Page:The Biographical Dictionary of America, vol. 08.djvu/20

 MOUTON

MOWATT

MOUTON, Alexandre, governor of Limisiana. w:vs Ixirii «iii Hayoii CareiUTo, Attakai)as (Lafay- ette parish) La.. Nov. 19, 1804; sou of Jean Moutou. an Acadian refugee. He atteudetl the local si'h(H>ls, .stuilieil law under Judge Simon and

was admitted to the Louisi- la liar in ISO.'). He settled in

practire in Lafayette ])arish,

n-presented his district in tlio

uj Louisiana li'gi.«lature, 1828-:i:3

'' ' and 18;^6-;5l).and was speaker

of the liouse for two .sessions.

He \v;is a Democratic i)ri'si- dcnti I large from Ix>uisiana in 1S20.

is;{;{ and lb.>7; wjis tiie defeated Democratic can- didate for representative in the 2'2d congress in 18:50: was elected to the U.S. senate to fill the vacancy cau.sed bj- the resignation of Alexander Porter. Jan. "». 1837, and was re-elected for a full term, .serving until March .3, 1842, wlien he re- signed, having been nominated as the Democratic candidate for governor of Louisiana, On Jan. 30. 1843. he was inaugurated first Democratic gover- nor of the state, his term expiring on the adoption of a new state constitution in 1846. He was president of the Soutii western railroad conven- tion. New Orleans, La., January. 18,")2; a delegate to the Democratic national convention in 18.16 anti 1860; president of the Vigilance committee of Lafayette parish in 18.j8, and a delegate to and president of the state convention at Baton Rouge that passed the sece.ssion ordinance, Jan. 23, 1861. He was a defeated candidate at a joint session of the legislature convened to elect two senators to the Confederate congress. Nov. 29, 1861. He was twice married, first to Lilia, daughter of Jean Jacques Rousseau and granddaughter of Gov. Jacque.s Dupre; and secondly to Emma, daughter of Col. C. R. Gardner (q.v.), U.S.A. His son Alfred (q.v.) was a Confederate soldier, and his daugliter Mathilda marrie<l Gen. Franklin Gard- ner, C.S.A.. graduate of W.st Point, 1843. who defended Port Hud.son. He died on his planta- tion near V.-nnillionville. La.. Feb. 12, ISS.j.

MOUTO.N, Alfred, soldier, was born in Opel- ousas. St. Luiidry pari.',!!. La., Feb. 18, 1829; son of .Mexandre and Lilia (Rou.s,seau) Mouton. He was gradu.'iteil at the U.S. military academy in 18.50, and resigned from the army, Sept. 16, 18.'J0. He served as a.ssistant engineer in tiie construc- tion of the New Orlean.s and Great Western railroad, 18.T2— l^.aufl was brigadier-general in the state militia. 18.")0-61. In 1861 he joined the Con- ft-derate army, recruiting a comjiany from tin- farmers of Ljifayette parish, an<l was coni- mis.sioned colonel of the 18th Louisiana regimtr\t, taking part in the battle of Shiloh, April 7. 1862, where he was severely wounded. He commanded a brigade made up of tiie 18tli and 33J Louisiana

Crescent and Terrebonne regiments, Ralston's and Stirimes's batteries, and the 2d Louisiana cavalry, 1392 strong, and at Georgia Landing, Oct. 27, 1862, when pressed by General Weitzel, evacuated the place, burned the bridges and occupied the Teche country for the winter of 1862-63. He was witii Gen. E, Kirby Smith's Trans-Mississippi army in command of the 2d division of Lieut. -Gen. Richard Taylor's Army of West Louisiana in opposing the advance of Gen- eral Bank up the Red River, being at Carroll Jones's plantation on March 18, at Natchitoches on the 22d and at Sabine Cross Roads on April 5, where the line of battle was formed on the morn- ing of the 8th. On the first onslaught made by the Federal force he succeeded in driving in the cavalrj' and struck the head of Franklin's troops, and without waiting for orders from General Taylor drove Franklin back. Tiiis movement opened the battle of Mansfield, wiiich Taylor puslied to a complete .succe.ss, but Mouton fell at tiie first onset. He died on the field, Mansfield, La. , April 8, 1864.

MOWATT, Anna Cora, author, playwright and actress, was born at Bordeaux. France, during the temporarj' residence of her parents in that place, in 1819; daugliter of Samuel Gouverneur and Eliza (Lewis) Ogden, granddaughter of tiie Rev, Dr. Uzal (q.v.) and Mary (Gouverneur) Ogden, and of Francis Lewis. She was educated at private schools in New York city and at New Rochelle. She was privately married when fifteen years of age to James Mowatt, a lawyer, and her husband directed her education. She published her first book in 1836 using the pen name "Isabel," to the criticisms of wiiich she replied with a satirical work " Reviewers Reviewed." She spent fifteen months in Europe, 1839-40, and in 1840 wrote '• Gulzara, the Persian Slave," a play, which was performed privately and afterwards published in the New World. Her husband lost his fortune by speculation and to aid him she became a public reader, reading first in Boston, Mass., Oct. 28, 1841, and then in Providence, R.I., and in New York city. Illne.ss compelled her toabandon the profession and siie returned to literary work. Slie contributed to leading American periodicals under the pen name " Helen Berkley," and many of her contributions were copied in the London magazines and several translated into German. Her play, " Fashion," was successfnlh' produced at the Park tlieatre, New York city, in March, 184.J. Her husband again meeting with reverses siie made her debut as an actress at the Park theatre. New York city, June 13, 1845. as Pauline in "The Lady of Lyons." Her success secured her engagements in f)ther cities and she appeared at the Walnut .Street theatre in "The Lady of Lyons" and " Fashion" and in July, 1845, at