Page:The American Cyclopædia (1879) Volume X.djvu/295

 LEDYAKD which put an end to his life. His death was considered a great loss to the society under whose auspices he had embarked, and who from the tenor of his first despatches from Egypt, and from his previous labors, had been impressed with his fitness for the part of a geographical pioneer. For capacity of en- durance, resolution, and physical vigor, he was one of the most remarkable of modern trav- ellers; and had he possessed means equal to his zeal, his name would doubtless have been associated with important discoveries, as it now is with wonderful and romantic but unprofit- able adventures. Many extracts from his jour- nals and his private correspondence with Jef- ferson and others are given in his " Life " by Jared Sparks ("Library of American Biogra- phy," 2d series, vol. xiv.). LED YARD, William, an American revolutionary soldier, uncle of the preceding, born in Groton, Conn., about 1750, killed at the capture of Fort Griswold, Sept. 7, 1781. He held the commission of colonel in the militia of Con- necticut, and during the marauding expedition of Arnold along the coast of that state in Sep- tember, 1781, he was in command of Forts Trumbull and Griswold, which protected New London. Throwing himself into the latter work with 157 militia hastily collected, he re- fused a demand for its surrender, and resisted for nearly an hour the attack of a British force numbering 800 men, led by Lieut. Col. Eyre, who received a mortal wound in the on- set. His successor, Major Montgomery, hav- ing been killed while mounting the parapet, the command devolved upon Major Bromfield, a tory, who effected an entrance into the fort after nearly 200 of his men had been dis- abled, including 48 killed, the Americans hav- ing lost about a dozen killed. To Bromfield's inquiry, " Who commands this garrison ? " Ledyard replied, " I did, sir, but you do now," at the same time handing him his sword. Bromfield immediately plunged it through the body of Ledyard to the hilt, killing him upon the spot. A massacre of the Americans en- sued, which was not stopped until more than 100 of them were killed and wounded. A mon- ument has been erected near the spot to com- memorate this event. LEE, the name of eight counties in the United States. I. The S. W. county of Virginia, bor- dering on Tennessee and Kentucky, and trav- ersed by Powell's river; area, 512 sq. m. ; pop. in 1870, 13,268, of whom 1,005 were colored. Powell's mountain lies on its E. boundary, and Cumberland mountain on the N. W. Iron ore, limestone, and saltpetre are found. The soil in the valleys is very fertile. The chief pro- ductions in 1870 were 81,620 bushels of wheat, 367,790 of Indian corn, 66,831 of oats, 12,108 of Irish potatoes, 21,864 Ibs. of wool, and 132,- 547 of butter. There were 2,314 horses, 2,581 milch cows, 4,980 other cattle, 11,523 sheep, and 14,564 swine ; 4 flour mills, and 6 wool- carding and cloth - dressing establishments. LEE 289 Capital, Jonesville. II. A S. "W. county of Georgia, bounded E. by Flint river ; area, 600 sq. m. ; pop. in 1870, 9,567, of whom 7,643 were colored. It has a nearly level surface, wooded with pine, oak, and hickory, and a fertile soil. The Southwestern Georgia rail- road passes through it. The chief productions in 1870 were 155,565 bushels of Indian corn, 13,230 of sweet potatoes, and 10,179 bales of cotton. There were 187 horses, 1,141 mules and asses, 852 milch cows, 2,081 other cattle, 659 sheep, and 2,727 swine. Capital, Stark- ville. III. A S. E. county of Alabama, sep- arated from Georgia by the Chattahoochee river; area, about 550 sq. m. ; pop. in 1870, 21,750, of whom 11,597 were colored. The surface is uneven, and the soil fertile. The Western railroad traverses it. The chief pro- ductions in 1870 were 35,868 bushels of wheat, 244,955 of Indian corn, 44,005 of oats, 58,827 of sweet potatoes, 112,391 Ibs. of butter, and 11,591 bales of cotton. There were 1,265 horses, 1,927 mules and asses, 3,444 milch cows, 6,312 other cattle, 2,019 sheep, and 10,285 swine ; 10 flour mills, and 2 saw mills. Capital, Opelika. IV. A K E. county of Mis- sissippi, drained by the Tombigbee river ; area, about 600 sq. m.; pop. in 1870, 15,955, of whom 4,855 were colored. The surface is level or undulating, and the soil fertile. The Mobile and Ohio railroad passes through it. The chief productions in 1870 were 443,901 bushels of Indian corn, 76,470 of sweet pota- toes, 187,963 Ibs. of butter, and 8,224 bales of cotton. There were 3,099 horses, 1,688 mules and asses, 4,025 milch cows, 7,574 other cattle, 6,689 sheep, and 23,442 swine. Capital, Tupelo. V. An E. county of Arkansas, formed in 1873 from portions of Crittenden, Monroe, Phillips, and St. Francis counties. It is bounded E. by the Mississippi, and is intersected by the St. Francis and L'Anguille rivers. The surface is generally level, and the soil of extraordinary fertility. Corn and cotton are the principal products. Timber is abundant. Capital, Ma- riana. VI. An E. county of Kentucky, inter- sected by the Kentucky river ; area, about 300 sq. m. ; pop. in 1870, 3,055, of whom 131 were colored. The surface is hilly and mountainous, and the soil fertile. It is well wooded, and contains iron and coal. The chief productions in 1870 were 2,239 bushels of wheat, 68,463 of Indian corn, and 7,367 of oats. There were 3.49 horses, 514 milch cows, 777 other cattle, 1,973 sheep, and 2,646 swine. Capital, Beat- tyville. VII. A N. county of Illinois, drained by Rock and Green rivers and Bureau creek ; area, 720 sq. m.; pop. in 1870, 27,171. The surface is chiefly an undulating prairie diver- sified by tracts of woodland. The soil is very fertile. The Illinois Central and the Chicago and Northwestern railroads cross it. The chief productions in 1870 were 453,053 bushels of wheat, 1,656,978 of Indian corn, 903,197 of oats, 154,665 of barley, 210,873 of potatoes, 26,- 042 of flax seed, 225,090 Ibs. of flax, 44,107 of