Page:The Biographical Dictionary of America, vol. 07.djvu/181

 MACKENZIE

MACKENZIE

surrender. He commanded the brig Somers, manned almost entirely by naval apprentices, and while at sea in 1842, discovered an intended mutiny on board. The principals of this plot were immediately placed in close confinement, and after a careful investigation by the officers of the ship, three of the leaders, including a son of John C. Spencer, secretary of war, were exe- cuted at sea, Dec. 1, 1842. Upon his arrival at New York, a court of inquiry investigated Com- mander Mackenzie's conduct and approved of his act. Subsequently a court martial held at his own request also acquitted him. He was sent to Cuba on a private mission by President Polk in May, 1846, and thence sailed for Mexico where he served as ordnance officer at Vera Cruz and commanded a detached division of artillery at Tobasco. He is the author of: A Year in Spain by a Young American {lS2d); Popular Essays on Naval Subjects (1833); The American in Eng- land (2 vols., 1835); Spain Revisited (2 vols., 1836); Life of John Paid Jones (2 vols., 1841); Life of Commodore Oliver H. Perry (2 vols. 1841); Life of Stephen Z)eca^u^( 1842); The Case of the Somers (1843); and left in manuscript a journal of a tour in Ireland. He died at Tarry town, N.Y., Sept. 13. 1848.

MACKENZIE, Alexander SHdell, naval officer, was born in New York city, Jan. 24, 1842; son of Oom. Alexander Slidell Mackenzie, U.S.N. He was appointed acting midshipman U.S.N., Sept. 29, 1855, and promoted midshipman, June 9, 1859; lieutenant, Aug. 31, 1861, and lieutenant-com- mander, July 29, 1865. He was on board the Kineo during the bombardment and surrender of Forts Jackson and St. Philip in 1862 and served on the Ironsides during the first attack on Fort Sumter in 1863 by the squadron off Charleston. During an expedition against the savages of the island of Formosa, China, he was mortally wounded, June 13, 1867. A tablet to his memory was placed on the walls of the U.S. Naval academy. He died at Formosa, China, June 13, 1867.

MacKENZIE, James A., representative, w^as born in Christian county, Ky., Aug. 1, 1840. He matriculated at Centre college, Danville, Ky., in the class of 1858, but was not graduated. He was admitted to the bar in 1861 and engaged in practice, but subsequently abandoned it for agricultural pursuits at Longview, Ky. He was a representative in the state legislature, 1867-71; a presidential elector for the state at large on the Democratic ticket in 1872, and was a representa- tive from the second Kentucky district in the 45th, 46th and 47th congresses, 1877-83. He was appointed U.S. minister to Peru, by President Cleveland in 1893, served until the close of the Democratic administration in 1897, and then resumed farming at Longview.

MACKENZIE, James Cameron, educator, was born in Aberdeen, Scotland, Aug. 15, 1852. His early life was spent in Wilkesbarre, Pa., where he first attended school. He was prepared for college at Phillips Exeter academy, entered Lafayette, was editor of Lafayette College Jour- nal, 1877-78, and was graduated valedictorian, A.B., 1878, A.M., 1881. He was founder and principal of the Harry Hillman academy, Wilkes- barre, 1878-82; was a special student at Prince- ton Theological seminary, 1882, and was ordained by the presbytery of Lackawanna, April 21, 1885. He organized and for seventeen years was head master of the Lawrenceville school, 1882-99; studied educational methods in Europe, 1899, and in September of that year accepted the director- ship of the Jacob Tome institute. Port Dupont, Md., established through a bequest of $5,000,000 made by Jacob Tome (q.v.) and originated the plans for the buildings, grounds and an advanced organization of the school originally commenced in 1894. He received the degree of Ph.D. from Lafayette in 1882; was a founder and in 1897 president of the Head Masters' association; pres- ident of the Association of Colleges and Prepa- ratory schools, and president of the congress on International Secondary Education, Chicago, 1893, by appointment of the Secretary of the Interior.

MACKENZIE, Ranald Slidell, soldier, was born in Westchester county, N.Y., July 27, 1840; son of Commander Alexander Slidell Mackenzie, U.S.N. He was graduated from the U.S. Mili- tary academy, June 17, 1862, and promoted second lieutenant in the engineer corps. He served as assistant engineer, 9th army corps, in the northern Virginia compaign. He was bre- vetted 1st lieutenant, Aug. 29, 1862, for *' gallant and meritorious services at the battle of Ma- nassas, Va., " where he was wounded. He was attached to the engineer battalion in the Mary- land campaign, being engaged in repairing bridges, and subsequently participated in the battle of Fredericksburg, Dec. 13, 1862, as engi- neer of General Sumner's grand division. He was promoted 1st lieutenant, (orps of engi- neers, March 3, 1863, was brevetted captain, May 3, 1863, " for gallant and meritorious serv- ices at the battle of Chancellorsville, Va."; served in the Pennsylvania campaign as com- mander of an engineer company, engaged in laying bridges over the Occoquan river, June 14, 1863, and across the Potomac at Edwards Ferry, June 21, 1863. He was brevetted major for Gettysburg, Pa., and was engaged during the Rapidan campaign in repairing and guarding bridges. He was promoted captain of the corps of engineers, Nov. 6. 1863, and participated in the Richmond campaign in command of the