ROBERTS
ROBERTtS
in 1685, shortly after the revocation of the Edict
of Nantes; also a descendant of Thomas Smith,
(born at Exeter, England, 1648 ; died 1694), who
removed to South Carolina, 1671, and was made
landgrave and governor of South Carolina in
1693. Joseph T. Robert entered Columbian col-
lege, Washington, D.C., in 1835 ; was graduated
from Brown university, A. B., 1828, A.M., 1831;
attended Yale Medical school, 1829-30, and was
graduated from the South Carolina Medical col-
lege in 1831. He was married, Sept. 8, 1830, to
Adeline, daughter of Col. Alexander James and
Martha (Mosse) Lawton of Robertville, S.C. He
practised medicine in Robertville, 1831-32 ; fitted
for the Baptist ministry at Furman Tlieological
seminary, Greenville, S.C, 1832-34, and was
ordained in 1834. He was pastor of the church
at Robertville, 1834-39 ; at Covington, Ky., 1839-
42 ; at Lebanon, Ohio, 1842-40 ; at Savannah, Ga.,
1847-50, and at Portsmouth and Zanesville, Ohio,
1851-58. He was professor of mathematics and
natural science in Burlington university, Iowa,
1858-63 ; professor of languages in Iowa State
university, 1863-67, and president of Burlington
university, 1869-70. He was principal of the
Augusta Institute for the Training of Colored
Ministers, at Augusta, Ga., 1871-79, and from
1879 to 1884 was president of the Atlanta Baptist
seminary, with which the Augusta Institute was
incoi-porated in 1879. He received the degree of
LL.D. from Denison university in 1869. He died
in Atlanta, Ga., March 5, 1884.
ROBERTS, Benjamin Stone, soldier, was born in Manchester, Vt., Nov. 18, 1810, son of Gen. Martin and Betsey (Stone) Roberts ; grandson of General Christopher and Mary (Purdy) Roberts and of Luther and Oladine Stone, and a de- scendant of Petei' and Sarah (Baker) Roberts. Peter Roberts probably came from Wales in 1670, and lived in Providence, R.I. He was graduated at the U.S. Military academy and brevetted 2d lieutenant in the 1st dragoons, July 1, 1835. He was married Sept. 18, 1835, to Eliza- beth, daughter of Anson and Laura (Pierpont) Sperry of Plattsburgh, N.Y.; served on frontier duty in Iowa and Kansas, 1835-38 ; was com- missioned 2d lieutenant, 1st dragoons. May 31, 1836, 1st lieutenant, 1st dragoons, July 31, 1837, and served on recruiting duty, 1888-39. He re- signed from the U.S. army, Jan. 28, 1839 ; was chief engineer of the construction of the Champlain and Odgensburg railroad, 1839-40 ; assistant geologist of the state of New York in
1841, and aided Lieut. George W. Whistler in constructing the Russian system of railways in
1842. He returned to the United States and having fitted himself for law, was admitted to the bar and settled in practice in Des Moines, Iowa, in 1843. He was lieutenant-colonel of the
Iowa militia, 1844-46 ; was re-appointed to the
U.S. army as 1st lieutenant. Mounted Rifles,
May 27, 1846, and participated in all tlie prin-
cipal engagements of the Mexican war, culminat-
ing in the capture of the city of Mexico. He
was selected by General Quitman to raise the first
American flag over the "Halls of the Montezu-
mas," because of conspicuous gallantry displayed
by him in the storming of Chapultepec, before
tlie capture of the city by the U.S. troops. He
was promoted captain, Mounted Rifles, Feb. 16,
1847 ; brevetted major, Sept. 13, 1847, for Cha-
pultepec, and lieutenant-colonel, Nov. 24, 1847,
for gallantry in the action at Matamoras and at
the pass at Galaxara, Nov. 23-24, 1847, and re-
ceived a sword of honor from the legislature of
Iowa for his Mexican war service, Jan. 15, 1849.
He served on frontier duty in Kansas and Dakota
Territory, 1848-49, was on leave of absence, 1850-
52 ; and was employed in examining land titles
in the topographical bureau at Washington, D.C.
1852-53. He was on leave of absence and on
frontier duty in Texas and New Mexico, 1853-61,
was promoted major, May 13, 1861 ; transferred to
the 3d cavalry, Aug. 3, 1861 ; served in New
Mexico under General Canby, 1861-62, being en-
gaged at Fort Craig, Valverde, Albuquerque and
Peralta ; and was brevetted colonel, Feb. 21, 1862,
for Valverde. He was promoted brigadier-gen-
eral of volunteers July 16, 1862 ; and served as
inspector-general on General Pope's staff at Cedar
Mountain, Rappaliannock Station, Sulphur
Springs and Second Bull Run. After the defeat
of Pope's army at Second Bull Run General Stone
preferred charges against Gen. Fitz John Porter
(q.v.) for disobedience of orders and acts of mis-
behavior in the presence of the enemy. He com-
manded an expedition against the Chippewa
Indians in the Mille-Lacs country in November,
1862 ; commanded successively the upper defenses
of Washington, D.C, an independent brigade
in Western Virginia and district of Iowa in 1863 ;
and served in Texas and Louisiana, 1864. He
was chief of cavalr}-, department of the Gulf from
October, 1864, to January, 1865 ; commanded the
district of West Tennessee and the cavalry divi-
sion of the district of Tennessee in 1865, and was
brevetted brigadier-general U.S.A. and major-
general of volunteers, March 13, 1865, for Cedar
Mountain and Second Bull Run. He was mus-
tered out of the volunteer service, Jan. 15, 1866 ;
was promoted lieutenant-colonel, 3d cavalry,
July 28, 1866 ; served on frontier duty in New
Mexico, 1867-68, was instructor in militarj'
science at Yale, 1868-70, and was retired from
active service on his own application, Dec. 15,
1870. He invented the Roberts breech-loading
rifle, and in 1870 organized a stock company to
manufacture the rifle, which was not financially
