Page:The Biographical Dictionary of America, vol. 01.djvu/135

ARGUELLO.ARMISTEAD. order of the new governor of Virginia, Sir Thomas Dale, — to reduce the French settlements of Mount Desert off the coast of Maine, St. Croix, and Port Royal, N. S., and in June, 1614, having accomplished his purpose, he took his French prisoners to England. In May, 1617, he returned to America with the appointment of deputy-governor of Virginia, and during his two years in this office he made himself exceedingly unpopular by his arrogance and greed. He was recalled in April, 1619, and died in England in 1639. ARGÜELLO, Luis Antonio, governor of California, was born in San Francisco, Cal., June 21, 1784, son of José Darío and Ignacia Moraga Argüello. He entered the military service as cadet of the San Francisco company on Sept. 6, 1799, the following year became an ensign, and in March, 1806, was promoted to the lieutenancy and a few months later his father turned over to him the command of the company. In 1817 he was promoted to the rank of captain, and with this rank he held the command of San Francisco until his appointment as governor. In 1818 he made a boat voyage up the Sacramento river, and in 1821 made an expedition to the far north. On Nov. 9, 1822, he was elected president of the provincial deputation, and thus became temporary governor of California in place of Sola, who had previously been elected a deputy to the imperial congress. About November 22 he took possession of the office of governor, and removed from San Francisco to Monterey. The office was, at that time, a very difficult one, the troops being unpaid, and affairs being generally in a very lax and slovenly condition. Argüello immediately devised a system of taxation by which sufficient means could be raised to pay official salaries and other obligations. His administration was marked by prompt and judicious action in all emergencies. In the fall of 1825, Argüello delivered over the government to Echeandía, his successor, and early in 1826 he resumed his position as commandante, but having had a disagreement with Echeandía, that governor ordered his pay as commandante to cease on April 15, 1826, without giving any explanation. Argüello died at San Francisco, March 27, 1830. ARMISTEAD, George, soldier, was born at Newmarket, Va., April 10, 1780. He was one of five brothers, all of whom served with distinction in the war of 1812, three being in the regular army and two in the militia. One of his brothers was the third graduate of West Point, and his full length portrait was placed in the library on the academy grounds. His grandfather was a member of the house of burgesses and of the council of the state of Virginia. On his mother's side he was descended from Col. John Baylor, who was with Washington at Winchester. He entered the army as 2d lieutenant in 1799, passed through the regular grades of promotion, and as major of the 3d artillery was present at the capture of Fort George on Lake Ontario, where he distinguished himself by his gallantry. He was in command of Fort McHenry on Sept. 14, 1814, when it was attacked by the British under Admiral Cochrane, and his defence of the fortification not only saved it and Baltimore from capture, but preserved the entire Atlantic seaboard from further invasion. When the foe approached he alone of all the garrison knew that the magazine was not bomb-proof, and he dared not reveal the fact lest his men should refuse to remain. The strain upon his nervous system during the bombardment was extreme, and his death, which occurred some three years and a half later, was due to its effects. The citizens of Baltimore, in token of their gratitude, presented him with a handsome silver vase in the pattern of a bomb-shell, a set of goblets and a salver; he was brevetted lieutenant-colonel by the President, and was given the old flag that waved over the fort during the engagement, and the sight of which "by the dawn's early light" had inspired Francis Scott Key to pen his immortal "Star Spangled Banner." This flag came into possession of Colonel Armistead's descendants, who guard it with jealous care and exhibit it only on rare occasions. Colonel Armistead died at Baltimore, Md., April 25, 1818. ARMISTEAD, Lewis Addison, soldier, was born at Newbern, N. C., Feb. 18, 1817, son of Walker Keith Armistead, a soldier in the war of 1812, holding the rank of lieutenant-colonel and promoted to brevet brigadier-general in 1832. The son studied for two years at West Point, but was not graduated. He was appointed second lieutenant in the 6th infantry on July 10, 1839, and promoted to first lieutenant in March, 1844. He served under General Scott during the war with Mexico, distinguishing himself and receiving brevets for his conduct at Contreras, Churubusco, Molino del Rey and Chapultepec, and was promoted to the rank of captain in March, 1855. He was later engaged against the Indians in the far west, and received his commission as major for gallantry, during the Indian campaign. He was at Los Angeles at the outbreak of the hostilities between the states, and after much hesitation decided to cast his lot with Virginia, the home of his ancestors, saying to Capt. Winfield Scott Hancock, then a major only by brevet: "Here is my major's uniform — you may some time have need of it." He at the same time left in his hands for safe keeping, and to be given to his family in case he should fall in battle, valuable private papers, which General Hancock returned to his sister, the wife of a Federal officer, at the close of the war. Armistead also gave Hancock