USA > Pennsylvania > Encyclopedia of contemporary biography of Pennsylvania, Vol. II > Part 24
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utation, he is, nevertheless, noted for his modesty, courtesy aud unaffected manners. To the strug- gling members of the bar he is a stauneh friend, generous, even lavish in the disposal of his large income, and one of the truest and best of friends. Mr. IIeverin is one of the charter members of the Clover Club, where his witty after-dinner speeches have become widely knowu.
GEORGE G. MEADE.
MAJOR-GENERAL GEORGE GORDON MEADE, U.S.A., was born in Cadiz, Spain, December 31, 1815, and died in Philadelphia, November 6, 1872. His father was Richard Worsam Meade, a Phila- delphia merehant, who followed his business as a merchant and ship-owner in Cadiz, and from 1805 to 1816 was United States Navy Agent for that port. It was during the latter part of this period that the subjeet of this sketeh was born. While he was still an infant, his father beeame involved in litigation growing out of the Peuinsular War, and was un- justly incarcerated in prison in Cadiz during two years, being only released at last by an order from the King obtained through the interposition of the United States Minister. During the term of his imprisonment, however, Mr. Meade's family had been sent baek to Philadelphia. One of the most remarkable elaim eases in the history of the United States grew out of the indebtedness of Spain to Mr. Meade, amounting to nearly half a million dollars. In prosecuting this elaim, the most celebrated law- yers of the country were retained, ineluding Webster, Clay and Choate. A bill enforcing it twiee passed the Senate and onee the House of Representatives, but not being passed by both houses in the same session it failed to become a law. Supported by a treaty, by documentary proofs, by a special affirmation of the Spanish Cor- tez and by the Royal Sign Manual, neither Mr. Meade nor his heirs were ever able to obtain the payment of this elaim. Young Meade attended sehool in Philadelphia, and afterwards-a remark- able faet when one considers his later history-was a pupil in a school in Washington, D. C., eondueted by Salmon P. Chase, who was Secretary of the Treasury when Meade was General-in-Chief of the Army of the Potomae. Later still he attended an institution at Mount Hope, near Baltimore, Mary- land; from which he went to the United States Mil- itary Academy at West Point, where he was gradu- ated in 1835. On leaving the Military School with the rank of Second Lieutenant, he was assigned to
Ciw. G. Munde
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the Third Artillery and ordered to Florida, where he served in the war of the United States Govern- ment against the Seminole Indians. Here liis health failed, and it became necessary for him to leave that part of the country to save his life. He was detailed to conduct a party of Seminoles to Arkansas, and then ordered to Watertown Arsenal, Massachusetts, where he was on ordnance duty un- til October 26, 1836, when he resigned. He now accepted a position as assistant civil engineer, aid- ing in the construction of a railroad at Pensacola, Florida, where he remained until April, 1837, when he received an appointment from the War Depart- ment to make a survey of the mouth of the Sabine River, Texas, which he completed ; and afterwards assisted in the survey of the delta of the Mississippi, -a duty which lasted him until February, 1839. In 1840 the boundary line between the United States and Texas was being surveyed, and Mr. Meade was employed in the astronomical branch of the expe- dition. In August of the same year he was made assistant civil engineer in the survey of the north- western boundary between the United States and British America. On December 31, 1840, young Meade married Margaretta, a daughter of John Ser- geant. On May 19, 1842, he was appointed Second Lieutenant in the Corps of Topographical Engineers, and continued to be employed in the survey of the northeastern boundary until November of the fol- lowing year; and in 1844-5 he was engaged on surveys in the Delaware Bay. In 1845 the United States declared war against Mexico, and in Septem- ber of that year Lieutenant Meade joined the staff of General Zachary Taylor at Corpus Christi, Texas. During the next year he took part in the battles of Palo Alto and Resaca de la Palma, and in the occu- pation of Matamoras; and later, under General William A. Worth, led the assault on Independence Hill at Monterey,-for which he was breveted First Lieutenant-and shared in the march to Tampico. At the siege of Vera Cruz he served on the staff of General Robert Patterson, of Pennsylvania. At the close of the war Lieutenant Meade returned home, and from 1847 to 1849 he was engaged in the con- struction of lighthouses in Delaware Bay and in mapping surveys of Florida reefs. From 1849 to 1855 he was part of the time in the field against the Seminoles ; then on lighthouse duty; was commis- sioned First Lieutenant of Topographical Engineers, August 4, 1851, and then engaged in the construc- tion of lighthouses until May 19, 1856, when he was promoted to Captain ; and from that time until 1861 was in charge of all the northern lake surveys. Soon after the commencement of the War of the Rebellion Captain Meade was appointed Brigadier-
