Page:The Biographical Dictionary of America, vol. 08.djvu/274

 PEGRAM

PEIRCE

Mexico, served under Capt. David G. Farragut on the Saratoga. In 1852 he took part in the Japan expedition. He was engaged in the ex- pedition organized by the combined forces of the British ship Rattler and the U.S. vessel Potchatan against a piratical fleet of thirtj'-one junks, of which he captured sixteen, and also one hun- dred cannon with a loss to the pirates of GOO men. For this service he was personally thanked by Admiral Sir James Stirling, flag officer of the British East India squadron, and by the govern- ment of Hong Kong and Great Britain, and presented with a sword from the state of Vir- ginia. He was on duty in the Norfolk Navy yard, 1856-60; served in the Paraguay expedition nine months of 1858. and as a commissioner to define the limits of the Newfoundland fislieries in 1859. He resigned Ins commission in the U.S. navy, April 17. 1861, and was appointed captain in the Confederate navy. He was given com- mand of the Norfolk Navy yard after its evacua- tion by the Federal troops, April 21, 1861; forti- fied Pig Point on the Nansemond river, Va., and with its batteries disabled the U.S. steamer Harriet Lane, which was surveying and buoying the river. He commanded the steamer Xashville, October, 1861, to February, 1862. It was the in- tention of Mason and Slidell, the Confederate commissioners, to take passage on the Nashville, and for this purpose Pegram was to run the blockade from Charleston; but they feared to take the chances, and while lie ran the blockade successfully in October. 1861, they were captured 0!i board the British mail steamer Trent. Pe- gram after capturing the Harvey Birch in the English channel, landed his prisoners at South- ampton and was held in port by the U.S. steamer Tuscarora until February, when he effected his escape and made harbor at Beaufort, N.C. He was detailed to superintend the armament of the iron-clad steamer Richmond, which he took to Drewry's Bluff, when he was transferred to the new iron-clad Virginia, the best vessel in the Confederate fleet. In 1864 funds were raised by Virginia to purchase and equip in England, a naval force to be called the Virginia volunteer navy, to be commanded by Captain Pegram. He went to England for the purpose, and had one vessel in readiness when Lee surrendered. He was married first to Lucy Binns Cargill of Sussex county, who was the mother of his seven chil- dren; and secondly, to Sarah Leigh of Norfolk. His eldest son. John Cargill Pegram, was killed in battle before Petersburg. June 16, 1864, while a member of the staff of Gen. Matt. W. Ran.som of North Carolina who commanded the 4th bri- gade in Gen. Bushrod R. Johnson's division, Gen. R. H. Anderson's corps. Captain Pegram died in Norfolk, Va., Oct. 24, 1894.

PEGRAM, William Johnson, soldier, was born in Richmond, Va., June, 29, 1841; son of James West (1703-1744) and Virginia (Johnson) Pegram. He was a student of law at the Uni- versity of Virginia in 1861; left to enlist in the Confederate artillery, and was rapidly advanced through the respective grades from private to colonel. He handled his battery. Purcell's artil- lery, A. P. Hill's division, with effectiveness at Cedar Mountain, Aug. 9, 1862, at Chancellors- ville, May 1-5, 1863, and in all the battles around Richmond and Petersburg, and was promoted to the rank of lieutenant-colonel. At Gettys- burg, July 1-3, 1863. he commanded a battal- ion ill Col. R. Lindsay Walker's reserve artillery and won the rank of colonel. He took part in the battles of the Wilderness and Cold Harbor and in the defence of Petersburg. He was promoted brigadier-general in 1865. His brother, Maj. James West Pegram, served on the staffs of Generals Armstead andEwell, surrendered with General Lee at Appomattox, was a prisoner at Johnsons Island for several months and died in 1881. Gen. W. J. Pegram was killed while directing his battalion in Mahone's division in the defence of Petersburg, April 2, 1865.

PEIRCE, Benjamin, editor and librarian, was born in Salem, Mass., Sept. 30, 1778: son of Jerah- mael (or Jerathmiel) and Sarah (Ropes) Peirce; grandson of Jerahmael, of Charlestown. and Rebecca (Hurd) Peirce; great-grandson of Benja- min, of Cliarlestown, and Hannah (Bowers) Peirce; greats-grandson of Robert, of Woburn, and Mary (Knight) Peirce; and greats-grandson of John Pers, weaver, and Elizabeth Pers, who emigrated with four children in 1637, from Norwich, Eng- land, to Watertown, Mass, Benjamin Peirce was graduated from Harvard with the higliest honors of his class, A.B., 1801, A.M., 1804, and entered business with his fatlier in Salem, as a member of the firm of Peirce & Waite, having trade with China. He was a representative from Salem in the general court for several years and state senator, 1811. He was married, Dec. 11, 1803, to Lydia Ropes, daugliter of Ichabod and Lydia (Ropes) Nichols of Salem. He was librarian of Harvard college, 1826-31, and prepared A Cata- logue of the Library of Harvard Unii-ersity (4 vols. 1830-31), and .4 History of Harvard University from Its Foundation in the Year 16.36 to the Period of the American Revolution (1833). He died in Cambridge, Mass.. July 26, 1831.

PEIRCE, Benjamin, mathematician and as- tronomer, was born in Salem, Ma.ss., April 4, 1809; son of Benjamin (q.v.) and Lj'dia Ropes (Nichols) Peirce. He was graduated from Har- vard university. A.B.. 1829. A.M., 18.33; tauglit at Round Hill school, Northampton, Mass.. 1829- 31; was tutor in mathematics at Harvard uni-