Page:The Biographical Dictionary of America, vol. 08.djvu/337

 PICKETT

PICKING

PICKETT, George Edward, soldier, was born in Ricliinond, Va., Jan. 35, 1825. His father was a wealthy planter of Henrico covmty, Va., and George received a good preparatory education. He was graduated at the U.S. Military academy in 1846, being brev- etted 2nd lieutenant of 8th infantry, July 1. He served in the war with Mexico, 1846-48, being pro- moted 2nd lieutenant of 2nd infantry, March 3, 1847. He took part in the siege of Vera Cruz, March 9-29, 1847, and the battle of Cerro Gordo, April 17-18, 1847 ; y^y /7 ' ^y ' ^'^^ transferred to

yZ/S;^i>i^?^ t'^e 7th infantry, July 13, 1847, and to (ihe 8th infantry, July 18, 1847, and was present at the capture of San Antonio, Aug. 20,1847. He was brevetted 1st lieutenant, Aug. 20, 1847, for gallantry at Contreras and Churubusco ; took part in the battle of Molino del Rey, Sept. 8, 1847 ; was brevetted captain, Sept. 13. 1847, for gallant conduct at Chapultepec ; engaged in the assault and capture of the city of Mexico, Sept. 13-14, 1847 ; was in garrison at Jefferson Barracks, Mo., in 1848: was promoted 1st lieu- tenant, June 28. 1849, and was on frontier duty in Texas, 1849-55. He was promoted captain of 9th infantry, March 3, 1855, and served on the expedition against the Indians on Puget Sound, Wash., March-June, 1856; at Forts Steilacoom and Billingham, Wash., 1856-GO, and on San Juan Island, Wash., 1860-61. He resigned his commission in the U.S. army, June 25, 1861, and joined the Confederate States arm3\ He was commissioned colonel of Virginia troops and assigned to duty on the Rappahannock river, lie was promoted brigadier-general, and com- manded tiie 3d brigade in Longstreet's division of Magruder's command at the opening of the sieven days' battle before Richmond, June 25- ,»uly 1, 1862, and in the battle of Gaines's Mill, June 27, he was severely wounded and forced to relinquish his command. On Oct. 10, 1862, he was promoted major-general and given com- mand of the third division, Longstreet's corps, Lee's Army of Northern Virginia. He occupied the center of Lee's line at Fredericksburg ; and his famous charge at Gettysburg, where he commanded the second division, Longstreet's corps, became the subject for story and the painter's brush. He was given command of the department of North Carolina, Sept. 23, 1863,

and on May 18, 1864, he saved Petersburg from capture, personally leading the force that captured the Federal works and turned the guns on the retreating foe. He was engaged in the battle of Five Forks where he commanded the first division of Longstreet's corps and his division received the full force of the Federal attack, April 1, 1865. After the war he engaged in the life insurance business. He declined the U.S. marshalship of the state of Virginia tendered him by President Grant. He died in Norfolk, Va., July 30, 1875, and was buried at Hollywood, Richmond, Va.

PICKETT, James Chamberlayne, diplomat, was born in Fauquier county, Va., Feb. 6, 1793 ; son of Col. John and Elizabeth (Chamberlayne) Pickett ; grandson of Capt. William S. and Eliz- abeth (Metcalfe) Pickett, and a descendant of William S. Pickett. In 1796 he removed with his parents to Mason county, Ky., where his fatlier served in both branches of the state legislature. He was appointed from Ohio 3d lieutenant in the 2d U.S. artillery, Aug. 4, 1813 ; was promoted 2d lieutenant, April 19, 1814, transferred to the corps of artillery, May 12, 1814, and left the service at the close of the war in 1815. He edited the Eagle at Maysville, Ky., in 1815 ; studied law, and on June 16, 1818, entered the U.S. army as captain and assistant quarter- master-general, serving until June, 1821. He settled in the practice of law in Mason county in 1821 ; was a representative in the Kentucky legislature in 1822, and secretary of the state, 1825-28. By appointment of President Jackson, he was secretary of the U.S. legation to Colom- bia, 1829-33, acting for a time as charge d'affaires. He was a commissioner of the U.S. patent office in 1835 ; fourth auditor of the U.S. treasury, 1835-38 ; U.S. minister to Ecuador in 1838, and charge d'affaires to Peru, 1838-45. In 1845 he removed to Washington, D.C., where he was editor of the Congressional Globe for several years. He was married, Oct. 6, 1818, to Ellen, daughter of Governor Joseph Desha of Kentucky. Their son, Joseph Desha Pickett, was a minister of the Christian church, professor in Bethany college, Virginia, chaplain in the Confederate army, and professor of English literature and sacred history in Kentucky university'. Another son, Col. John T. Pickett, was U.S. consul at Vera Cruz, 1853-61, special envoy extraordinary of the Confederate states to Mexico in 1865, and in 1870 sold the diplomatic correspondence of the Confederate States, known as the " Pickett Papers", to tlie United States government for $75,000. James Chamberlayne Pickett died in Washington, D.C., July 10, 1872.

PICKING, Henry Forry, naval officer, was born in Somerset county, Pa., Jan. 28, 1840. He was graduated from the U.S. Naval academy in