(1866). His iliscelluneous and Scientific Papers were published in.lSSO and contain a biographical memoir of Prof. P. G. Tait.
RANSOM (OF., Fr. ranson, from Lat. re-
demptio, redemption, ransom, from redimere, to
buy back, redeem, from red-, re-, back again,
anew + emere, to buv). A price paid by a pris-
oner of war, or paid on his behalf, in considera-
tion of his being granted liberty to return to his
own country. In early times, when annies re-
ceived little or no regular pay, the soldier looked
for his reward in the booty he might capture,
and this booty incladed the bodies as well as the
chattels of the vanquished. The conqueror had
the option of slaying his prisoner ; but for his
profit he would make him his slave or sell him
into slavery. The transition would be natural
to accepting compensation from the prisoner him-
self and setting him at liberty. In modern war-
fare, where the figliting is done by professional or
paid soldiers, pecuniary ransoms are scarcely
ever resorted to, freedom being granted to pris-
oners in exchange for others of corresponding
rank captured on the opposite side. In interna-
tional law the term ransom is also sometimes
employed to describe a sum paid to redeem cap-
tured property, such as ships and the like. For
example, a ship captured by a privateer may be
redeemed by her owners at an agieed price, and
is then entitled to a 'ransom bill' from her cap-
tors, that is, an instrument which is supposed
to assure her safe conduct to her native ports,
provided she follows a prescribed course.
RAN'SOM, MATTHEW Whitaker (1826 — ).
An American soldier and statesman, born in War-
ren County, X. C. He graduated at the Univer-
sity of North Carolina in 1847, and was admit-
ted to the bar in the same year. In 1852 he was
Presidential elector on the Whig ticket, and from
18.52 to 1855 was Attorney-General of the State.
He was a member of the Legislature in 1858-60,
and in 1861 was one of the three peace commis-
sioners sent to the Congress of the Southern
States at Montgomery, Ala. When his State se-
ceded, he was elected lieutenant-colonel of the
First Infantry, June 3d, but was soon made
colonel of the Thirty-fifth Regiment. With this
he was in the Seven Days' battles, and was
twice wounded at JIalvern Hill. At Antietam he
was in command of the brigade during part of
the engagement. After Fredericksburg he ser'ed
in North Carolina, and when promoted brigadier-
general was assigned to the brigade formerly
commanded by his brother, Robert. During the
Gett3sburg campaign he was in command of the
Suffolk line, and checked the advance toward
Weldon in July. His brigade suffered heavily in
the recapture of Plymouth, N. C, in April, 1864.
Afterwards he was transferred to Virginia, and
served before Petersburg, and on the Crater line.
During the latter part of 1864 he commanded a
division, though his appointment as major-general
was not confirmed. He was particularly compli-
mented by General Lee for the assault on Hare's
Hill. March 25, 1865, and was engaged at Five
Forks. At the close of the war he engaged in
farming until elected to the United States Senate
in 1872. He served continuously until 1895, and
gained great influence in the Democratic ranks.
RANSOM, Robert (1828-93). An American
soldier, born in Warren Countv, N. C. He gradu-
ated at West Point in 1850. "in 1850-51 he was
at the Carlisle Cavalry .School, and from 1851 to
1854 served in New Mexico. He was assistant
instructor in cavalry tactics at West Point in
1854-55, and became first lieutenant First Cav-
alry, March 3, 1855. From 1855 to 1857 he was
in Kansas and then was on recruiting service or
frontier duty until 1861. He was made captain
First Cavalry, January 31, 1861, but resigned
his commission on May 24th. He was commis-
sioned captain of cavalry in the Confederate
Army, organized the First North Carolina Cav-
alry, and was chosen colonel. In November he
commanded at Vienna, Va., in the first cavalry
encounter of the war. On March 6, 1862, he was
made brigadier-general to reorganize the cavalry
in the West and Southwest, but after the fall
of Newbern was sent to oppose the Federal
forces in eastern North Carolina. During the
.Seven Days' battles in June-July, 1862. he was
attached to Huger's division. In the ilaryland
campaign, in Walker's diA-ision, Longstreet's
corps, he took part in the reduction of Harper's
Feriy, and was especially commended for judg-
ment and skill at Antietam. At Fredericksburg
he commanded the division and had immediate
charge of the defense of ilarye's Heights. Until
May, 1863, he was in charge of the defense of the
Weldon railroad, but on his promotion to be ma-
jor-general was assigned to the district including
Appomattox and Blackwater. In October, 1863,
he was in command in East Tennessee and South-
west Virginia, and remained until April, 1864,
when he was recalled for the defense of Rich-
mond. He opposed Butler at Bermuda Hundred
and commanded Beauregard's left at Drewry's
Bluff, ilay 16. In .June he commanded Early's
cavalry against General Hunter, and in the expe-
dition into Maryland. In September he served
as president of the court of inquiry concerning
ilorgan's operations in Kentucky and in Novem-
ber was assigned to Charleston. Illness com-
pelled him to resign this position, and he sur-
rendered to General Howard at Warrenton, May
2, 1865. For a time he served as express agent
and city marshal at Wilmington. N. C, and then
engaged in farming until 1878. In that year he
was appointed superintendent of the United
States harbor and river improvements about
Newbern.
RANSOM, Thomas Edward Greenfield
(1834-64). An American soldier. He was born
in Norwich, Vt., studied at Norwich University,
and at the outbreak of the Civil War was elected
major of the Eleventh Illinois Volunteers. Pro-
moted to be lieutenant-colonel, he took part in
the attacks on Forts Henry and Donelson. and
distinguished himself at Shiloh. He served on
the staff of General Grant, was promoted to be
brigadier-general, fought at Vicksburg, and com-
manded a division in the Red River campaign.
He subsequently commanded the Seventeenth
Corps in the operations about Atlanta, and was
promoted to be major-general. Consult: Wilson,
Sletches of lUiiwis Oficers (1862).
RANSOME, ran'sum, Arthur (18.34—). An English physician, specialist in pulmonarv- complaints. He was born in Manchester, and was educated at Trinity College. Dublin, at Caius College. Cambridge, at Saint George's Hospital in London, and in Paris. He lectured on biology at Cambridge from 1857 to 1861. taught hygiene and public tealth at Owens College up to 1895,
