Page:The Biographical Dictionary of America, vol. 09.djvu/43

 RANSOM

RANSOM

U SS- COLORADO.

St. Philip ; was in the engagement with the ram 3Ianassas and attacked forces at Grand Gulf, also those of Gen. John C. Breckinridge at Baton Rouge, La., Aug. 5, 1862, and others. He com- manded the Mercedita on special service in the West Indies, April to August, 1864 ; the Grand Gulf of the North Atlantic blockading squadron, and captured three steamers off the coast of North Carolina, 1863-64. He had a general supervision of the blockading vessels in the East Gulf squad- ron, and commanded the Miiscoota and later the Algonquin in a trial with the Winooski in Long Island sound, January to March, 1866. He was stationed at League Island, Pa., as executive, 1867-69 ; was promoted captain, March 2, 1870, and commanded the iron-clad Terror of the North Atlantic fleet in 1870. He was executive of the New York navy- yard, 1871-73 ; commander of the frigate Col- orado of the North Atlantic fleet, 1873-75, and of the f rig- late Franklin on special service from December, 1876, to March, 1877. He was promoted commodore, March 28, 1877 ; was in charge of the naval station at Port Royal, S.C., 1878-79, and of the navy yard at Boston, Mass., 1875-82. He was retired June 18, 1882, and died in September, 1889.

RANSOM, Matt Whitaker, senator, was born in Warren county, N.C., Oct. 8, 1826; son of Robert and Priscilla (Whitaker) Ransom ; grand- son of Seymour and Bircliett (Green) Ransom, and of Matthew Carey and Betsy Anne (CoflSeld) Whitaker, and a grand-nephew of Nathaniel Macon of North Carolina. He was graduated from the University of North Carolina in 1847, studied law and was admitted to the bar. He settled in practice in Warrenton, N.C. ; was a Whig presidential elector in 18.32, and attorney- general of North Carolina, 1852-55. He was mar- ried, Jan. 19, 1853, to Pattie, daughter of Joseph and Lavinia (Roberts) Exum of Northampton county, N.C. He was a Democratic member of the general assembly of the state, 1858-60, and a peace commissioner from North Carolina to the Provisional Congress of the Southern States at Montgomery, Ala., in 1861. He opposed the war, but supported the withdrawal of his state, and entered the Confederate service as a private, rising to the rank of major-general at Richmond in 1865. He commanded tlie 3.5th N.C. regiment in Ransom's brigade, Holmes's division in Magruder's command in the seven days' battles before IX. — .3

Richmond, being wounded at Malvern Hill, and Lieutenant-Colonel Petway, who succeeded to the command of the regiment, being killed. He commanded a brigade made up of the 24th, 25th, 35th and 49th regiments and Capt. James R. Branch's Virginia battery in Walker's division of Longstreet's corps, in the Maryland campaign, serving under Jackson at Harper's Ferry and under Longstreet at Antietam. He was trans- ferred with his brigade to North Carolina, where he commanded the assaulting column that captured Plymouth, April 20, 1864, and was hurried to the defence of Petersburg, reaching there just in time to assist in the defence of the city, and being desperately wounded at Drewry's Bluff, May 14, 1864. In the Appomatox cam- paign he commanded a brigade uj;ide up of the 24th, 25th, 35th, 49th and 56th North Carolina regiments in Bushrod R. Johnson's division, R. H. Anderson's corps, and in the final assault on Battery IX between Fort Stedman and Fort Mc- Gilvery in Gordan's attack at Fort Stedman, March 25, 1865, he commanded a division com- posed of his own and Wallace's South Carolina brigade, also commanding the same division at Five Forks, April 1, 1865. After the surrender, he took up his profession in Weldon in 1866. He was a Democratic U.S. senator from North Carolina, 1871-95 ; being chairman of the select committee on the river front of Washington, in the 47th and 48th congresses ; of the committee on private land claims in the 49th, 50th, 51st and 52d congresses, and of the committe on commerce in the 53d congress. He was U.S. minister to Mexico, 1895-97, and in 1895 retired to private life. He was a trustee of the University of North Carolina, 1858-65, and received the degree LL.D. from there in 1881.

RANSOM, Robert, soldier, was born in War- ren county, N.C, Feb. 12, 1828; son of Robert and Priscilla (Whitaker) Ransom, and brother of Matt W. Ransom (q.v.). He was graduated at the U.S. Military academy, and assigned to the 1st dragoons, July 1, 1850; was at the cavalry school. Carlisle, Pa., 1850-51, and was promoted 2d lieutenant, Oct. 9, 1851, while on frontier service in New Mexico, 1851-54. He was married in 1854 to Minnie Huntt of Washington. D.C., adopted daughter of General Gibson, of the regular army. He was assistant instructor of cavalry tactics at West Point, 1854-55 ; was promoted 1st lieutenant and transferred to the 1st U.S. cavalry, March 3, 1855, and served as adjutant of the regiment at Leavenworth, Kan., 1855-57, being engaged in the Sioux expedition and in quelling the Kansas disturbances. He was on recruiting service, 1857-58 ; on frontier duty in Arkansas, Kansas and Colorado, 1859-61 : was promoted captain, Jan. 31, 1861, and resigned