his profession. At the time of the desolation of New York by Asiatic cholera in 1832, he was among the few that remained at the post of duty. He labored night and day, and his courage and zeal resulted in many expressions of respect and admiration from all classes, as well as a public acknowledgment by the city authorities. For more than a century a considerable part of Williamsburg had belonged to his family. He identified himself with the interests of the place when it was made a city, and became its first mayor. He also assisted very materially in the establishment of the important ferries connecting with New York. In 1861 Dr. Berry, although over sixty years of age, went out as surgeon of the 38th New York infantry. When Gen. McClellan retreated to Harrison's Landing in July, 1862, Dr. Berry had more than 300 patients in his care near White House; but in the confusion incident to the moving of the army he and they were forgotten. When he found that the army had departed, he performed the herculean task of carrying the sick and convalescent safely through to the James river, and when he reached it the additions of sick and wounded had swelled his train to more than 800. His death was the result of fever contracted at that period.
BERRY, Hiram George, soldier, b. in Thomaston (now Rockland), Me., 27 Aug., 1824: d. at
Chancellorsville, Va., 2 May, 1863. He learned the
carpenter's trade, and afterward engaged in navigation. He represented his native town in the
state legislature several times, and was mayor of
the city of Rockland. He originated and commanded for several years the Rockland guard, a
volunteer company, which attained a high reputation for drill and discipline. At the beginning of
the civil war he entered the service as colonel of
the 4th Maine infantry. He took part in the battle of Bull Run and the siege of Yorktown, was
made a brigadier-general 4 April, 1862, his commission dating from 17 March, 1862, and was given
command of the 3d brigade of the 3d division of
Heintzelman's 3d army corps. He was present at
the battles of Williamsburg and Fair Oaks, bore a
conspicuous part in the seven days' fight, and was
in the second Bull Run campaign and Chantilly.
In January, 1863, he was nominated by the president as major-general of volunteers, with rank
dating from 29 Nov., 1862, confirmed by the senate on 9 March, 1863. and placed in command
of the 2d division of the 3d army corps, succeeding Gen. Sickles. At a critical juncture in the
battle of Chancellorsville Gen. Berry received
an order from Gen. Hooker to charge upon the
advancing foe. It read: "Go in, general; throw
your men into the breach; don't fire a shot—they
can't see you—but charge home with the bayonet."
They did charge home, and for three hours Gen.
Berry's division, almost alone, withstood the attack
of the enemy flushed with previous victory, drove
them back, and regained a portion of their lost
ground. The battle was renewed the next morning, and again Berry and his division were in the front, and receiving the first assault. Intent upon driving them back, he headed one of his brigades in several successful bayonet charges, and in one
of them was killed by a shot from the enemy.
BERRY, Nathaniel Springer, governor, b. in Bath, Me., 1 Sept., 1796; d. in Bristol, N. H., 27
April, 1894. His father was a ship-builder; his grandfather, John Berry, captain of infantry in the revolutionary war. His mother was Betsy, daughter of Nathaniel Springer, a captain of artillery in the same war, killed in battle. When he was six years old his father died, and the condition
of the family was such that his lot was cast among
strangers, and his educational advantages were
limited. He became an apprentice as a tanner and
currier at Bath, N. H., at sixteen, and served until
twenty-one. In \pril, 1818, he moved to Bristol,
N. H., and in 1820 engaged in the manufacture of
leather, which business he followed about thirty-five years. He was colonel of the 34th regiment of
New Hampshire militia for two years, was a judge
of the court of common pleas from June, 1841, till
June, 1850, and judge of probate for the five years
ending 5 June, 1861. In 1828, 1833, 1834, and 1837
he represented Bristol in the state legislature, in
1854 represented the town of Hebron, and in 1835
and in 1836 was a state senator for the 11th district. Politically he acted with the democratic
party for twenty-two years, and was a delegate to
its national convention at Baltimore in 1840; but
the action of this convention on the subject of
slavery caused him to break his party ties, and he
became one of the organizers of the free-soil party
in New Hampshire. At its first state convention,
in 1845, he was nominated for governor, and received votes enough to prevent an election by the
people. He was re-nominated at the four succeeding conventions. In March, 1861, he was elected
governor liy the republican party, inaugurated in
June following, and re-elected in Mai'ch, 1862,
serving until June, 1863. He was indefatigable in
his efforts to aid the general government in the
suppression of the rebellion ; and enlisted, armed,
equipped, and forwarded to the seat of war more
than 16,000 men. He signed, with the other northern war-governors, the letter of 28 June, 1862, to President Lincoln, upon which he made the call of 1 July, 1862. for 300,000 volunteers. In 1823 Mr. Berry became a member of the Methodist Episcopal church, and in 1872 was a delegate to the general conference. He lost his wife in 1857, and was residing with his son in Bristol when he died.
BERTHIER, Louis Alexandre (bare-te-a), prince of Wagram, French soldier, b. in Versailles, 20 Nov., 1753; d. in Bamberg, 1 June, 1815. He was educated as a soldier by his father, chief of topographical engineers under Louis XVI., and went into active service first as a staff-lieutenant, and afterward as a captain of dragoons, with which latter rank he came to America under Lafayette, and served during the war for independence, 1778-'82. Of this period of his life little is known. On his return to France he served the royal family until the revolution, when his talents made themselves felt and he became one of Bonaparte's generals of division, and subsequently his chief of staff, the most confidential of all positions for a military aide. He followed the fortunes of Napoleon to the last, and was without a peer in his special line of staff duty. He is said to have been murdered by six men in masks ; but some doubt has been thrown upon tins story. His memoirs were published in Paris (1826).
BERTRAND, Saint Louis, b. in Valencia, Spain, in 1526 ; d. there in 1581. He joined the Dominicans in 1544, and obtained permission from his general to preach to the Indians when he had finished his studies. He arrived in Carthagena in 1562. and, after a short stay in the convent of St. Joseph, was ordered to preach the gospel among the savage tribes that dwelt between the river Magdalena and the Cordilleras. As he knew no other language than Spanish, the task seemed insurmountable. It is said that, in answer to his prayers, he was able to make himself understood by his hearers, though speaking only his native language, and that he also received the gifts of