General of Volunteers. His appointment was dated August 31, 1861, and he was assigned to the com- mand of the Second Brigade of Pennsylvania Re- serves in the Army of the Potomac. On June 18, 1862, he was promoted Major of Topographical Engineers. During the Peninsular Campaign lie commanded his brigade in the battles of Mechan- icsville and Gaines' Mills and at New Market Cross Roads, or Glendale, where he was severely wounded. He was taken to Philadelphia for treat- ment and soon recovered, rejoining the Army of the Potomac in time to take part in the second battle of Bull Run. During the invasion of Maryland General Meade commanded the Division of Penn- sylvania Reserves during the absence of General John F. Reynolds, and at the battle of South Moun- tain and at Antietam. In the latter battle he suc- ceeded in flanking the enemy from the right, and so signalized himself by his skill and intrepidity that, after the wounding of General Joseph Hooker on the field of battle, General Mcclellan placed him in command of the First Corps. In this engagement General Meade's horse waa shot under him. In October and November, 1862, he was in com- mand of the division which at Fredericksburg was opposed to the troops of Stonewall Jackson, and which alone of all the army, succeeded in breaking through the enemy's lines-actually finding itself "in the presence of the enemy's reserves." Gen- eral Meade had two horses shot under him; and for want of timely support his division was finally forced back. He was now promoted Major-General, his commission dating November 29, 1862, and on Christmas Day of that ycar he was placed in com- mand of the Fifth Army Corps. He commanded this corps at the battle of Chancellorsville. On June 23, 1863, General Meade was placed in com- mand of the Army of the Potomac. The appoint- ment was unexpected, and the situation was one that was extremely hazardous and perplexing. The change in command was made while the corps were on the march in pursuit of an enemy which had pushed its way into the invaded country. General Meade knew nothing of the position of the enemy and very little of his own command. He was or- dered to relieve General Hooker while the army lay encamped about Frederick, Maryland, Lee's having marched up the Cumberland Valley. Meade at once determined to follow the enemy, making a parallel march on the opposite side of South Moun- tain, arranging his troops so as to guard the passes in order to prevent a descent on Baltimore, and with the final intention of harassing Lee into a gen- eral engagement. Forced marches brought the Army of the Potomac to positions from which they
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could deploy a larger line between Westminster and Waynesborongh. Lee concentrated cast of South Mountain, while Meade's columns occupied the slope along Pipe Creek, the left wing being ad- vanced to the neighborhood of Gettysburg, Penn- sylvania. On the morning of July 1 there was a collision between National cavalry and the head of a Confederate column near the latter city. General Reynolds sent infantry to support the cavalry, but an overwhelming foree of Confederates drove them back and through the town to the hills. General Winfield S. Hancock, after Reynolds had fallen, was sent by Meade to direet operations at Gettys- burg; and, finding the Confederate army approach- ing in force, sent a messenger to General Meade to bring forward his troops to the heights near Gettys- burg, where he posted the remnants of the two corps which had already been engaged. Haneoek re- turned to Taneytown and reported to Meade, ad- vising the selection of Gettysburg as a defensive position; and this advice was fortunately, as it turned out, accepted, and the concentration of the Union forces was made there. During that night and the following morning the Union troops, under Hancock, took position on Cemetery Ridge, while Lee posted his on Seminary Ridge, further west. General Meade arrived at the front soon after noon on July 2, and on four o'clock of that day the battle was opened by the Confederates making a vigorous attack on the Third Corps, which formed the left and left center ; and the fight soon became general along the entire line. The Third Corps was routed, but fortunately without the line being broken, the Union troops being strongly reinforced from the right, and, after a desperate conflict, gaining the possession of Little Round Top, which proved to be a position of vital importance. It was afterwards charged against General Meade that the first attack of the Confederates had induced him to make active preparations for a retreat, and it was stated that he had actually given up the hope of holding the posi- tion ; but General Meade, before the Congressional Committee on the Conduet of the War, denied that he " ever had intended or thought for one instant to withdraw the army, unless the military contin- gencies which the future should develop during the course of the day might render it a matter of neces- sity that it should be so withdrawn." On the even- ing of the 2nd he called a council of war in which the conclusion was reached that the position was a bad one, but that either retreating or attacking would be unadvisable. In the meantime General Lee determined to renew the attack on the follow- ing day; but on the morning of that day (the 3d) Meade took the offensive against General Ewell and
