Page:The Biographical Dictionary of America, vol. 05.djvu/318

 HOFFMAN

HOFFMAN

autumn of 1873 he resumed Iiis practice in Read- ing, Pa., aud was president of the College of Physicians and Surgeons of that city, 1876-77. In 1877 he was appointed to take charge of the collection of ethnology and mineralogy under Prof. F. V, Hayden, chief of the U.S. geograpiii- cal and geological survey of the territories. At the organization of the bureau of ethnology, Sept. 10, 1879, he was appointed assistant etlinol- ogist in charge. Dr. Hoffman visited nearly all the Indian tribes within the United States, in the prosecution of researches relating to Indian ges- ture language and pictographic writing. In 1S87 he began a study of the cult society of the Ojibwa of Minnesota, known as the "Grand Medicine Society," into which body he was admitted, the first white man to become a member. This re- quired live years, and enabled him to secure the traditions of the Indian cosmogony and genesis of man. the ritual of initiation, and the musical notation of songs used at the ceremonies. The result of this work is published in the reports of the bureau of ethnology. Similar service was rendered in connection with the secret medico- religious or cult societies of the Menomoni In- dians. Apart from numerous publications and papers relating to the Indians, Dr. Hoffman pub- lished, in various American and foreign periodi- cals, nimierous monographs and reports on natural history, mineralogy, etc., and one on the ethnography and philology of the Pennsylvania Germans. He invented in 1870 an iuiproved bullet extractor for use in military surgery, and was appointed by the Imperial Ottoman government to supervise their manufacture for use in the medical corps of the Turkish army. He was special agent at the World's Columbian exposi- tion of 1893, in the department of etlmology. He was a member of the leading scientific and historical societies of the United States and Europe, more than forty in all. He was decorated by Emperor William of Germany, April 20, 1873; by Louis I. of Portugal, Jan. 5, 1887; by the President of Venezuela, S.A., Nov. 12, 1887: by Achille I. of Araucania and Patagonia, Nov. 7, 1887; by Marie, Princess de Lusignan, 1889; by Oscar II. of Norway and Sweden; by Francis Joseph I., May, 1890; by the Bey of Tunis, June 20,1890; by Prince Luitpold, Prince Regent of Bavaria, Dec. 7, 1890; by William II. of Ger- many, 1892, and by the Grand Duke of Baden, December, 1892. He also received various dip- lomas and medals from scientific societies and expositions. He died in Reading, Pa., Nov. 8. 1899. HOFFHAN, Wickham, diplomatist, was born in New York city. April 2, 1821; son of Judge Murray and Frances Amelia (liurrall) Hoffman. He was graduated at Harvard in 1841, and prac- tised law in New York city. He was married,

May 14, 1844, to Elizabeth, daughter of Edmund Baylies and granddaughter of Elijali Baylies, an officer in the Continental army and aide-de-camp to General Washington. At the Ijf^ginningof the civil war he was appointed aide-de-camp to Gov- ernor Morgan and was sent to inspect the New York troops stationed at Fort Monroe. In March, 1862, he was appointed assistant adju- tant-general on the staff of Gen. Thomas Wil- liams, and he was commissioned captain. March 6, 1802, and attached to tiie army of General Butler in the militarj- operations of 1862 in Louisiana. General Williams commanded the troops sent to Baton Rouge and took possession of the city. May 12, 1862. Captain Hoffman demanded the surrender of Vicksburg, Maj' 18, which was refused, and made the second attempt against Vicksburg in connection with the naval force of Farragut and Porter, which was aban- doned, July 26, 1802. On Aug. 5, 1862, in the battle of Baton Rouge, General Williams was killed and Captain Hoffman Mas appointed as- sistant adjutant-general on the staff of Gen. W. T. Sherman. He was promoted major, Aug. 26, 1863, and in 1864 General Butler appointed him as- sistant adjutant-general of eastern Virginia and North Carolina. He was assigned to the staff of General Canby in 1865 as adjutant-general and chief of staff and served in Louisiana and Texas, 1865-66. He resigned his commission in June, 1866, and was appointed assistant secretary of legation at Paris and was promoted first secretary of legation in 1867, which place he filled until 1875, when he was transferred to London as secretary of legation; and in May, 1877, he was sent to St. Petersburg in the same capacity, where, during- the greater part of his six years' service, he acted as charge d'affaires. In 1883 President Arthur made him minister resident and consul-general to Denmark. He resigned in 1884 and returned to private life. He lived for some j'ears in Paris and finally returned to America, making his home in Washington, D.C. He died at Atlantic City. N.J.. May 21, 1900.

HOFFMAN, William, soldier, was born in New York city, Dec. 2, 1807; son of Lieut. -Col. William Hoffman, U.S.A. He was gradiiated at the U.S. Military academy in 1829 and served on the western frontier, being promoted 1st lieutenant in 1836 and captain in 18.38. He served through the war with ^lexico, being bre vetted for services at Contrerds and Churu- busco and for bravery at Molino del Rey. He was promoted major in 1851 and lieutenant- colonel in 1860. In 1861 he was on frontier duty at San Antonio, Texas, where he was made prisoner by the state troops and exchanged in August, 1862. He was promoted colonel in 1862, served as commissary-general of prisoners at