Page:The Biographical Dictionary of America, vol. 09.djvu/159

 rod:man

RODNEY

Scaiumon's brigade, resisted the struggle made b}' Toombs, who held the bridge. When the general movement began, he went forward to- ward Sharpsburg, where he found the enemy occup3'ing ridges on his left front, so that he was unable to keep his connection with AVilcox, although he made good progress against stubborn resistance, his movement becoming practically by column of brigades. He directed Colonel Harland to lead the right against A. P. Hill's division, disguised in Federal uniforms and liidden in the cornfield, while he himself at- tempted to bring the left into position. In per- forming this duty, he fell mortally wounded by a minie rifle-ball, Sept. 17, 1862. He was conveyed to the hospital near Sliarpsburg, Va., and his wife, father, and the family physician reached his bed- side before his death. He died, Sept. 29, 1863.

RODMAN, Thomas Jefferson, ordnance offi- cer, was born in Salem, Ind., July 30, 1815. He was graduated from tlie U. S. Military academy in ISil and was breveted 2d lieutenant, and as- signed to the ordnance department, July 1, 1841. He served at the Allegheny, Pa., arsenal, 1841-18 ; was promoted 1st lieutenant, March 3, 1847, and supervised the manufacture of cannon at Fort Pitt foundry, Pittsburg, Pa., in 1847. He was ord- nance officer stationed at the depots at Camargo and Point Isabel, Mexico, 1847 ; at Allegheny ar- senal, 1848-54 ; was in command of the Allegheny arsenal, 1854-55; of Baton Rouge arsenal. La., 1855-56, and was promoted captain July 1, 1855, for fourteen years continuous service. He was stationed at Allegheny arsenal, 1857-59 ; com- manded the Watertown arsenal, Mass., 1859-65; superintended the casting of the first 15-inch Co- lumbiad, the 12-inch rifled Rodman gun, and the 20- inch smooth bore, and supervised the casting of all projectiles and ordnance, after an invention of his own, 1864-65. He was promoted major, June 1, 1863, and bre vetted lieutenant-colonel, colonel and brigadier general, U.S.A., March 13, 1865, for faithful, meritorious and distinguished services in the ordnance department. He was in command of Rock Island arsenal. 111., of which he superintended the construction, 1865-71 ; was promoted lieutenant-colonel. May 7, 1867, and was a member of ordnance and artillery boards, 1865-67. He died in Rock Island, 111., June 7, 1871.

RODNEY, Caesar, signer, was born at St. Jones's Neck, Kent county, Del., Oct. 7, 1728; son of

Ctesar and (Crawford) Rodney, and grandson

of William and Alice (Ctesar) Rodney, who emi- grated from Bristol, England, settled first in Philadelphia, and then in Dover, Del., William held local offices, becoming justice of Newcastle in 1707, and speaker of the first house of assembly. He died in 1708. Ceesar Rodney, the younger, inherited a large estate, was sheriff of Kent

county, 1755-58 ; a justice of the peace, and judge of the lower courts in 1758. He superintended the printing of Delaware currency in 1759, and was appointed a commissioner to provide for the support of a company of militia raised for the French and Indian war. He was elected repre- sentative in tlie colonial assembly several times after 1762 ; was recorder of Kent county in 1764, and a justice of the peace, 1764-66. In 1765 he was sent as delegate to the stamp act congress in New York and when the act was repealed, he was appointed by the legislature of Delaware to frame an address of thanks to the king. He was register of bills in 1766. and in 1787 joined Thomas McKean and George Read in forming a second address to the King, setting forth the tyranny of England and threatening armed resistance to the tea act. He was superintendent of the loan office in 1769 ; an associate justice, 1769-73 ; clerk of the peace in 1770, and in 1772 was appointed a commissioner to erect a state house and other public buildings at Dover. He was chairman of the committee of safety of Delaware, issuing a call for the assembling of a convention at New- castle, Aug. 1, 1774, of which he was chairman, and was a delegate to the Continental congress, 1774-84, serving as a member of its general com- mittee, appointed to make a statement of the rights and grievances of the colonists. He was also a signer of the Declaration of Independence of July 4, 1776. He was appointed colonel of mil- itia in May, 1775, and brigadier-general in Sep- tember, 1775, and went to Morristown, N.J., in 1776, where he joined General Washington, but returned to Delaware in 1777. He was chosen judge of the admiralty, June 5, 1777, having refused the appointment of judge of the newly organized supreme court of Delaware. In August, 1777, he collected troops to prevent the British from joining their fieet, and in September, 1777, was appointed major-general of militia. He was elected a delegate to the Continental congress that met at Philadel- phia, Pa., July 2, 1778, but did not take his seat, having been elected president of the " Delaware State " in 1778, in which capacity he served till 1782. He died in Dover, Del., June 26, 1784.

RODNEY, Csesar Augustus, soldier and states- man, was born in Dover, Del., Jan. 4, 1772 ; son of Col. Thomas and Elizabeth (Fisher) Rodney ; grandson of William and Alice (Ceesar) Rodney, and a nephew of Cassar Rodney (q.v.). He was brought up by his uncle, who made provision in his will for his education ; was graduated from the University of Pennsylvania, A.B.. 17S9, A.M., 1792 ; was admitted to the bar in 1793, and estab-