sueeeeded in driving him from the entrenehments which he had captured on the right. The Confed- erates opened fire at one o'clock with one hundred and forty-five guns, the Union artillery having only eighty, advantageously planted on Cemetery Ridge. After the artillery fire ceased, General Pickett's division made its celebrated attack on Meade's cen- ter, under a terrific fire of infantry and artillery both, poured in from all sides, and was nearly annihilated. An advance on the left was then or- dered by General Meade, which drove baek Hood's division. Both armies remained in their position until the evening of the 4th, when Lee retreated to the Potomac and entrenehed himself. Meade fol- lowed slowly, coming up with the Confederates on the 12th, but postponing the attack in deferenee to the decision of a couneil of war. On the morning of the 14th an advance was ordered, but during the night the enemy had crossed the river. The Con- federate foree engaged at Gettysburg was about 69,000 men, while the effective strength of the Army of the Potomac is said to have been between 82,000 and 84,000 men,-this superiority being, however, measurably neutralized by the fatigues of long marches. On the Union side, 2,834 men were killed, 13,733 wounded, 6,643 missing ; in all 23,210. No accurate account of the Confederate loss was ever obtained, but it is estimated at 36,000, of which number nearly 14,000 were prisoners. At the most critical moment General Hancock fell among his men on the line of Stannard's Brigade, desperately wounded, but he continued to direct the fight until victory was assured, and then he sent Major Mitchell of his staff to announce the glad tidings to General Meade. The battle of Gettysburg was one of the most magnificent of modern times. For three days the largest armies handled in modern warfare maintained a fierce and persistent struggle. More than two hundred pieces of artillery at inter- vals of this dreadful drama belched forth missiles of destruction, and made the grand old hills tremble as with the thunders of heaven or with the throes of volcanic fires. The responsibility of Meade was tremendous to contemplate. In accepting the judg- ment of General Hancock as to the proper place for the battle, he resisted the opinions of two or three other leading generals who were opposed to this decision. But Hancock was correct in his judg- ment, and by his magnificent management of his portion of the line of battle confirmed the wisdom of his opinion. Both Meade and Hancock were the recipients of universal praise and admiration on the part of their countrymen for the magnificent hand- ling of the Army of the Potomae in this conflict. As a reward for his extraordinary success-vital at
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CONTEMPORARY BIOGRAPHY OF PENNSYLVANIA.
this period of the war- General Meade was com- missioned Brigadier-General in the regular army, his commission dating July 3, 1863. From this time forward there was a period of comparative inactivity in the Army of the Potomac, which was followed by the actions beginning with Bristoe's Station and ending at Mine Run in December, 1863. It can be said of General Meade's command of the army that it experienced no reverses while he held it ; and he was continued at its head after General Grant had been made commander of all the armies of the United States and had assunied personal direction of all operations. During two years, or more than half the period of its existence, Gen- eral Meade was in immediate command of the Army of the Potomac, and he was in every cam- paign of that army from the time of its formation, and in all of its battles except two. On August 8, 1864, he was made Major-General of the United States Army ; and, as a special honor, was given the command in the grand review which took place in Washington after the close of the war. During the time which intervened prior to the Southern States resuming regular political relations with the Gov- ernment, General Meade commanded the Military Division of the Atlantic. From August, 1866, to January, 1868, he was in command of the Depart- ment of the East. From the latter period until August, 1868, he was in charge of the Military Dis- trict embracing Georgia and Alabama; then in command of the Department of the South, includ- ing the same States with South Carolina and Florida ; and from March, 1869, to his death he was again at the head of the Military Division of the Atlantic. General Meade's death was caused by pneumonia, aggravated by complications resulting from a gun-shot wound which he received at New Market Cross Roads. He was buried with impos- ing military honors. In 1865 General Meade re- ceived the degree of LL.D. from Harvard. He was a member of the American Philosophical Society, of the Pennsylvania Historical Society, of the Phil- adelphia Academy of Natural Sciences, and was one of the Commissioners of Fairmount Park. In that park is an equestrian statue of General Meade, de- signed by Milne Calden, which was dedicated October 18, 1887.
AUGUSTUS R. HALL.
