Page:The Biographical Dictionary of America, vol. 10.djvu/257

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VAN CLEVE


VAN CORTLAND T


He was succeeded by Thomas Jonlan Jarvis. He has been classed with Murphy and Macon as one of the three great statesmen produced by the state of North Carolina. He was married, first, to Harriet Newell, daughter of the Rev. Thomas Empsy, who died, Nov. 3, 1878; and secondly, in June, 1880. to Mrs. Florence (Steele) Marten, daughter of Samuel Steele of Kentucky, who survived him. The honorary degree of LL.D. was conferred upon him by Davidson college, in 1867. Senator Vance died in Asheville, N.C., April U, 1894.

VAN CLEVE, Horatio Phillips, soldier, was born in Princeton, N.J.. Nov. 23, 1809. He at- tended the College of New Jersey, 1826-27; was graduated from the U.S^ Military academy, and brevetted 2d lieutenant, 51st U.S. infantry, July 1, 1831; served on frontier dut}' in Wisconsin, 1831-35, and was commissioned 2d lieutenant, Dec. 31, 1834, resigning, Sept. 11, 1836. He en- gaged in farming near Monroe, Mich., 1836-39; near Ann Arbor, 1842-54, and in Minnesota, 1856- 61, meanwhile teaching school in Cincinnati, Ohio. 1840-41; serving as civil engineer for the state of Michigan, 1855, and as U.S. surveyor of public lands in Minnesota, 1856. He was com- missioned colonel, 2d Minnesota volunteers, July 22, 1861, and participated in the battle of Logan's Cross Roads, Jan. 19, 1862, where his regiment pushed back the enemy. For his gallantry in this combat he was promoted brigadier-general of volunteers, March 21, 1862. He served in the Army of the Ohio, in the siege of Corinth, and in pursuit of Bragg's army, and commanded the 5th division, McCook's corps, at Perry ville, Ky., Oct. 8, 1862. His division became the third under McCook at Stone's river, Dec. 31, 1862-Jan. 3, 1863. On the first day of the battle he made the initial movement, crossing the lower ford at 6 A. M., but was recalled to take a position on the turnpike facing toward the woods on the right, where his line could not open fire, since the sol- diers of McCook's beaten regiments were flying in terror between them and the enemy, but later in the day he made a charge at close quarters upon the enemy and was in the thickest of the fight until most of the lost ground had been retaken. On the following day, Jan. 1, 1863, owing to a severe wound in his foot, General Van Cleve gave over the command of his di- vision to Col. Samviel Beatty, but he was able to take part in the skirmishes at Ringgold and near Gordon's Mills, Ga., Sept. 11 and 13, 1863, and in the battle of Chickamauga, Sept. 19-20, where on the first day his division, attached to Maj.-Gen. Thomas L. Crittenden's corps, was repulsed by Stewart, and on the second day. while marching to the aid of Major-General Thomas, was sud- denly thrown into disorder, and its further use-


fulness in that battle destroyed. He was in com- mand of Murf reesboro, Tenn., Nov. 27, 1863-Aug. 21, 1865; was brevetted major-general, March 13. 1865; mustered out of the volunteer service on August 24, and by special act of congress restored to the regular army and retired. He was adju- tant-general of Minnesota, 1866-70 and 1876-82. The honorary degree of A.M. was conferred upon him by the College of New Jersey in 1831. He died in Minneapolis, Minn., April 24, 1891.

VAN CORTLANDT, Philip, representative, was born in Cortlandt Manor, Westchester county, N.Y., Sept. 1, 1749; son of Pierre (q.v.) and Joanna (Livingston) Van Cortlandt. He attended Coldenham academy and was graduated in the first class from King's (Columbia) college, A.B., 1758, A.M., 1761. He gave his attention to survey- ing until his commission as lieutenant-colonel, 4th battalion, New York infantry, in June, 1775; was promoted by Washington, colonel of the 2d New York regiment, Nov. 30, 1776, to succeed Colonel Ritzema, who had abandoned the Amer- ican cause; participated in the battle of Bemis Heights, being present at Burgoyne's surrender, Oct. 17, 1777: served with Gen. John Sullivan in his campaign against the Six Nations, 1779, and for his gallant conduct at Yorktown, Oct. 19, 1781, was subsequently promoted by congress brigadier-general. He was a delegate to the state convention which adopted the Federal constitu- tion in 1788; a member of the state assem- bly, 1788-90: state senator, 1791-93, and a Dem- ocratic representative from New York in the 3d- 10th congresses, 1793-1809. He devoted the re- mainder of his life to the cultivation of his farm, and in 1824 accompanied General Lafayette on his tour through the United States. He served as treasurer of the Society of the Cincinnati, New York, for several years. He died at Cort- landt Manor, N.Y., Nov. 5, 1831.

VAN CORTLANDT, Pierre, lieutenant-gov- ernor of New York, was born in Cortlandt Manor. N.Y., Jan. 10, 1721; son of Philip and Catharine (De Peyster) Van Cortlandt, and grandson of Judge Stephanus Van Cortlandt (q.v.) and of Abraham de Peyster. Owing to the early death of three of his brothers and to the death of Stephen, the eldest, in 1756, whose son was serv- ing in the British army, he assumed charge of the manor in the latter year. He was married to Joanna, daughter of Gilbert Livingston. He served as representative of the manor in the colonial assembly, 1768-75; supported the col- onies in the Revolutionary war; was a member of the provincial convention, 1775; of the coun- cil of safety, 1776; and of the state constitutional convention. 1777. He was appointed first lieu- tenant-governor of New York in 1777. holding the position until his resignation in 1795. His