Page:The American Cyclopædia (1879) Volume V.djvu/520

 516 CROSWELL CROTON OIL Keys to hold Fremont in check, while Jack- son pushed forward to Port Republic to meet Shields. Fremont, who had about 18,000, opened an artillery fire upon Ewell, whose force was about 8,000. Ewell held his ground all day, and at night moved on to rejoin Jack- son. The two divisions crossed the Shenan- doah at Port Republic the next morning, and encountered the advance of Shields's corps, 3,000 strong, which was soon driven back. Fremont had followed Ewell as far as the riv- er, but made no attempt to cross. Jackson's whole command then moved leisurely up the south fork of the Shenandoah, without being further pursued. The action at Cross Keys closed Jackson's brilliant campaign on the Potomac and Shenandoah. With a force never exceeding 20,000, he had for months foiled or held in check the corps commanded by McDowell, Fremont, Banks, and Shields, numbering in all nearly 70,000. The confede- rate loss at Cross Keys and Port Republic was 133 killed and 929 wounded ; the Union loss was about the same. CROSWELL, Ed win, an American journalist and politician, born at Catskill, 1ST. Y., May 29, 1797, died in Princeton, N. J., June 13, 1871. After acting for some time as assistant editor of the "Catskill Recorder," a journal estab- lished in 1790 by his father and uncles, he suc- ceeded Judge Cantine in 1823 as editor of the " Albany Argus," which he converted from a semi- weekly into a daily journal, making it one of the chief organs of the democratic party. He was also state printer till 1840, and again from 1844 to 1847. He continued to conduct the "Argus" till 1854, when here- tired from journalism and politics to engage in managing a line of ocean steamers. His ability and his influence were universally recognized. CROSWELL, Harry, D. D., an American jour- nalist and clergyman, uncle of the preceding, born at West Hartford, Conn., June 16, 1778, died in New Haven, March 13, 1858. He was first publicly known as the editor of the "Balance," a journal founded by him in 1802 at Hudson, N. Y. Mr. Croswell, who was a federalist, wrote in the then prevailing spirit of bitterness, and became involved in many libel suits and prosecutions, celebrated at the time. In one of these, for an article on Jeffer- son published in the " Wasp," a journal under his direction, Alexander Hamilton made his last forensic effort in his defence. Mr. Cros- well afterward removed to Albany, and estab- lished a federal paper ; but turning his atten- tion to theology, he retired from journalism and took orders in the Episcopal church May 8, 1814. He became rector of Trinity church, New Haven, Feb. 22, 1816, and was in the latter part of his life almost as remarkable for the dignity and gravity of his deportment as he had been in his earlier career for its impetu- osity. He published several devotional works. CROTCH, William, an English composer, born at Norwich in 1775, died at Taunton, Dec. 29, 1847. When scarcely two years of age he could play tunes on the harpsichord, and a year later was able to add a bass. The acuteness and delicacy of his ear were perhaps never surpassed. He readily named any note struck upon the piano without seeing it, and told in what key any one was playing. This precocity attracted the attention of Dr. Burney and other distinguished musicians, but the expecta- tions excited by it were never fulfilled. Crotch became an accomplished musician, but his com- positions, of which he published a great num- ber, have no special merit. He was made a doctor of music by the university of Oxford, in which he was also professor of music. CROTON, a river of New York, rising in Dutchess county, flows through Putnam and Westchester counties, and enters the Hudson river about 25 m. above New York city. It supplies that city with water through the Cro- ton aqueduct. (See AQUEDUCT.) CROTONA, or Croton, an ancient Greek colony and city of southern Italy, near the mouth of the river ^Esarus, on the E. coast of the Brut- tian peninsula. It was founded by a body of AchsBans and Spartans, probably about 710 B. C., and soon became distinguished for size, wealth, and power. According to Livy, its walls enclosed a space 12 m. in circumference. In the war with Sybaris, 510 B. C., Crotona is said to have sent into the field 100,000 men, and to have conquered a Sybarite force of 300,000 and destroyed their town. Sometime afterward (according to others at an earlier period) the Crotonians were themselves de- feated by the Locrians and Rhegians near the river Sagras. Their national decline was rapid. In the second Punic war they were no longer able to defend their own walls, and a few years later a Roman colony was sent out to recruit the exhausted population of the city. Crotona was celebrated in ancient times as the seat of the school of Pythagoras. CROTON OIL, a medicinal oil expressed from the seeds of the croton tiglium, a plant of the order euphorbiacece, and a native of Ceylon, Molucca, Hindostan, and other parts of Asia. These seeds are rather larger than a common pea, of an ovate form, and of a brownish color. The kernels contain about 50 per cent, of oil, which is of a yellow color, varying in shade. It has a slight odor, and a bitter, burning taste. It is a speedy and powerful purgative, in the dose of one or two drops. In larger quantities it produces vomiting and great pain, and is sometimes fatal in its effects. It has been long used in India, and was known in Europe as early as 1630, but attracted little notice. An acrid principle may be extracted from it by frequent shaking with alcohol, a bland oil being left behind. This, however, redevelops the acrid principle upon being combined with an alkali. On account of the smallness of the dose and the promptness of its action, it is sometimes employed where other medicines j would be difficult of administration, especially