AUGUSTUS R. HALL, merchant and importer of Philadelphia (only surviving child of Joseph and Olivia Gardiner Hall) was born at Paterson, New
Jersey, October 27, 1824; was baptized at St. Mary's Episcopal Church, Burlington, New Jersey, and afterwards confirmed by the Reverend Doctor Dorr, of Christ Church, Philadelphia, and is now the sen- ior representative of the Hall family of Bristol, Pennsylvania. This old family was founded by Robert Hall of Westminster, England, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1682, it is said on the Welcome or one of the other vessels of William Penn's fleet. Robert Hall was the first Coroner of Bucks County, and one of the representatives of that county in the first Provincial Assembly, where he signed the first form of Colonial Government for Pennsylvania. He was a prominent and active member of the Society of Friends. The first meeting of the Society of Friends of Neshaminy (now Middletown) monthly meeting was held at the house of Nicholas Waln, the second at the house of Robert Hall and so alter- nately, until the decease of Robert Hall, March 28, 1688. Robert Hall married Elizabeth White, of Brockelbury, County of Berks, England, a descen- dant of an old family, whose father, George White, came to Pennsylvania in 1687 or '88. John Hall of Bristol was the only surviving child of this marriage. He was one of the principal persons instrumental in obtaining from the Crown a charter, dated Novem- ber 14, 1720, erecting Bristol into a Borough, and constituting Joseph Bond and John Hall, Burgesses. John Hall served as Chief Burgess for fifteen years, and as a member of Council for three terms. He was also for nine years a Representative of Bucks County in the Provincial Assembly, six times Sheriff of the County, and frequently one of the Jus- tices of the Peace. His son, Joseph Hall, great- grandfather of Augustus R. Hall, likewise held office in the Borough government. On the maternal side Augustus R. Hall is descended from the Gardi- ner, Elton, Lovel, Staycey and Tonkin families of New Jersey. His direct maternal ancestor was Thomas Gardiner, of Warminster, County of Wilts, England, whose ancestry can be traced for three generations in that county. Thomas Gardiner pur- chased a share in the West Province of New Jersey in 1678, in which year he removed to that Province, settling at Burlington, where his house, the first dwelling to be erected, became the principal build- ing in the new town, and in it for some time were held the public meetings, and the meetings of the Society of Friends, of which he was an active mem- ber. "It was from the house of Thomas Gardiner that the horn was blown which convened the town meetings." In 1681 he was elected a member of the Assembly, and of the Governor's Council, serving in those capacities and as one of the judges of courts of Burlington County until his death in 1694. He
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was succeeded by his son, Thomas Gardiner the younger, who was one of the judges of the courts of Gloucester County, Recorder, and afterwards Bur- gess of the town of Burlington. In 1703 he resigned the latter office, when, as one of the Representatives of his county in the first General Assembly of the United Provinces of East and West New Jersey, he was clected Speaker of that body. He was the steadfast frieud of the people, thereby incurring the displeasure of the Royal Governor, who deprived him of the Speakership, and made an unsuccessful effort to have him ejected from his seat in the As- sembly. As an interesting event in the history of New Jersey, not generally known, it may not be out of place to give a brief account of Mr. Gardiner's subsequent contentions with the Governor and his party, as described in the words of one of his de- scendants, the late John Stockton Littell, Esquire, of Elton House, Germantown, Pennsylvania:
"Matters in the Council progressed smoothly for a while and the conduct of the Governor justified the compliments contained in the Speaker's address. But his disposition could not long be concealed from those with whom he was immediately con- nected in the government. The character of Lord Cornbury, a ncar relative of the Queen, is well known to the readers of our early history to have been vicious in the extreme. There was, moreover, no bounds to his extravagance. Soon after he took possession of the Government he became unsup- portably tyrannical and arbitrary. Parties existed even at that carly period and the Governor had his adherents. It is, however, a source of satisfaction to the writer that the Speaker was not of the num- ber; but that he was possessed of courage, energy and ability sufficient to oppose and check the en- croachment of Lord Cornbury upon the privileges of the Assembly and country ; and, as an inevitable consequence, we find him obnoxious to his high dis- pleasure. Thwarted in some of his lawless measures by the position and influence of the Speaker, and as the only way of gaining the object he desired, he abruptly dismissed the Assembly, and issued the writs for a new election. He dismissed the Assem- bly with many more encomiums than many of them received on their return to their homes. The char- acter and ability of Mr. Gardiner secured his re-elec- tion, notwithstanding the opposition of the Gover- nor and his adherents; but the majority of the delegates were of a different stamp, and tamely suf- fered the intrigues and arbitrary practices of Corn- bury to deprive them of the services of three of their most influential members-Thomas Gardiner, Thomas Lambert and Joseph Wright,-under the pretence of not owning enough land to qualify them to sit there, though they were known to be men of large and sufficient estate, and the same Assembly at their next meeting at Amboy, in 1705, themselves declared, that the members had heretoforc fully satisfied the house of their being duly qualified to sit in the same, and they were then admitted to their seats, the purpose of their exclusion having been answered. This sitting was in October and November. These purposes were the ejection of
Gardiner from the Speakership and the election of a more pliant instrument in the hands of the Gover- nor."
