Page:The Biographical Dictionary of America, vol. 04.djvu/23

 EUSTIS

EUSTIS

EUSTIS, Henry Lawrence, military engineer, was born in Fort Independence, Boston harbor, Mas.s., Feb. 1, 1819; son of Col. Abraham Eustis, U.S.A. He was graduated at Harvard in 1838, and at the U.S. military academy in 1842. He was assistant to the U.S. engineer-in-chief, Wash- ington, D.C., in 1843, and aided in harbor defence construction in Boston, 1843-4.1, and Newport liarbor. 184.5—17. He was assistant professor of engineering at the U.S. military academy, 1847- 411 ; resigned from the arm}- in the latter year and was professor of engineering in Lawrence scien- tific school of Harvard college, 1849-85. He was dean of the Lawrence scientific school, 1862-85. He joined the volunteer army in 1861 as colonel of the 10th Massachusetts infantry, and was brevetted brigadier -general of volunteers, Sept. 12. 1863, for services which included Williams- iwrt, Fredericksburg. Marye's Heights, Salem, and Gett.vsburg. Owing to impaired health he resigned his commission June 27, 1864, after taking part in the battles of the Wilderness and Spottsylvauia and Cold Harbor, and resumed his college duties. He was a fellow of the American academy of arts and sciences, and rec^eived his A.M. degree from Harvard in 1850. He died in Cambridge, Mass., Jan. 11, 1885.

EUSTIS, James Biddle, senator, was born in New Orleans. La.. Aug. 27, 1834; son of Chief Jus- tice George and Clarissa (Allain) Eustis; grand son of Jacob and Elizabeth (May) Eustis; great grandson of Dr. Benjamin Eustis of Boston, Ma.ss., and grandnephew of Dr. William Eustis, secretary of war in President Madison's cabinet, 1809-13. He was liberally edu- cated in his native city and was gradu- ated in law at Har- vard college in 18.54. He practised at the New Orleans bar from 1856 to the outbreak of the civil war in 1861, when he joined the Confederate army as judge-advocate on the staff of General Magruder. In 1862 he was transferred to the staff of Gen. Joseph E. Johnston and served under that officer until his surrender in 1805. Returning to New Orleans he resumed the practice of law and was a represent- ative in the state legislature, 1872-74, and a state senator, 1874-77. Prior to 1872 he was elected to the state legislature but was not seated. He took part in the reconstruction of the state, visiting President Johnson at Washington as a member

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of a committee sent to represent the interests of the white residents of the state, asking for pro- tection from " carpet-baggers " and ignorant blacks then in political power through the opera- tion of military rule. The legislature of the state in January, 1876, elected him a U.S. .senator to fill the term to which P.B. S. Pinchback claimed to have been elected in 1873, but had been re- fused the seat. At this election the Repuljlic.an party was represented by only three legislators, the remainder claiming that no vacancy existed and therefore refusing to act. The matter was not decided in the U.S. senate until Dec. 10, 1877, when Mr. Eustis was accorded the vacant seat and served to the close of the term, March 3, 1879. He was then elected to the professorship of civil law in the University of Louisiana, serv- ing until 1884 when he was again elected a U.S. senator. At the close of his second term, March 3, 1891, he engaged in the practice of law in Washington, D.C. He severely and openly criti- cised President Cleveland's first administration, but supported him in the campaigns of 1888 and 1892 ; and when Mr. Cleveland was elected in 1892 he appointed Mr. Eustis U.S. ambassador to France. The most noteworthy diplomatic act of his ambassadorshij], was the obtaining of a par- don and release in February, 1896, for John L. Waller, ex-U.S. consul, sentenced to twenty years' imprisonment, as an act of comity on the part of the French government toward that of the United States. On returning to America in 1897 he established himself in the practice of law in New York city, making his summer home at Newport, R.I., where he died Sept. 9, 1899.

EUSTIS, William, statesman, was born in Cambridge, Mass., June 10, 17.53; son of Dr. Ben- jamin Eustis. He studied at the Boston Latin school, was graduated at Harvard in 1773, and then entered the office of Dr. Joseph Warren as a student of medicine and surgery. He was with the doctor in the battle of Bunker HiU, was near the gallant soldier when he fell, and began his practice as a surgeon on that field. In 1776 he was appointed hospital surgeon in charge of the Colonel Robinson house opposite West Point. N.Y. He was promoted senior surgeon and con- tinued in that service till the end of the war. He then practised in Boston and accompanied the expedition sent out to suppress Shays's rebellion, as surgeon, 1786-87. He was a representative in the state legislature of Ma.ssachusetts, 1788-94. He represented his district in the 7th and 8th congresses, 1801-05, and in 1809 President Madi- son entrusted to him the portfolio of war. Be- fore leaving Boston for Washington, he was married to Caroline, daughter of John Langdon, governor of New Hampshire, and they made their bridal tour in a coach, the journey to Wash-