Page:Encyclopedia of Virginia Biography volume 3.djvu/340

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VIRGINIA BIOGRAPHY

voted himself with great energy to recon- structing churches that had been burned, and supplying vacant pulpits, and was suc- ct-ssful in restoring the affairs of the dio- cese to a prosperous condition. He was classed with the high church party. He died in New Orleans, Louisiana, December 2, 1878.

Scott, Gustavus Hall, born in Fairfax county, \"irginia. June 13, 1812. He entered the United States navy as midshipman, Au- gust I, 1828, became passed midshipman, June 14, 1834, and made two cruises in the West Indies in the I'andalia in 1835-36 and 1839-40. He was also off Charleston, South C arolina. during the nullification excitement. He was commissioned lieutenant, February 25, 1841, and was flag lieutenant of the Pacific squadron in the frigate St. L(iZ\.'rciici\ in 1852-53; was commissioned commander, December 27, 1856, and served as lighthouse inspector in 1858-60. In June, 1861, he com- manded the steamer Keystone State, pursued the Confederate privateer Sumter, and cap- tured the steamer Sah'or off Tampico. He commanded the Maraiitanca in the opera- tions with the army in James river, was on the blockade, and had numerous engage- m.ents with Confederate batteries in the sounds of North Carolina in 1862-63. He was commissioned captain, November 4, 1863, ^ncl commanded De Soto, in which he captured several blockade-runners in 1864. Subsequently he took charge of the steam- sioop Camuidaiyiia, on the blockade, and was senior officer at the surrender of Charleston, South Carolina, in 1865. He was a mem- ber of the examining board for the admis- sion of volunteer officers to the regular navy in 1868 ; served as lighthouse inspector in

1869-71 ; was promoted to commodore, Feb- ruary 10. 1869. and to rear-admiral, Febru- ary 14. 1873. He was then commander-in- (.hief of the North .Atlantic squadron until June 13, 1874, when he was retired, having reached the age of sixty-two. He died at Washington, D. C, March 23, 1882.

Ambler, William Marshall, youngest son of Col. John Ambler and Catherine Bush, his wife, was born in Richmond, \'irginia, July 25, 1813. He spent two years at Wil- liam and Mary College and two years at the University of Virginia, and then studied law at the law school of Judge Lomax, at I'redericksburg, and for many years prac- ticed in Louisa and surrounding counties with great success. He served several terms in the senate of Virginia, and was for many years chairman of the committee on justice, and was at one time speaker of the senate. In 1861 he was a member of the state convention and signed the ordinance o' secession. He died at his estate "Lake- land." Louisa county, Virginia, August 25, 1896. He married. June 20, 1855, Martha Elizabeth Coleman, daughter of Thomas G. Coleman, of Halifax county.

Wilmer, Richard Hooker, born in Alex- andria. \'irginia, in 1816, son of Rev. \\\\- liam H. Wilmer, president of William and Mary College. He graduated from Yale College, and received the degree of Doctor of Laws from the University of Alabama. and that of Doctor of Divinity from \\illiam and Mary College. He was made bishop of Alabama in 1862. When the civil war end- ed, he instructed the clergy of his diocese to omit the prayer "for the president and all others in antliorily." on the ground that .Alabama w;is under niilitarv, and not civil