Page:The Biographical Dictionary of America, vol. 08.djvu/377

 POLK

POLK

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moted lieutenant-general in October, 1862, and commanded the right wing of the Army of Tennessee at the battle of Stone's river, Dec. 31, 1863. In the Chickamauga campaign, through his alleged disobedience of General Bragg's orders, the Federal army was allowed to escape at the battle of Chickamauga, Sept. 20, 1863, and he was relieved of his com- mand and ordered to Atlanta. He later de- clined President Da- vis's offer of re-instate- ment. He command- ed the paroled Con- federate prisoners at Vicksburg and Port Hudson, and in Sep- tember, 1863, succeeded General Joseph E. John- ston to the command of the department of Alaba- ma, Mississippi and East Louisiana, His army combined with General Johnston's in the opposi- tion of Sherman's march to Atlanta, Ga. He was mortal]}^ wounded by a cannon shot during the action of Pine Mountain, Ga. General Polk re- ceived the honorary degree of D.D. from Columbia college in 1838, and that of LL.D. elsewhere. He died on the battle-field of Pine Mountain, Ga., June 14, 1864 ; was buried in St. Paul's church- yard, Augusta, Ga., and in 1902 a monument to his memory was erected on the spot whei'e he fell. POLK, Lucius Eugene, soldier, was born in Salisbury, N.C., July 10, 1833 ; son of Dr.William Julius Polk of Columbia, Tenn., and grandson of General William Polk (q.v.). He was liber- ally educated ; was graduated from the Uni- versity of Virginia in 1852, and in 1861 enlisted in the Confederate army as 1st lieutenant in Cap- tain Patrick R. Cleburne's company, afterward known as the 1st Arkansas. He took part in the capture of Fort Smith ; the battle of Shiloh, April 6, 1862, where the regiment was cut to pieces, and assumed command of his company and led them during the two days' fight. He was promoted colonel ; was commended for gallantry in General Hardee's official report ; served under General Kirby Smith in the Kentncky campaign, and was wounded at Richmond, Ky., and at Perry- ville. He was promoted brigadier-general, De- cember, 1862, and commanded the 1st (Cleburne) brigade, 2d division, Hardee's corps, in the battle of Stone's river, Tenn., Dec. 31, 1862 ; Chatta- nooga, Tenn., Nov. 23, 1863; Missionary Ridge, Nov. 23, 1863 ; Ringgold Gap, Nov. 27, 1863, where he captured three Union flags, and at New Hope Church. Ga., May 25, 1864, where he was

wounded and crippled for life. He returned to his plantation in Maury county, Tenn, He married his cousin, Sallie Moore Polk, and of their children, Rufus King Polk (q.v.) was a representative in the 56th and 57th congresses. General Polk was a delegate to tlie Democratic national convention at Chicago in 1884, and a representative in the state senate in 1887. He died near " West Brook," Tenn., Dec. 1, 1893,

POLK, Rufus King, representative, was born in Columbia, Tenn., Aug. 23, 1866 ; son of General Lucius Eugene (q.v.) and Sally Moore (Polk) Polk. He prepared for college at Webb's academy, CuUeoka, Tenn., and was graduated from Lehigh university, B.S., 1887, M.E., 1888. He was mar- ried in 1892 to Isabella, daugliter of Isaac K. and Emma (Porter) Grier of Danville, Pa, He engaged in business as general manager of the North Branch Steel company, Danville, Pa., until 1896, when the firm of Howe and Polk, manufacturers of iron and steel, was formed. He served in the S^janish war as 1st lieutenant in the 12th Pennsylvania volunteers, 1898 ; was a delegate at large to the Democratic national con- vention, 1900, and a representative from the seventeenth district of Pennsylvania in the 56th and 57th congresses, 1899-1903, declining re- nomination to the 58th congress in 1902. He w-as a member of the Society of the Cincinnati, State of North Carolina Chapter. He died at Philadelphia, Pa., March 5, 1902.

POLK, Sarah Childress, wife of President Polk, was born near Murfreesborough, Tenn., Sept. 4, 1803 ; daughter of Joel and Elizabeth Childress. She attended the Moravian institute, Salem, N.C., and was married in 1824 to James Knox Polk, who was then clerk of the state senate of Ten- nessee. In 1824 he was elected a repre- sentative in congress, and Mrs. Polk accom- panied him to Wash- ington. Slie became a member of the Pres- byterian church in 1834. Upon her hus- band's inauguration as President of the United States in 1845, she devoted herself entirely to the social duties incident to her position as mistress of

the White House. At her weekly receptions, which were largely attended, she introduced several radical changes, notably, the absence of refreshments and the discontinuance of dancing. Notwithstanding these innovations in social cus-

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