RANSOM RANUNCULUS. 



313 



nines (1867). But the learned and vigorous old man 

 was nut content with this recast of modern history ; 

 at the ape of eighty he boldly essayed to tell in his own 

 thoroughly scientific way die history of the world from 

 the dawn of civilization. Ho lived to complete twelve 

 volumes of his Wdigetduckte, bringing the narrative 

 down to the Middle Ages, 'lliis wonderful work 

 shows no diminution of his intellectual force. 



The celebration of various events in academic career 

 cave opportunity for the government and others to 

 bestow on him marks of honor. In March, 1805, he 

 was raised to knighthood ; in September, 1.SG7, he was 

 made chancellor of the order pour le merits ; in Feb- 

 ruary. 1882, he was made a privy councillor with the 

 tide Excellency; in 1>S;"> his ninetieth birthday was 

 celebrated amid general rejoicings, and the aged Em- 

 peror Wil'uelm gave the special mark of his esteem by 

 railing upon his illustrious subject. The historian re- 

 sumed his pen and labored till within a lew days of his 

 death, which occurred on May , 18S6. 



Beside.- I he works already mentioned, Ranke edited 



the C'Tretpondatee <>/ Fmli rick William IV. icit/i 



and the Memoirs of Count 



Von ll'iril'-uli'i-g (1870-77), and published several 

 treatises on important epochs in German history and 

 a volume of Binrjraplucal Studies (1877). The full 

 list of his works is marvellous, even when his prolonged 

 studious life is duly considered. He abstained from 

 controversy and contented himself with silent correc- 

 tion of proved error. He refused to fritter away his 

 time in correspondence, though he occasionally indulged 

 in agreeable relaxation in society. Of the utmost 

 importance was his example of patient, indefatigable 

 investigation as the essential preliminary of genuine 

 history. He was successful in attracting to this de- 

 partment the best minds among those who waited 

 upon his instructions. Nor was his influence in this 

 regard confined to Berlin or even to Germany. Re- 

 cent historians in England and France have evidently 

 been benefited by his guidance. In his earlier works, 

 since his conclusions were often at variance with those 

 of his predecessors who had not access to the same 

 wealth of documentary evidence, he often felt obliged 

 to fortify his statements by copious citations from 

 original sources. In his later works such authorities 

 were weighed more carefully, and somewhat more 

 Bcopc was given to the historic imagination which he 

 had formerly studiously repressed. He avoided as a 

 plague the generalizations characteristic of French 

 historians, though his writings exhibit a vivacity be- 

 yond the usual reach of the German mind. He takes 

 rank in the highest class of German historians, though 

 My through the necessary limits of his method 

 he has not attained the yet higher place, of the univer- 

 sally acknowledged masters oHi'Morie ::ri. (J. r. L.) 



HANSOM, MATT WHITAKER, gcneril and senator, 

 was born in Warren co.. N. C., Oct. 8, 1820. He .gradu- 

 ated at the University of North Carolina in 1847, and 

 was then admitted to the bar. From 18.")2 to 1855 

 he was State attorney-general and in 1858 he was 

 elected to the State Legislature. He attended the 

 derate Congress at Montgomery, Ala., in 1801, 

 and soon after entered the Confederate army as 

 lieutenant-colonel. He served throughout the war 

 and attained the rank of major-general. He was 

 elected to the U. S. Senate in 1872, and has since 

 been twice re-elected. 



RANSOM. THOMAS EmvAisn GREENFIELD (18r.4- 

 1 804), one of the bravest generals in the American civil 

 war, was bom Nov. 29, 1834, at Norwich, Vt. He was 

 educated in that city at the military institute, con- 

 ducted by his father, Col. Truman B. Ransom, who 

 was killed in the Mexican war. The son afterwards 

 went to Illinois and became a civil engineer and real 

 estate agent. On the outbreak of the war he raised 

 a company of volunteers and was appointed major 

 of the 11 til Illinois Regiment. After gallant service 

 in Missouri he was engaged in the capture of Forts 

 VOL. IV.-n 



Henry and Donelson. Though wounded at the latter, 

 he took part in the battle of Shiloh six weeks later. 

 In June, 1802, Gen. McClernand appointed him chief 

 of his staff and inspector-general of the Army of the 

 Tennessee. He was appointed brigadier-general in 

 November, 1862, and his services in Mississippi in the 

 next year called forth high commendations. In his 

 I*'>-xnH(il .Wi tiiiiirs Gen. Grant speaks of Ransom as 

 a " most gallant and intelligent volunteer officer," and 

 says' that after the siege of Vicksburg hewas well 

 qualified to command a corps. Ransom was in Banks' 

 Red River campaign, and for a time had command of 

 McClernand' s corps. He was again wounded at Sabine 

 Cross-Roads, in April, 1864, but he recovered in time 

 to lead a division in the campaign against Atlanta. 

 Here he succeeded to the command of the 17th 

 corps. His ardor led him. to overtask his body, en- 

 I'oebled by illness, and he died at Rome, Ga. , Oct. 29, 

 IMU. Throuchout his brief career he was distin- 

 guished not only for military ability and energy but for 

 the highest Christian character. 



RANUNCULI'S, agenus of plants, comprising the 

 well-known Buttercup or Crowfoot. The natural or- 

 der Rnntniciilncf cc consists of plants having a separate 

 calyx and corolla, the petals usually numerous, hypog- 

 ynoiis, with numerous stamens, and the pistils all 

 distinct and unconnected. Ranunculus has the petals 

 imbricated in the bud, not valvate as in Anemone, and 

 is well characterized by the solitary erect seed and a 

 scale or pore inside the petal at the base. Represent- 

 atives of the genus are found over the cooler parts of 

 Europe, Asia, and America and in the mountainous 

 parts of warmer latitudes, about one-third existing 

 either as natives or in- 

 ' troduced species in the 

 United States. In moun- 

 tainous regions the flow- 

 ers of some species are 

 larger than the common 

 field-buttercup, while the 

 plants _are much dimin- 

 ished in size, as most 

 Arctic plants are. The 

 name 'