Page:The Biographical Dictionary of America, vol. 01.djvu/411

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BRAGG.


BRAINARD.


nooga, and was deprived of his command for the loss of Mission Ridge. At the invitation of Presi- dent Davis he then repaired to Riclmiond, to act as military adviser to the president. In 1864 he led a small force from North Carolina to Georgia, in an unsuccessful attempt to intercept General Sherman. After peace had been established, he accepted the position of chief engineer for the state of Alabama, and had entire charge of the improvements in Mobile harbor. He died in Galveston, Texas, Sept. 27, 1876.

BRAQQ, Edward Stuyvesant, soldier, was born in UnadiUa, N. Y., Feb. 20, 1827. His early education was received at the village schools and academy, and in 1843 he entered Geneva college, where he pursued the classical course for three years. He read law in the office of Judge Noble of Unadilla, was admitted to the New York bar in 1848, and, after practising for a time, re- moved to Fond-du-Lac, Wis. From 1845 to 1856 he served as district-attorney of Fond-du-Lac county, and in 1860 was sent as a Douglas Democrat to the Charleston convention. He entered the Union army in 1861 as captain, and was successively commissioned majors lieu- tenant-colonel and colonel, being mustered out of service in 1865 with the rank of brigadier-gen- eral, after having borne a gallant part during the entire war, being present in every engage- ment of the army of the Potomac, except the Peninsular campaign, Gettysburg, and Five Forks. In 1866 he was appointed postmaster of Fond-du-Lac by President Jolmson, and in that same year was sent as a delegate to the loyalists' convention at Philadelphia. He sat in the state senate for one term, 1867-'68, and in 1868 was a delegate to the soldiers' and sailors' convention that endorsed the nomination of Horatio Seymovir for president. In 1876 he was elected a Demo- cratic representative from Wisconsin to the 45th Congress and was re-elected to the 46th and 47th •congresses, serving 1877- '83. He presided over the Democratic national convention of 1884 where he seconded the nomination of Grover Cleveland in a brilliant speech. He was a repre- sentative in the 49th congress, 1885-'87, and U.S. minister to Mexico, 1888-"89. He was a delegate to the Democratic national conventions 1876-96 ; received the degree LL.D. from Hobart college ill 1898, and was U.S. consul general to Cuba from 1902.

BRAOQ, Thomas, senator, was born in War- i-enton, N.C., Nov. 9, 1810; son of Thomas and Margaret (Crossland) Bragg and brotlier of Brax- ton Bragg. After a classical course lie took a •course at the military academy at Middletown, •Conn. He then studied law, was admitted to tlie bar in 1831, and, settling in Jackson, N.C. , began practice. He served for one term in tlie


popular branch of the state legislatm-e in 1842-'43, was elected governor of the state in 1854 and re-elected upon the expiration of l\is term. In 1859 he was elected as U. S. senator from North Carolina, and in July, 1861, he was expelled from the senate, liaA'ing meanwhile ac- cepted the position of attorney-general in the cabinet of Jefferson Davis. In 1863 he resigned from the cabinet and returned to his home and the practice of his profession. He took some interest in local politics after the establisliment of peace, and in 1870 took an active part in the imi^eachment of Governor Holden. He died at Raleigh, N. C, Jan. 21, 1872.

BRAGG, Walter L., lawyer, was born in Lowndes county, Ala., Feb. 25, 1838. He was educated at Harvard college. He resided at Camden, Ark., where he practised law. When hostilities began between the states in 1861 he entered the Confederate army, and served throughout the war, and at its termination set- tled in Alabama, and resimied the practice of law. He was chairman of the Democratic state executive committee of Alabama in 1874r-'75 and '76. In 1876 he was a delegate to the national Democratic convention and represented Alabama on the national committee. In 1877 he was appointed commissioner to settle the bonded debt of the city of Montgomery. In 1878 he was elected the first president of the Alabama state bar association. In 1880 he was elector -at-large for the state on the Hancock and English ticket. In March, 1881, he was elected president of the Alabama railroad commission by the legislature, to which office he was again elected in 1883, his second term expiring in March, 1885. In January, 1889, Mr. Bragg was appointed an interstate com- merce commissioner by President Cleveland. He died at Spring Lake, N. J., Aug. 21, 1891.

BRAINARD, David Legg, soldier, was born in Norwaj^ Herkimer county, N. Y., Dec. 21, 1856. His preliminary education was acquired at the Norway village school, and he afterwards attended the state normal school. He enlisted in the U. S. army in 1876, and was assigned to Fort Ellis, Montana, and engaged in Indian war- fare vmder General Miles, being wotmded at Muddy Creek, May 7, 1877. In July, 1879, he was promoted sergeant, and in 1881 was ordered to Washington at the request of Lieutenant Greely, and detailed to join the Lady Franklin Bay ex- ploration party. In his position as first sergeant he was cliief of the enlisted men of the party, and had charge of provisions and of aU out -door or field work. He assisted Lieutenant Lockwood in his geogi'aphical expeditions, and was one of the tliree men who camped for two days on the northwest coast of Greenland, in latitude 83° 24' 30" and longitude 40° 46' 30", the most north-