Page:The Biographical Dictionary of America, vol. 05.djvu/73

 HAMILTON

HAMILTON

Mary (Simpson) Edsall, and descended from Sam- uel Edsall, who emigrated from England to America in 1650 and settled in New Amsterdam. Robert was educated in tlie public schools of New Jersey and was admitted to the bar in 1836. In the same year he was married to his cousin, Sarah A., daughter of Joseph E. Edsall of Hamburg, a representative in the 29th and 30th congresses, 1845-49. Mr. Hamilton became a prominent law yer and was identified with politics, being a member of the New Jersey general assembly, a delegate to the Democratic national conventions at Charleston and Baltimore in 1861, and holding other positions, civil and political. He was a representative in the 43d and 44th congi-esses, 1873-77. He died at Newton, N.J., March 14, 1878. HAMILTON, Schuyler, soldier, was born in New York city, Juh' 25, 1832; son of John Church and Maria Eliza (Van den Heuvel) Hamilton; grandson of Gen. Alexander and Elizabeth (Schuyler) Hamilton; and great-grandson of Gen. Philip Schuj'ler. He was graduated at the U.S. military acad- emy in 1841 ; entered the service as 2d lieu- tenant in the 1st in- fantry; was on the plains, and at West Point as assistant in- structor of tactics ; ser\eil in the Mex- ican war, where he was bre vetted 1st lieutenant for gal- lantry at Monterey, Sept. 21-23, 1846. and where from the effects of a ball in his ab- domen, he was left on the field for dead, but revived and fought the battle; and was brevetted captain for gallantry atMilFlores, Aug. 13, 1847, where he was severely wounded by being run through with a lance, which passed entirely througli his body and left lung, in a hand to hand combat with a Mexican lancer. He was promoted first lieutenant in March, 1848; was acting aide to Gen. Winfield Scott, 1847-54, and resigned from the army May 31, 1855, at San Francisco, Cal. "When the civil war broke out he marched as a private in the 7th regiment, N.Y.S.M., went with that organization to the defence of Washington and offered to pledge himself for canteens and haversacks fur- nished the regiment, and paid for their transpor- tation. He afterward served on the staff of Gen. B. F. Butler; was appointed military secretary with the rank of lieutenant-colonel, U.S.A., on the staff of Gen. Winfield Scott, serving from May 9, 1861, imtil be retired Nov. 1, 1861 ; and in

that capacity he was instrumental in preventing tiie murder of certain Confederate prisoners of war captured on the battle-field of Bull Run, July 21, 1861. He was thanked for this service by the President in the presence of General Scott and members of the cabinet, but no publicity could prudently be given to the service at the time. He was appointed additional aide-decamp to General Scott with the rank of colonel and served from Aug. 7 to Nov. 12. 1861, when the aides-de- camp were disbanded. He was then made assistant chief of staff to Gen. H. W. Halleck with rank of colonel, accompanied that officer from New York to St. Louis, and was promoted brigadier-general of volunteers, Nov. 12, 1861. He was with Grant's army operating in western Kentucky and Ten- nessee and suggested to General Pope the canal to cut off the enemy's position at Island No. 10, and in the assault on that island and New Madrid he commanded a division. He was promoted major- general of volunteers, Sept. 17, 1862, for "meri- torious services "' at New Madrid and Island No. 10, and had accepted his jsromotion in good faith, thus vacating his commission of brigadier-gen- eral of volunteers, which had been confirmed by the senate, when he was seized with swamp fever and incapacitated from active service. He soon after received a letter from General Halleck demanding his resignation, under the rule that no officer unable to take the field should be named to the senate for confirmation, and after consult-

THE ANCESTRAL HOME OF CEAIERAL 5CHUYLER HAMILTOr<.

ing with General Scott he resigned in February, 1863. He is credited with making pcssible the capture of Island No. 10. called by the Confeder- ates the " Thermopylfe of America," and thus opening the Mississippi; with suggesting the name of W. T. Sherman to General Scott for a place on the list of the regular army in 1861 ; and with prevailing on General Halleck to appoint General Grant to the command of the army to operate against Forts Donelson and Henry. He was an executor of the last will and testament of Gen. Winfield Scott. In June, 1871, he memo- rialized the secretaiy of war with a view to being