the senate in April, 1844, Mr. Donelson was asked to undertake new negotiations, and accordingly was appointed chargé d'affaires to the republic of Texas. In 1846 he was appointed minister to Prussia, and in 1848 to the federal government of Germany, which office he resigned in 1849. He assumed the editorship of the Washington “Union” in 1851, but relinquished it during the following year. After the inauguration of President Pierce in 1853, he abandoned the Democrats and joined the American party, receiving the nomination of vice-president on the ticket with Millard Fillmore in 1856. After his defeat in the election that followed, he retired from public life, and devoted himself to the management of his extensive estates. Subsequent to the civil war he practised his profession in Memphis. He published “Reports of Explorations” (Washington, 1855).
DONGAN, Thomas, colonial governor of New
York, b. in Castletown, County Kildare, Ireland, in
1034 ; d. in London, England, 14 Dec, 1715. He
early entered the army, and served with the British
and then with the French, attaining the rank of
colonel. Later he was made lieutenant-governor
of Tangiers by Charles II., and in 1082 the Duke
of York appointed him governor of the colony of
New York. His instructions were to conciliate the
French, and to give no countenance to Indian tribes
hostile to this nation. These suggestions he failed
to carry out, and he was accused of inciting the
tribes known as the Five Nations to war. In 1086
he gave to the city of New York a charter, and in
1688 resigned his office, but did not return to Eng-
land until three years later.
DONIPHAN, Alexander William, soldier, b.
in Mason county, Ky., 9 July, 1808 ; d. in Rich-
mond, Mo., 8 Aug., 1887. His father, Joseph Doni-
phan, a native of Virginia, died in 1813. Alexan-
der was graduated at Augusta college, Ky., in 1820,
and on being admitted to the bar in 1830 began
the practice of law at Lexington, Mo. Three years
afterward he removed still farther west, to the vil-
lage of Liberty, in Clay county. He soon came to
be known as one of the foremost lawyers at the
Missouri bar, but at the same time devoted himself
with such zeal to military studies that he will be
remembered chiefly as a soldier. It seems to liave
been under the influence of Albert Sidney John-
ston, who was for some time stationed at Port
Leavenworth, that this military zeal was awakened
in Mr. Doniphan. In 1838 he had risen in the
state militia to the grade of brigadier-general,
when there was trouble with the Mormons. At
the head of a considerable force of state troops,
Doniphan imposed terms upon the prophet Joseph
Smith ; the Mormons were obliged to give up their
leaders for trial, lay down their arms, and leave the
state of Missouri. When war began with Mexico,
in 1846, Doniphan entered the United States service as colonel of the 1st regiment of Missouri mounted volunteers, and took part in Gen. Kearney's expedition to Santa Fe ; and, when Kearney, in September, 1846, set out from Santa Fe for California, he ordered Col. Doniphan to proceed with
such troops as could be spared from New Mexico
to the city of Chihuahua, and there report to Gen.
Wool. But before this order could be carried out
it becatne necessary to reduce to submission the
warlike Navajos Indians, and having accomplished
this difficult task. Col. Doniphan set out from Val-
verde on 14 Dec. At Bracito river he was met by
a superior force of Mexicans, who sent forward an
officer with a black flag summoning Doniphan to
surrender. " If you don't obey," said the Mexican,
"we will charge, and give no quarter." "Charge
and be d—d," was the laconic reply. In less than
half an hour the Mexicans were put to flight, leaving
more than 200 of their number killed or wounded.
Of Doniphan's men not one was killed, and only
seven were wounded. Two days later he occupied
El Paso, whei'e he was obliged to wait for artillery to
be sent to him. On 8 Feb., 1847, he set out on a
terrible march of 250 miles,, through a savage and
sterile country, for Chihuahua. On the 28th, hav-
ing surmounted most formidable hardships and
arrived within seventeen miles of his goal, he was
confronted by a force of 4.000 Mexicans at the pass
of the Sacramento. Although his own force num-
bered but 924
men, and the en-
emy were strong-
ly intrenched,
he nevertheless
attacked with
such fury as
completely to
rovit the Mexi-
cans, who lost
more than 800 in
killed or wound-
ed. Doniphan's
loss was one man
killed and eleven
wounded. It was
like the ancient
fights between
Greeks and Per-
sians. The next
day Chihuahua
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surrendered. After waiting for weeks until further orders were received, the brave little army marched 700 miles to Saltillo, where they arrived on 21 May, to find the active V)usiness of the war in that part of Mexico ended. After 1847 Col. Doniphan led a quiet life at his home in western Missouri. In 1836, 1840, and 1854 he was elected to the legislature.
DONKIN, Robert, British soldier, b. 19 March, 1727; d. near Bristol, England, in March, 1821. He entered the army in 1746, was at the siege of Belle Isle in 1761, afterward served in Flanders with Wolfe, and through the Seven years' war. and was aide-de-camp and secretary to Gen. Rufane, governor and commander-in-chief at Martinique. He was commissioned captain in 1770, and had risen to the rank of general in 1809. He served through the whole of the American war from 1775 till 1783, in the early part of it as aide-de-camp to Gen. Gage, and then as major of the 44th regiment. He was the author of " Military Collections and Remarks" (New York, 1777, "published for the benefit of the children and widows of the valiant
