Page:The Biographical Dictionary of America, vol. 09.djvu/32

 RAMSEUR

RAMSEY

resigned his clerkship and practised law, 1887- 91; represented Hillsborough county in the New Hampshire legislature, 1870-72, where he served on the judiciary and other important committees; was a member of the state consti- tutional convention in 1876, >.\;is;^s=^^««^ ami of the governor's council, 1891-92. He declined a seat on the supreme bench of the state in 1893, and was Re- jniblican governor of New Hampshire, 1897-99. He held many local offices, includ- ing the presidency of thob(Kird of trustees of the State Industrial School at Manchester. N.ll. He received the honorary degree of A.M. from Dart- mouth college in 1871. Governor Ramsdell died in Nashua, N.H.. Nov. 16. 1900.

RAMSEUR, Stephen Dodson, soldier, was born in Lincolnton, N.C., May 31, 1837; son of Jocob A. and Lucy M. (Wilfong) Ramseur. He was a student at Davidson college, N.C., 1853-55; was graduated at the U.S. Military academy, fourteenth in a class of 41, in 1860, and was as- signed to the artillery. He served in garrison at Fort Monroe, Va.,and at "Washington, D.C., 1860- 61: was promoted 2d lieutenant, 4th artillery, Feb. 1, 1861. and resigned from the U.S. army, April 6. 1861, entering the Confederate service as captain of artillery. Early in 1862 he reported to Gen. John B. Magruder on the Peninsula with the lUth North Carolina artillery, having been promoted major. He was transferred to the 49th Nortli C.irolina infanty as colonel, April 12, 1862, which he commanded in Robert Ransom's brig- ade, Holmes's division, Magruder's command in the seven days' battles before Richmond, June 25-July 1, 1862, where he was wounded. He was promoted brigadier-general. Nov. 1, 1862, and commanded the third brigade, composed of the 2d, 4th, 14th and 30th North Carolina regiments in D. H. Hill's division, Jacksons corps, in the Chancellorsville campaign, and was again wounded. He commanded his brigade in Rodes's division, Ewell's 2d corps at Getty.sburg, and from the Wilderness to Cold Harbor, and was promoted major-general, June 1, 1864. "When the second corps was transferred from Ewell to Early, June 12, 1864, for the invasion of Mar}-- land and attack on Wa.shington. Ramseur's di- vision was made up of the brigades of Lilley, Johnston and Lewis. After engaging the enemy at Harper's Ferry and Maryland Heights, he oc- cupied the centre of Early's line of battle at tiie Monocacy crossing, July 9, 1864. where Gen. Lew Wallace opposed the advance but was re- pulsed and driven south witiiin tlir> lines of di-- fences of Washington. On July 13. when witliin sight of the dome of the capitol, learning of

the advance of General Grant to the relief of ft Federal capitol, Early ordered his army to fall back, which they did that night, crossing the Potomac at White's Ford above Leesburg on the morning of the 14th, entering the valley through Snicker's Gap and after crossing the Shenandoak. awaiting the Federal armj' at Berryville. Or Aug. 7, 1864, Sheridan had assumed comman.'] of the middle military division and of the Army of the Shenandoah. Then followed the battles of Cedar ville, Winchester. Fisher's Hill and Cedar Creek, August-October, 1864. Meantime Ram- seur's division had been given the fir.st position in Early's army, and his command was made up of the brigades of C. A. Battle, Phil Cook, Bryan Grimes, and W. R. Cox in the battle of Cedar Creek, Va., Oct. 19, 1864, where he was mortally wounded. He died at Winchester, Oct. 20, 1864. RAMSEY, Alexander, governor of Minnesota, was born near Harrisburg, Pa., Sept 8, 1815; son of Thomas and Elizabeth (Kelker) Ramsay, and grandson of Alexander and Vera Frit (Cor- nelius) Ramsey, and of Henry and Elizabeth (Greenawalt) Kelker. He attended Lafay- ette college, 1834-35; entered the regis- ter's office, Dauphin county, as clerk in 1838; was admitted to the bar in 1839, and began practice in Harrisburg. He was secretary to the presi- dential electors in 1840; clerk of the Pennsylvania house of representatives ia 1841; a Whig repre- sentative from the

Harrisburg district in the 28th and 29th con- gresses, 1843-47, and chairman of the Whig state central committee in 1848. He was married in 1845, to Anna Eail, daughter of Michael H. Jenks of Newton, Pa. He was the first territorial governor of Minnesota from A[)ril 2, 1849 to May 15, 1853, and between 1849 and 1858 made various treaties with the Indian tribes in Minnesota, procuring for the United States that portion of land now contained in the .state of Minnesota. He was mayor of St. Paul, 18.5.5-57; second gov- ernor of the state of Minnesota from Jan. 21, 1860, to July 10, 1863, and U.S. senator. 1863-75. serving on the committees on naval affairs, posts, patents and pensions. He was secretary of war in President Hayes's cabinet, 1879-81, and a meml)er and chairman of the Utali commission. 1 881-86, resigning in 1880. He received the ho> orary degree of A.M. from Lafayette college;■•

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