Wilson's Creek, and also in charge of the south- eaMern district of that state after February. He had become colonel of the 8th Iowa regiment on 23 Sept., 1861, and on 29 Jan., 1862, was commis- sioned brigadier-general of volunteers. He led a division in the Army of the Southwest from May till November, 1862, being engaged at Round Hill, 7 July, and in the occupation of Helena, Ark. On 2!i Nov. ! was made major-general of volunteers, and. after engaging in the Yazoo expedition, he commanded a division in the Vicksburg campaign, taking part in the operations at Young's Point, the advance to Grand Gulf, the attack on Jackson, and the siege of Vicksburg. For his services in this campaign he received the brevet of colonel in the regular army, 4 July, 1863. and on 26 Aug. he was promoted to lieutenant-colonel. From July, 1863. till Jan., 1864, he was at the head of the Army of Arkansas, taking part in the capture of Little Rock, 10 Sept., 1863, and then till 29 Nov. he commanded the department of that state. He led a column in the Mobile campaign, and at the close of the war received the brevet of brigadier-general, U. S. army. for -ei-vice-. in tin- rapture of Little Hock, and that of major-general for services during the war. He was then transferred to Texas, and placed in com- mand on the Rio Grande, and from 21 Dec., 1865, he had charge of the Department of the Columbia. From 23 Nov., 1867, till his death he was on leave of absence. He had been promoted colonel of the 20th infantry. 28 July. 1866.
STEELE. Joel Dorman, educator, b. in Lima,
N. Y., 14 May, 1836; d. in Elmira, X. Y., 25 May.
1886. He was graduated at Genesee college in
ls.">s, and then taught at the Mexico academy, of
which institution he was appointed principal in
is.-)!i. Soon after the beginning of the civil war
he became captain in the 81st New York volun-
teers, and served in the peninsula campaign, being
severely wounded at Seven Pines. He was chosen
principal of the Newark, N. Y., high-school in 1862,
and in 1866 accepted a similar office in the Elmira
free academy, which place he retained until 1872.
Subsequently he devoted his time exclusively to the
preparation of text-books. The degree of Ph. D.
was conferred on him by the regents of the Uni-
versity of the state of New York in 1870. and dur-
ing the same year he presided over the New York
state teachers' association. In 1872 he was
I. .-i ed a fellow of the Geological society of London,
and also in 1872 he was chosen by the alumni a
trustee of Syracuse university, in which (o ee
college had been merged, and to that univer.-ity hi'
bequeathed 50,000 to found a professorship of
theistic science. Dr. Steele was the author of a
popular series of scientific text-books, each intended
fora course of fourteen weeks, including "Chem-
istry " (New York, 1867) ; " Astronomy " (1868) ;
" Natural Philosophy " (1869) ; " Geology " (1870) ;
"Human Physiology" (1873); "Zoology" (1875);
and " Key to the Practical Questions in Steele's
Sciences " (1871) ; also " Barnes's Popular History
of the United States " (1875) ; and with his wife,
ESTHER BAKER STEELE, a series of brief histories,
including " The United States " (1872) ; " France "
(1874) ; " Ancient Peoples " (1883) ; " Mediaeval
and Modern Peoples " (1883); " General History "
(1883) ; " History of Greece " (1883) ; and " History
of Rome " (1884).
STEELE, John, soldier, b. in Augusta county.
Va., about 1755; d. about 1805. He entered the
Revolutionary army, served as an officer at the bat-
tle of Point Pleasant, Va., 10 Oct., 1774. and at tin-
battle of Germantown was shot through the body.
He was for many years one of the executive coun-
cil of his native state, and in John Adams's admin-
istration served as a commissioner to treat with
t In' ( herokee Indians. From 1798 till 1801 he was
secretary of Mississippi territory.
STEELE. John, soldier, b. in Lancaster county.
Pa., 15 Aug.. 1758: d. in Philadelphia, 27 Feb.,
1827. He was educated for a Presbyterian clergy-
man, but on the breaking out of the war of the
Revolution entered the army, in which he rose to
the command of a company, 23 March. 1779. He
was seriously wounded at the battle of the Brandy-
w.ui. and retired from the service, 1 Jan., 1783.
In 1801 he was elected state senator, but, as he
held a United States appointment, his seat was
dei-lari'd vacant. In 1804 he was re-elected, and
in 1805 became speaker of that body. In 1806 he
was the Democratic candidate for U. S. senator,
but was defeated by Andrew Gregg. He served
as one of the commissioners to adjust the damages
-iistained by the Wyoming sufferers at the hands
of the Indians. In 1808 President Jefferson ap-
pointed him collector of the port of Philadelphia,
which post he filled during the remainder of his
life. He also held the rank of brigadier-general
in the Pennsylvania militia. His brother, ARCHI-
BALD (1741-1832), was adjutant at the siege of
Quebec under Arnold, afterward deputy quarter-
master-general, and at the time of his death was
military store-keeper at Philadelphia. His cousin,
James, soldier, b. in Lancaster county, Pa., 16
Jan., 1765 ; d. at Harrisburg, Pa., 30 Sept., 1845,
received a classical education, and was a man of
considerable enterprise. He erected a paper-mill
on Octorara creek, and subsequently two cotton-
mills. He served in the war of 1812-'14, and for
meritorious conduct was promoted to the rank of
brigadier-general of militia. Late in life he re-
tired from business and removed to Harrisburg,
where he died. His son, Francis B. Steele, was
military store-keeper at the Falls of St. Anthony,
Minn., for a long period.
STEELE, John, statesman, b. in Salisbury. N. C.,
1 Nov., 1764; d. there, 14 Aug., 1815. His mother,
Elizabeth, entertained at her house in Salisbury mi
1 Feb., 1781, Gen. Nathanael Greene, who was then
discouraged and penniless, and insisted on his
accepting two small bags of specie, her earnings
for years. " Never," says Greene's biographer. - did
relief come at a more needed moment." John was
educated as a merchant, but when he had arrived
at manhood became a successful planter, and was
also active in politics. He was elected to the legis-
lature in 1787 and 1788, and in the latter year, as a
member of the convention to consider the U. S.
constitution, made fruitless efforts to secure its
adoption. He was a member of the first two con-
gresses, from April, 1790, till 2 March, 1793, hav-
ing been elected as a Federalist, and was again in
the legislature in 1794-'5. On 1 July, 170(i, Sen.
Washington made him first comptroller of the
treasury, which office he held through Adams's
administration, resigning on 15 Dec., isoi. though
President Jefferson solicited him to remain. He
was a commissioner to adjust the boundary between
North and South Carolina in 1806, and was again in
the legislature in that year and in 1811-'!:!, serving
as speaker in 1811. He was elei trd for another
term on the day of his death. He was active in
militia matters, and attained the rank of Lreneral.
STEELE, William, soldier, b. in Albany. N. Y., in 1819; d. in San Antonio, Tex., 12 Jan.. !**.">. lie was graduated at the U. S. military academy in 1840, assigned to the 2d dragoons, and -eived in the Florida war. the military occupation of Texas, and the war with Mexico, being promoted 1st
