounting to $15,000,000 was secured by Pointis, who also imposed upon the city a ransom of $600,- 000. Ducasse, being appointed governor, left the buccaneers in garrison at Boca Chica; but they learned that Pointis tried to keep them out of their share of the plunder, and, although Ducasse restrained them for some time, they finally entered Carthagena, and pillaged and burned for three days, committing all kinds of atrocities. After de- stroying the fortifications of the place, the French re-embarked on 1 June, and, defeating two English fleets, anchored in Brest, 29 Aug., 1697. A medal was struck in commemoration of the expedition. Pointis afterward commanded a fleet, and besirgrd Gibraltar in 1704-'5. hut retired from active service toward the close of the latter year. He published " Relation de 1'expedition de C'arthagene faite par les Francois en 1697" (Amsterdam. 1698). The historian of the filibusters, Charlevoix, speaks with praise of Pointis as a humane and just commander, but he deplores his severity with the buccaneers, as it caused the latter to distrust France, which had often checked their tendency to commit useless cruelties, but was thenceforth unable to do so.

'''POIRIER. Pascal''', Canadian senator, b. in Shediac, New Brunswick, 14 Feb., 1852. He is of Acadian descent. He completed his course of studies at St. Joseph's college, Memramcook, studied law, and was admitted to the bar of Que- bec in 1876. In 1872 Mr. Poirier was appointed postmaster of the Dominion parliament, which post he held till his appointment to the senate, 9 March, 1885. At an early age he contributed to the press, both French and English, and he has pub- lished "L'Origine des Acadiens" (Montreal, 1874).

'''POISSON. Modest Jules Adolphe''', Canadian author, b. in Gentilly, province of Quebec, 14 March, 1849. He was educated at the Seminary of Quebec, studied law, and was admitted to the bar in 1873. Since that year he has been registrar of Arthabasca county. He is the author of " Chants Canadiens " (Quebec, 1880), " Heurs Perdues" (1894), and has contributed to French Canadian periodicals.

POLANO, John Scroggs, soldier, b. in Prince- ton. Ind., 14 Oct., 1836 ; d. in Asheville. N. C., 8 Aug.. 1898. He was graduated at the U. S. military acad- emy and appointed in the 3d infantry, July. 1861. Subsequently he served with the Army of the Poto- mac, engaging in the battle of Bull Run, and with that army in the following campaigns, until after the battle of Gettysburg, when he was on duty in the defences of Washington. Meanwhile he had been promoted captain, and had received the bre- vets of major and lieutenant-colonel. In 1865 he was assigned to the U. S. military academy, where he remained for four years as assistant professor of geography, history, ethics, and drawing. During the ten years that followed he served principally on frontier duty, becoming, on 15 Dec., 1880, major of the 18th infantry, and in 1881-'6, he was chief of the department of law at the U. S. infantry and cavalry school in Leavenworth, Kansas, where he was also in charge in 1881-'3 of the department of military drawing. On 1 March. 1886. he was pro- moted lieutenant-colonel of the 21st infantry. Col. Poland has published " Digest of the Military Laws