ABEEL, David, missionary, b. in New Brunswick, N. J., 12 June, 1804 ; d. in Albany, N. Y., 4 Sept., 1846. He was educated at Rutgers College, New Brunswick, N. J., and studied at the Theological Seminary of the Reformed church in that place. His first pastoral charge was at Athens, N. Y., where he remained for two years, and then sailed for Canton, China, in October, 1829, under the auspices of the Seaman's Friend society, but after a year's service placed himself under the direction of the American board of commissioners for foreign missions. He visited Java, Singapore, and Siam, studying the Chinese language ; but his health failed and he returned home by way of Europe in 1883, visiting Holland, France, and Switzerland, and everywhere urging the claims of the heathen upon Christian nations. In England he aided in forming a society for promoting the education of women in the East. On returning to America he published "The Claims of the World to the Gospel," "Residence in China," and "the Missionary Convention at Jerusalem." In 1839 he revisited Malacca, Borneo, and parts of Asia, and in 1842 established a mission at Amoy. In 1845 his health gave way altogether, and he returned home to die. He was one of the most successful of the early American missionaries, being gifted with sound practical sense and energy. See "Memoirs," by the Rev. G. R. Williamson (1849).
ABERCROMBIE, James, British soldier, b.
in Scotland in 170(5 ; d. 23 April, 1781. He was descended from a wealthy family, entered the army,
and reached the gi'ade of colonel in 1746, of major-general in 1756, of lieutenant-general in 1759,
and of general in 1772. He commanded the
British forces in America after the departure of
Loudoun in 1758, ordered the disastrous attack
on Fort Ticonderoga, 8 July, 1758, and then retreated to his intrenched camp south of Lake
George. Superseded in 1759 by Amherst, he returned to England and, as a member of parliament,
supported the coercive policy toward the American
colonies. His son James died in Boston, 24 June,
1775, of a wound received at Bunker Hill. He had
served as aide-de-camp to Gen. Amherst in 1759,
and was promoted to the grade of lieutenant-colonel in 1770. In the charge on Bunker Hill he led the Grenadier Guards.
ABERCROMBIE, James, clergyman, b. in
Philadelphia, 26 Jan., 1758 ; d. there, 26 June, 1841.
He was graduated at the University of Pennsylvania
in 1776, and studied divinity, but, owing to a disease
of the eyes, followed mercantile pursuits from 1783
until 1793, when he was ordained and became associate pastor of Christ church. He was principal of
the Philadelphia academy from 1810 to 1819, and
retired from the ministry in 1833. He published " Lectures on the Catechism" (1807); "Lectures on Rhetoric" (1810); "Lectures on the Liturgy" (1811); "The Mourner Comforted" (1812); and sermons.
ABERCROMBIE, John Joseph, soldier, b. in
Tennessee in 1802; d. in Roslyn, N. Y., 3 Jan.,
1877. He was graduated at West Point in 1822,
served as adjutant in the 1st Infantry from 1825 to
1833, and was made captain in 1836. He served in
the Florida war, and was brevetted major for gallant conduct at the battle of Okeechobee. He was
engaged in frontier duty in the west until the
Mexican war. For gaUantry at the battle of Monterey, where he was wounded, he received the brevet rank of lieutenant-colonel. He was at the siege
of Vera Cruz and at Cerro Gordo, and served in
1847 as aide-de-camp to Gen. Patterson. When
the civil war broke out he was stationed in Minnesota. He took part in the Shenandoah campaign
and was in command at the action of Falling Waters. He served through the Peninsular campaign
as brigadier-general of volunteers, was wounded at
Fair Oaks, and was present at Malvern Hill and in
several skirmishes on the retreat to Harrison's
Landing. He was engaged in the defence of Washington in 1862 and 1863, had charge of depots at
Fredericksburg in May, 1864, and took part in
the defence against Hampton's Legion in June,
1864. He was brevetted brigadier-general at the
close of the war, and retired 12 June, 1865.
ABERCROMBY, Sir Robert, British soldier,
b. in October, 1740; d. near Stirling, Scotland, 3
Nov., 1827. He served in Canada throughout the
French war, and as colonel of a regiment during
the war of the revolution. He led the expedition
that destroyed American shipping in the Delaware
in May, 1778, surprised Gen. Lacey at Crooked Billet, Pa., was wounded at Monmouth, and led a sortie from Yorktown, capturing two batteries. He
was promoted major-general in 1790, served in
India, succeeding Cornwallis as commander-in-chief in 1793, and was made a general in 1802.
ABERT, John James, soldier, b. in Shepherdstown, Va., 17 Sept., 1788 ; d. in Washington, D. C, 27 Sept., 1863. He was the son of John Abert, who came to this country with Rochambeau in 1780. Young Abert was graduated at West Point in 1811, but at once resigned, and was
then employed in the war office. Meanwhile he studied law,
and was admitted to the bar
in the District
of Columbia in
1813. In the
war of 1812 he
volunteered as
a private soldier
for the defence
of the capital.
He was reappointed to the
army in 1814
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as topographical engineer, with the rank of major. In 1829 he succeeded to the charge of the topographical bureau at Washington, and in 1838 became colonel in command of that branch of the engineers. He was retired in 1861 after " long and faithful service." Col. Abert was associated in the supervision of many of the earlier national works of engineering, and his reports prepared for the government are standards of authority. He was a member of several scientific societies, and was one of the organizers of the national institute of science, which was subsequently merged into the Smithsonian institute. His sons served with distinction in the U. S. army during the civil war.—James William, soldier, b. in Mount Holly, N. J., 18 Nov., 1820, was graduated at West Point in 1842. After service in the infantry he was transferred to the topographical engineers, and was engaged on the survey of the northern lakes in 1843-'44. He then served on the expedition to New Mexico, and published a report (Senate doc, 1848). From 1848 to 1850 he was assistant in drawing at West Point, and from 1851 to 1860 he was engaged in the improvement of western rivers, except during the Seminole war in 1856-'58, when he was in Florida. During the civil war he served on the
