Hamilton, Madison co., where he attained eminence at the bar. He served as district attorney for Madison county, and was appointed judge of the 6th judicial circuit. He removed to Utica in 1839, and on the adoption of a new constitution in 184(5 was elected one of the judges of the state su- preme court, which office he resigned after six years' service. In 1840 a Canadian named McLeod was arrested for participating in the burning of the American steamboat " Caroline," which carried sup- plies to 500 insurgents on ^avy island, Niagara river. The British government demanded his re- lease on the ground that the deed was done by order of his commanding officer, and threatened war unless its demand should be complied with. Thei'e was so much excitement on the border that McLeod was transferred to Judge Gridley's court for trial. The prisoner was finally acquitted, as an alibi was proved.
GRIER, David, soldier, b. in York county. Pa.,
in 1742 ; d. m York, Pa., 8 June, 1790. He re-
ceived a classical education, studied law, and was
admitted to the York county bar in 1771. He
served in the French and Indian war, and when
the war for independence began he was commis-
sioned captain of the 6th battalion of the Pennsyl-
vania line, served in the campaign against Canada,
was promoted to major in October. 1776, and sub-
sequently to lieutenant-colonel of the 7th Pennsyl-
vania line. He was wounded at the Paoli massa-
cre in September, 1777. At the close of the war
he resumed his profession at York, was elected to
the assembly in 178o, served as a delegate to the
convention "to ratify the Federal constitution, and
was chosen by the constitutionalists one of the
first presidential electors.
GRIER, Robert Cooper, jurist, b. in Cumber-
land county. Pa., 5 March, 1794: d. in Philadel-
phia, Pa., 26 Sept., 1870. He was graduated at
Dickinson in 1812, and after teaching there one
year he returned to Northumberland, Pa., to assist
his father in the academy, of which h'e became
principal in 1815. He devoted his leisure to the
study of law, was admitted to the bar in 1817, and
practised in Bloomsburg. Pa. He then removed to
Danville, where he attained eminence in his pro-
fession. He supported his mother, and educated a
family of ten brothers and sisters. He was ap-
pointed judge of the district court of Alleghany in
1838, and removed to Alleghany City, but went to
Philadelphia in 1848 and resided there till his
death. He was appointed justice of the U. S. su-
preme court by President Polk on 4 Aug., 1846,
and held that office until his death, although he
had. sent in his resignation in 1869. He was origi-
nally a Federalist, but acted with the Democratic
party until the civil war, when he supported the
national cause.
GRIER, William Nicholson, soldier, b. in
Pennsylvania in 1812 ; d. at Napa Springs, Cal., 9
July, 1885. He was graduated at the U. S. mili-
tarv academy in 1835, and assigned to the 1st dra-
goons. He was on frontier duty in the Choctaw
nation from 1839 till 1840, when "he became assist-
ant instructor of infantry and cavalry tactics at
West Point, and held the office one year, after
which he was engaged in frontier duty in the
west. He was appointed captain. 23 April, 1846,
and entered on active service at the beginning of
the Mexican war. He was brevetted major for
gallant and meritorious conduct in the battle of
Santa Cruz de Resales, 16 March, 1848, and was
on frontier duty at Fernandez de Taos in 1849.
During the two following years he took part in the
expedition against the Apache Indians, and was
wounded in the skirmish at Too-koon-kurre Butte,
17 Nov., 1849. Subsecpiently he was in active ser-
vice on the Pacific coast and in the far northwest,
serving in expeditions against the Indians in
Washington territory. In 1861-'2 he served as
acting inspector-general of the Army of the Poto-
mac, and commanded the 1st regiment of cavalry
in the Virginia peninsular campaign. He was pres-
ent at the siege of Yorktown and the battle of
Williamsburg, where he was wounded and brevet-
ted colonel for gallantry. He also took part in the
battle of Gaines's Mills and in the seven days'
change of base to the James river. He was on
court-martial duty in St. Louis, Mo., from Septem-
ber, 1862, till February, 1863, and served as super-
intendent of volunteer recruiting service and chief
mustering and disbursing officer of Ohio. He also
held this office in Iowa from March, 1863, till June,
1865, and in Pennsylvania from June, 1865, till
April, 1866. He was brevetted brigadier-general,
U. S. army, for faithful service during the war on
13 March, 1865. On 31 Aug., 1866, he became
colonel of the 3d cavalry. At his own request he
was placed on the retired list, 15 Dec, 1870.
GRIERSON, Benjamin Henry, soldier, b. in
Pittsburg, Pa., 8 July, 1826. At an early age he
removed to Trumbull county, Ohio, and was subse-
quently engaged in the produce business at Jack-
sonville, 111. At the beginning of the civil war he
became aide-de-camp to Gen. Prentiss, was made
major of the 6th Illinois cavalry in August, 1861.
became colonel, 28 March, 1862, and commander of
a cavalry brigade in December. He was engaged
in nearly all the cavalry skirmishes and raids in
western Tennessee and northern Mississippi, and in
April, 1863, made a successful cavalry raid from
La Grange to Baton Rouge to facilitate Gen.
Grant's operations about Vieksburg. He became
a brigadier-general of volunteers on 3 June, 1863,
major-general, 27 May, 1865, colonel of the 10th
U. S. cavalry, 28 July, 1866, and was brevetted
brigadier- and major-general, U. S. army, 2 March,
1867, for his celebrated raids of 1863 and of 1864-'5
in Mississippi. He was in command of the district
of the Indian territory from 1868 till 1873, cam-
paigning against the Comanches, Cheyennes, and
other tribes, and from 1875 to 1885 he was on duty
in western Texas ; in 1886 in Arizona, and was in
command of his regiment and the district of New
Mexico in 1887-'8 vvith headquarters at Santa Fe.
From November, 1888, to July, 1890, Gen. Grier-
son was in command of the department of Arizona.
In April, 1890. he was made brigadier-general, and
three months later was retired from active service.
GRIFFIN, Charles, soldier, b. in Licking
county, Ohio, in 1826 ; d. in Galveston, Texas, 15
Sept., 1867. He was graduated at the U. S. mili-
tary academy in 1847, was assigned to the 2d artil-
lery, and was soon after ordered to Mexico, and
commanded a company under Gen. Patterson in
the campaign from Vera Cruz to Puebla. In 1849 he
was promoted to 1st lieutenant, and served in New
Mexico against Navajo Indians until 1854. After
other frontier service he was instructor of artillery
at West Point in 1859-'61. In command of the
" West Point battery " he fought at Bull Run, and
on 9 June, 1862. was commissioned brigadier-gen-
eral of volunteers, and took part in the Peninsular
campaign, winning distinction at the battle of
Gahies's Mill. At JIalvern Hill, Gen. Griffin, in
command of the artillery, supported his brigade
against the assault of Gen. Magruder, drove back
the enemy, and contributed signally to the success
of the day. He was present at the second battle
of Bull Run, and was charged by Pope in his re-
