vindicating his own course. In 1839 he resigned the bank presidency, and in 1841 the bank failed. He was a leading spirit in the establishment of Girard college under the provisions of the founder's will, and, in spite of the unfortunate conclusion of his otherwise brilliant financial career, he commanded the confidence and admiration of all that knew him well. Full discussions of the contemporary questions involved may be found in the “Merchants' Magazine,” “Niles's Register,” the “Bankers' Magazine,” and the reports of congressional committees. — His brother, Richard, author, b. in Philadelphia, 25 March, 1796; d. in Pittsburg, Pa., 7 July, 1847, received a classical education and was admitted to the bar, practising at Pittsburg, where he became eminent in his profession. He went to England in 1827, and remained three years, publishing while there a critical “Review of Captain Basil Hall's Travels in North America.” He also published “A Memoir of Sebastian Cabot, with a Review of the History of Maritime Discovery” (London, 1831), in which many new facts were brought to light. He was chosen to congress, as a whig, and re-elected, serving from 4 Sept., 1837, till his resignation in 1840. — Nicholas's son, Charles John, soldier, b. in Philadelphia in 1819; d. there, 28 Sept., 1873, was graduated at Princeton in 1837, studied law, and was admitted to the bar in 1840; served as a captain of the voltigeurs in the U. S. army in the Mexican war, and was in the actions of Contreras. Churubusco, Molino del Rey, Chapultepec, and at the capture of the city of Mexico. For gallant and meritorious services in these engagements he was brevetted major. At the close of that war he resumed the practice of his profession in his native city. In 1861 he was appointed a colonel in the Pennsylvania reserve volunteer corps, and in October of that year was elected to congress, to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of Edward J. Morris. He was tendered a commission as brigadier-general, but declined it. After the war he became one of the proprietors and editor-in-chief of the Philadelphia “Age,” and retained that place during the remainder of his life. His literary work was confined mainly to editorial contributions to the columns of this journal. The only separate publication from his pen is “The Case of Major André,” a carefully prepared essay read before the Pennsylvania historical society, vindicating the action of Washington. The immediate occasion was a passage in Lord Mahon's “History of England,” which denounced the execution of André as the greatest blot upon Washington's record. By an authority so high as the London “Critic,” this essay was subsequently pronounced a fair refutation of Lord Mahon's charge.
BIDDLE, Thomas, soldier, b. in Philadelphia,
21 Nov., 1790; d. in St. Louis, Mo., 29 Aug., 1831.
He was appointed captain of artillery July, 1812,
and distinguished himself at Fort George and
Stony Creek. At the reduction of Fort Erie he
commanded the artillery, and was subsequently
severely wounded in the defence of that place. At
the battle of Lundy's Lane, 25 July, 1814. he com-
manded a light battery, and was wounded again.
The only British field-piece retained by the Ameri-
cans on that occasion was brought away as a
trophy by. Capt. Biddle. On 15 Aug., 1814, he
was brevetted major, and in December became
aide to Gen. Izard. In 1820 he was paymaster.
He met his death at the hands of Spencer Pettis
in a duel. In consequence of Maj. Biddle's defect-
ive eyesight, the distance was made five feet, and
both men were mortally wounded at the first fire.
BIDWELL, Daniel Davidson, b. in Buffalo,
N. Y., about 1816 ; d. near Cedar Creek, Va., 19
Oct., 1864. He resided in Buffalo, and for twenty
years prior to the civil war was identified with the
military organizations of the state and city. Wlien
the war began he resigned his office of police jus-
tice, enlisted as a private in the 65th N. Y. infant-
ry, and was soon promoted captain. Withdraw-
ing his company from the regiment, he made it
the nucleus of the 74th regiment, N. Y. infantry.
He was commissioned colonel of the 49th regiment
in September, 1861, served with it through the
peninsular campaign, and during the " seven days'
battles " was in command of a brigade, continuing
in charge from Harrison's Landing to Washington,
and up to the time of the battles of South Moun-
tain and Antietam, when he resumed command of
his regiment. Col. Bidwell took a prominent part
in the battles of Fredericksburg and Chancellors-
ville, commanded a brigade at Gettysburg, and,
when Gen. Grant took command of the armies in
Virginia, was again placed in charge of a brigade,
participating in the overland campaign. He was
commissioned brigadier-general in July, 1864, and
served with honor in the Shenandoah campaigns,
during the summer preceding the action at Cedar
Creek, where he lost his life.
BIDWELL, John, politician, b. in Chautauqua
CO., N. Y., 5 Aug., 1819. In 1829 he settled with
his parents in Erie, Pa., and in 1831 removed to
Ashtabula co., where he was educated in Kings-
ville academy. During the winter of 1838-'9 he
taught school in Darke co., and subsequently for
two years in Missouri. In 1841 he emigrated
to California, being one of the first to make the
journey o\erland, which occupied at that time six
months. On the Pacific coast he had charge of
Bodega and Fort Russ, and also of Gen. Sutter's
Feather river possessions. He served in the war
with Mexico until its close, rising from second
lieutenant to major, and was among the first to
find gold in 1848 on Feather river. In 1849 he
was a member of the state constitutional conven-
tion, and during the same year became a member
of the senate of the new state. He was one of the
committee appointed to convey a block of gold-
bearing quartz to Washington in 1850, and was a
delegate to the national democratic convention
held in Charleston in 1860. Since then he has
been a brigadier-general of the militia, and in 18G4
he was elected a representative from California to
congress, serving from 4 Dec, 1865, to 3 March,
1867. He was a delegate to the Philadelphia con-
vention in 1866, and in 1875 he was candidate for
governor of California, but was defeated.
BIDWELL, Marshal S., lawyer, b. in New
England in 1798 : d. in New York city, 24 Oct.,
1872. At an early age he removed to Canada,
where he practised law, rose rapidly in his profes-
sion, and entered political life while still a young
man. He was returned several times from Kings-
ton and Toronto to the Canadian parliament, and
during two terms was speaker of the house. He was
leader of the liberal party previous to and during
the rebellion of 1837, and became so formidable to
the government that he was ordered to leave Cana-
da. He accordingly removed to New York city,
where he subsequently practised law in the higher
courts and was considered one of the ablest and
best men at the bar. He was at the time of his
death president of the oldest savings-bank in New
York city, a director in the American Bible socie-
ty, and a prominent member of the historical so-
ciety, before which he delivered an address a short
time before his death.
