Page:The American Cyclopædia (1879) Volume XIV.djvu/774

 748 SEDGWICK uses as "stepping stones" in crossing swamps are mostly produced by C. striata, in some of its sewral forms. The sand sedge (C. arena- ria), common on the shores of Europe, has a slender but strong running and branching root stock, several feet long, which serves to bind the sands where it grows naturally, and is planted for the same purpose upon the dikes in Holland ; the roots of this species have a reputation for diuretic and sudorific properties, and are known in Europe as German sarsa- parilla. The Laplanders are said to convert the leaves of C. tyhatica, by drying and card- ing, into a sort of vegetable wool, which they use as a non-conductor of heat, to stuff their winter shoes. In some localities carices form a considerable part of the marsh hay which is cut for use as a mulch, and for bedding ani- mals in the stable ; when saturated with urine, it is thrown upon the manure heap and soon converted into a fertilizer. The carices, though regarded by novices in botany as difficult, have been favorite objects of study by some of the most eminent botanists. An important mono- graph on the American species was published by Schweinitz and Torrey in the " Annals of the New York Lyceum of Natural History " in 1824; later the species of the northern states were elaborated for Gray's " Manual of Bot- any " by John Carey ; numerous papers on the genus by the late Dr. Chester Dewey are to be found running through the " American Journal of Science," in which the number of species is increased to an extent not accepted by other botanists ; and Mr. 8. T. Olney of Rhode Island has made important contribu- tions to our knowledge of these plants. One of the finest monographs upon any specialty in botany is the "Illustrations of the Genus Carex," by Francis Boot (4 vols. fol., London, 1858-'67), with 600 plates. SEDGWICK, a S. county of Kansas, inter- sected by the Arkansas river, and drained by the Little Arkansas and other affluents of that stream; area, 1,512 sq. m. ; pop. in 1870, 1,095. The southwestern branch of the Atchi- son, Topeka, and Santa F6 railroad terminates at the county seat. The surface is undulating and the soil fertile. The chief productions in 1870 were 6,652 bushels of wheat, 1,100 of oats, 1,290 of potatoes, and 2,000 Ibs. of wool. There were 407 horses, 760 cattle, 807 sheep, and 165 swine. Capital, Wichita. SEDGWICK, Vdara. an English geologist, born at Dent, Yorkshire, about 1785, died in Cam- bridge, Jan. 27, 1878. He graduated at Trin- ity college, Cambridge, in 1808, became a fel- low of the college, and in 1818 succeeded Hail- stone as professor of geology. He was elect- ed a fellow of the royal society in 1819, and from 1829 to 1831 was president of the geo- logical society. In 1827 he made a geological tour of Scotland, and in 1829, in conjunction with Mnrchison, visited different portions of Germany, Austria, and Switzerland, especially studying the Alps. In 1831 he commenced a critical survey of the lower palaeozoic strata of England and Wales. He first applied the term Cambrian to a series of rocks interme- diate between the Silurian of Murchison and the subjacent crystalline schists and granites ; and a bitter controversy arose between the two geologists respecting the use of the terms Cambrian and Silurian. (See GEOLOGY, and MURCHISON.) In 1834 Prof. Sedgwick became prebendary of Norwich. Besides numerous contributions to the transactions of societies, he published " Discourse on the Studies of the University of Cambridge" (1850), and "A Synopsis of the Classification of the Palaeozoic Rocks" (1855). He was a strenuous oppo- nent of the theory of evolution, and attacked Darwin's " Origin of Species." For detailed accounts of his researches, see "Memoirs of Sir Roderick I. Murchison," by Archibald Geikie (2 vols., London, 1874), and " Chemi- cal and Geological Essays," by T. Sterry Hunt (Boston, 1875). SEDGWICK, John, an American soldier, born in Cornwall, Conn., Sept. 18, 1813, killed at Spottsylvania Court House, Va., May 9, 1864. He graduated at West Point in 1837, was ap- pointed second lieutenant in the second artil- lery, served in Florida, in the removal of the Cherokee nation, and on the northern fron- tier, and became first lieutenant in 1839. In the war with Mexico he was successively bre- vetted captain and major for gallantry at Con- treras and Churubusco and at Chapultepec. In 1855 he was commissioned major in the first cavalry. He was made a brigadier gen- eral of volunteers on Aug. 81, 1861, received command of a division of the army of the Potomac in March, 1862, participated in the peninsular campaign, was wounded at Glen- dale, June 80, and was appointed major gen- eral of volunteers July 4. At the battle of Antietam, Sept. 17, he was severely wounded. On Dec. 22 he took command of the 9th army corps, and on Feb. 5, 1863, was transferred to the 6th corps of the army of the Potomac. He was in command at the storming of Marye's heights, near Fredericksburg, and in the final battle near Chancellorsville, May 8, 4 ; and in the Pennsylvania campaign he made a forced march of 85 m. to Gettysburg, where he com- manded the left wing of the army in the bat- tle of July 2, 8, and took part in the pursuit of the enemy to Warreuton. In the Rapidan campaign, September to December, he com- manded the right wing, composed of the 5th and 6th corps, and was engaged in the combat of Rappahannock station, Nov. 7, and in the operations at Mine run, Nov. 26 to Dec. 8. In the Richmond campaign in May, 1864, he commanded the 6th corps, which had become known as Sedgwick's corps, and took part in the battle of the Wilderness, May 5, 6. Three days later, while making a personal reconnois- sance, and directing the placing of a battery for the battle of Spottsylvania Court House, he was shot by a sharpshooter.