Page:Appletons' Cyclopædia of American Biography (1900, volume 5).djvu/256

ish. La., 14 Sept., 1876. He was the son of James and Marianna Smith, but in 1837 adopted the name of Rhett, which war. that of a colonial ances- tor. He studied law. was elected to the legislature in 1820. and in 1S33 became attorney-general of South Carolina. During the nullification contro- versy he was an ardent advocate of extreme state- rights views. He served six successive terms in congress, from 1837 till 1849, having been elected as a Democrat, and on the death of John C. Cal- houn he was chosen to fill the latter's seat in the U. S. senate, which he took on 6 Jan., 1851. In congress he continued to uphold extreme southern views, and in 1851-'2, during the secession agita- tion in South Carolina, he advocated the immediate withdrawal of his state from the Union, whether it should be accompanied by others or not. On the defeat of his party in the latter year, he re- signed from the senate, and after the death of his wit't in the same year he retired to his plantation, taking no part in politics for many years. He was an active member of the South Carolina secession convention of December. 1860, and prepared the ad- dress that announced its reasons for passing the ordinance. Subsequently he was a delegate to the provisional Confederate congress at Montgomery, Ala., in 1861. and presided over the committee that reported the Confederate constitution. He was afterward a member of the regular Confederate congress. Mr. Rhett was for some time owner of the Charleston " Mercury," the organ of the so- called " fire-eaters," in which he advocated his ex- treme views. During the war it was conducted by his son, Robert Barnwell Rhett, Jr. After the civil war Mr. Rhett removed to Louisiana, and was seen no more in public life, except as a delegate to the Democratic national convention in 1868.

RHETT, Thomas Grimke, soldier, b. in South Carolina about 1825 ; d. in Baltimore, Md., 28 July, 1878. He was graduated at the U. S. military academy in 1845, assigned to the ordnance corps, and served at Washington arsenal till 1846, when he was transferred to the mounted rifles and ordered to Mexico. He was brevetted captain, 12 Oct., 1*47. for gallantry in the defence of Puebla, and after the war was on frontier duty, becoming cap- tain in 1853, and paymaster, with the rank of ma- jor, 7 April, 1858. He resigned on 1 April, 1861, and reported to the provisional Confederate gov- ernment at Montgomery, but, not receiving the rec- ognition to which he thought himself entitled, re- turned to his native state, and was commissioned major-general by Gov. Francis W. Pickens. He was chief of staff to Gen. Joseph E. Johnston till June, 1862, when he was ordered to the trans-Mississippi department. After the war Gen. Rhett was colo- nel of ordnance in the Egyptian army from 1870 till 1873, when he had a paralytic stroke, and re- signed. He remained abroad till 1876, but found no relief from his malady.

RHIND, Alexander Golden, naval officer, b. in New York city, 31 Oct., ls21 : d. there, 8 Nov., 1897. He entered the navy as midshipman, 1838, became passed midshipman, 2 July. 1845 ; master, 21 Feb., 1853; and lieutenant, 17 March, 1854. He served in the " John Adams," of the Pacific squad- ron, in 1855-'6, and in the "Constellation." on the coast of Africa, in 1859-'61. At the beginning of the civil war he commanded the steamer " Cru- sader," on the South Atlantic blockade, and partici- pated in a series of operation- in l-Mi-tn sound, s. I '.. I a- which he received the thanks of the na department in 18(H-'2. He was commissioned lieu- tenant-commander on 16 July, 1862, and hail . of the Seneca " in 1862, and the monitor " K. o- kuk " in 1862-'3. Previous to the attack on the forts at Charleston he buoyed the channel on the bar. and in the attack the next day. 7 April, 1863, took the " Keokuk " within 550 yards of Fort Sum- ter, becoming the special target of all the forts. His vessel was hit ninety times and nineteen shot penetrated at or be- low the water-line. She withdrew from action sinking, but Rhind kept the ship afloat till next morn- ing, when she sank, but the crew were saved. He was com- missioned command- er. 2 Jan., 1863, continued on duty off Charleston, com- manding the steam-

er" Paul Jones and

the flag-ship " Vabash," and participated in engagements with Fort Wagner and other forts in 1863-'4. In the attack, 18 July, 1863, he commanded the division of gun- boats. He was given the gun-boat " Agawam," of the North Atlantic squadron, in 1864^'5, was in James river from May till October, 1864, co-operat- ing with Grant's army, and bombarded forts and batteries, especially Howlett's, for which he received the thanks of the navy department. In the attack on Fort Fisher he was selected to command the Louisiana " with a volunteer crew from his vessel. She was loaded with 215 tons of gunpowder and bombs, fitted with fuses set to explode by clock- work, and towed to within 200 yards of the beach and 400 yards from the fort. The perilous under- taking, suggested by Gen. Benjamin F. Butler, was successful, but did not injure the fort. Commander Rhind was recommended for promotion, was com- missioned captain, 2 March, 1870, commanded the " Congress," on the European station, in 1872, was light-house inspector in 1876-'8, and was commis- sioned commodore, 30 Sept., 1876. He was on spe- cial duty and president of the board of inspection from 1880 till 1882, became a rear-admiral on 30 Oct., 1883, and on the following day was placed on the retired list.

RHINE, Alice Hyneman, author, b. in Phila- delphia, Pa., 31 Jan., 1840. She is a daughter of Leon Hyneman, and has gained a reputation as a writer of prose and verse for the periodical piv. She has contributed numerous articles to the Popular Science Monthly," the " North American Review," and the " Forum." and has edited an illus- trated work on " Niagara " (New York, 1 ^ v 1 1.

RHOADS, Samuel, member of the Continental congress, b. in Philadelphia, Pa., in 1711 ; d. there, 7 April, 1784. His father, John Rhoads. and grandfather, of the same name, were Quaker colonists from Derbyshire, England. Samuel was apprenticed to the carpenter's trade, and became a wealthy builder. In 1741 he was chosen a member of the city council, but he does not appear tn have held office again till 1761, when he was chosen. with Benjamin Franklin, to the assembly, to which he was again elected in 1762-'4 and 1771-'4. In 1 7til he was chosen by the assembly a commissioner to attend a noted conference with the western Indians and the Six Natimi> at Lancaster. I'a., and in 1774 he was elected by the assembly a delegate to the Continental congress. During this year he was