Page:The Biographical Dictionary of America, vol. 04.djvu/441

 GRIER

GRIERSON

Robert Cooper Grier was prepared for college by his father auJ was graduated from Dickinson in 18r3. He was an instructor at the college, 1813— 13, returning to Xorthumberland in the latter year to become assistant to his father in the academy. He succeeded to the principalship on the death of his father in 1815 and continued in that position until 1817 when he was admitted to the bar. He practised in Bloomsburg, Pa., for one year and at Dauville, Pa., 1818-33. In the latter year he removed to Pittsburg, Pa., where he was judge of the district court of Allegheny coimty. In 18-16 he was appointed a justice of the U.S. supreme court and in 1848 removed to Philadel- phia, holding his seat upon the bench until liis deatb. He received the houorarj- degree of LL.D. from Jefferson college in 1841. He was married in 1839 to Isabella, daughter of John Rose. He died in Philadelphia, Pa., Sept. 26, 1870.

QRIER, William Moffatt, educator, was born in York county, S.C, Feb, 11, 1843; son of the Rev. Robert Calvin and Barbara Brown (Moffatt) Grier. He was graduated from Erskine college, Due West, S.C, in 1860. and served in the Con- federate army in the 6th South Carolina volun- teers, losing a leg at the battle of Williamsburg. He was graduated from the theological seminary. Due West, S.C, and was ordained a minister in the Associate Reformed church. He was elected president of Erskine college as successor to his father in 1871, and in addition to his duties as president filled the chair of mental and moral philosophy in the college, that of pastoral the- ology and homiletics in the Erskine theological seminary and was editor of The Associate lieformed Pivshyterlan. He received the degrees of D.D. and LL.D. He died at Columbia, S.C. Sept. 3, 1899.

QRIER, William Nicholson, soldier, was born in Xortlmmlierlaiid, Pa., in 1813. He was gradu- ated at the U.S. military academy in 183.5 and was assigned to the 1st dragoons. He was pro- moted 3d lieutenant ; was on duty in the Choc- taw nation, 1839-40; at the military academy as assistant instructor of infantry and cavalry tactics, 1841 ; and on frontier duty in the west, 1843-46. Having been promoted 1st lieutenant he was ordered to Mexico in 1846 and was made captain, April 23, 1846, and brevetted major for gallant and meritorious conduct, March 16, 1848. He was then on frontier duty, took part in the expedition against the Apache Indians, and was wounded in battle, Nov. 17, 1849. He continued in the service on the Pacific coast till 1861, when he was ordered to Washington, D.C., and made acting inspector-general of the army of the Potomac with the rank of lieutenant-colonel. He commanded the 1st U S. cavalry in the McClellan campaign on the peninsula ami led a charge on the rear guard of the Confederate

army, May 6, 1863, at Williamsburg, in which he engaged two of the eneui^- in a personal combat, wounding one and himself receiving a wound. For this action he was brevetted colonel. He was in the 2d brigade of the cavalry reserve under Gen. P. St. G. Cooke at Gaines's Mill, June 27, 1863, and saved the batteries posted on the slope of the hill by a gallant charge. At the close of the Peninsular campaign he was ordered to St. Louis, Mo., where he was on court-martial duty, 1863-63; was superintendent of recruiting and mustering, and disbursing oflicer for Ohio, Iowa and Pennsylvania, 1863-66. On March 13,

1865, he was brevetted brigadier general U.S. army, for faithful service during the war; on Aug. 31, 1866, he was promoted colonel of the 3d U.S. cavalry and on Dec. 15, 1870, was retired at his own request. He died at Napa Springs, Cal., July 9, 1885.

GRIERSON, Benjamin Henry, soldier, was born in Pittsburg, Pa., July 8, 1836. He became a resident of Ohio and then of Jacksonville, 111., where in 1861 he served as an aide-de-camp to Gen. B. M. Prentiss at Cairo, 111. He was com- missioned major of the 6th Illinois cavalry, Oct. 34, 1861, and was promoted colonel, April 13, 1863. He commanded a brigade of cavalry dur- ing the winter and spring of 1862-63, and con- ducted numerous raids in Western Tennessee and Northern Mississippi in conjunction with Genei'al Grant's operations leading to the capture of Vicksburg. He continued these raids in 1864-65, in Mississippi, clearing the country of Confed- erate guerrillas, and after the war he joined the regular service, Sept. 6, 1866, as colonel of the 10th U.S. cavalry, under commission of July 38,

1866. He was honored by a vote of thanks by congress and was promoted brigadier-general of volunteers, June 3, 1863, for " gallant and dis- tinguished services "; brevet major-general, Feb. 10, 1865, and major-general, Maj' 27, 1865, which brevet he accepted, March 19, 1866. He was honorably mustered out of the volunteer service, April 30, 1866. In the regular establishment he commanded the military district of Indian Terri- tory, 1868-73; was on dutj' in Western Texas, 1875-85; in Arizona, 1885-86; commanded his regiment and the military district of New Mexico, 1887-88, and the department of Arizona, 1888-00. He was brevetted brigadier-general in the regular service, March 3, 1867, for gallant aurl meritorious services in the raid through Mississipjji in 1863, and major-general at the same date for similar service " in the raid through Mississippi in 1864." He was promoted brigadier-general U.S.A., April 5, 1890, which commission he ac- cepted, April 15. He was retired by operation of law, July 8. 1890, and took up his residence in Jacksonville, 111.