Mr. Gardiner was also one of the members of the Council of Proprietors, and was active in procuring the recall of the obnoxious Governor and the ap- pointment of Lord Lovelace in his place. He died in 1712 and his death is thus recorded in the minutes of the Council of Proprietors, 1712 :
"This year died Thomas Gardiner of Burlington; many times mentioned before, he was well ac- quainted with public business, a good surveyor, and useful member of society, several years one of Council, Treasurer of the Western Division, and the first Speaker of the Assembly after the union of East and West Jersey."
Augustus R. Hall was brought to Philadelphia when about five years of age. In consequence of the loss of his father, and his mother's precarious health, he was thrown upon his own resources in early boyhood. After receiving a brief common school education in Philadelphia, he entered the employ of Jacob Evans, of Evesliam township, New Jersey, a farmer with whom he remained a few years, adding to his stock of learning by attending school during the winter months. Returning to Philadelphia, he tried several occupations, finally, January 1, 1845, becoming a salesman in the estab- lishment of W. N. & G. Taylor, importers of tin and terne plates, metals, etc., on North Third Street. From that time he has constantly resided in Phila- delphia and been identified with its interests and progress. A year after entering the service of the Taylors, Mr. William Taylor retired, and his initial was dropped from the firm title. Subsequently the place of business was removed to Nos. 3 and 5 Branch Street. In January, 1862, the name of the firm was changed to N. & G. Taylor Co., a change brought about by the admission as partners in the business of Mr. Hall and Mr. William Y. Taylor. Mr. Hall at once assumed control of the sales de- partment, and commenced the direct importation of tin and terne plates, which the house had before that time procured from New York, although the firm had always imported wire, iron and the other foreign materials which they dealt in. On the 1st of Feb- ruary, 1867, Mr. Hall withdrew from the firm of N. & G. Taylor Co., and founded .the house of Hall and Carpenter, in the same line of trade, at 709 Mar- ket Street. Mr. Carpenter died June, 1883, and from that time Mr. Hall has been the sole proprietor of the business. About the time that the firm of Hall and Carpenter was established, the question of the feasibility of starting a line of steamers between Philadelphia and Liverpool was agitated among the tin plate importers and others interested in the for- eign commerce of Philadelphia, an agitation that
Odwie It. I towe
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resulted in 1870 in the establishment of the Ameri- can line of steamers. To this result the Pennsyl- vania Railroad Company contributed materially. Mr. Hall, realizing that to secure the trade which naturally belonged to her, Philadelphia must have quicker modes of transportation than that of slow sailing vessels, took an active interest in the forma- tion of the new steamship line, his own firm sub- scribed liberally, and by his influence and example induced other merchants to do likewise. Mr. Hall has at no time in his active career taken a promi- nent part in political affairs, devoting his time and energies to the furtherance of his immediate busi- ness, and the advancement in Philadelphia of the important branch of trade with which his name has been so long, so closely and so honorably identified. The increased importance of the tin-plate trade in Philadelphia is in a large measure due to the exer- tions and enterprise of Augustus R. Hall. Twenty- five years ago there were only two tin-plate houses in Philadelphia ; now (1890) there are seven, and all doing a flourishing business, each one transacting a heavier trade than was done by the pioneer firms. In the Masonic Fraternity Mr. Hall has taken an active interest for many years, and has been honored by having many important offices of the Order con- ferred upon him. He is also a member of the Board of Trade, Commercial Exchange, Maritime Ex- change, Master Builders' Association, the Union League, the Historical Society of Pennsylvania, Franklin Institute, the Manufacturers' Club, the Art Club, and an honorary member of the 1st Regi- ment Veteran Corps. On September 14, 1847, Mr. Hall married Miss Caroline Alford, who on her father's side is descended from an old family on the Eastern Shore of Maryland, and on her mother's side from the Hasletts of Delaware and Maryland, who distinguished themselves in the War of Indepen- dence. Their surviving childreu are one daughter and four sons.
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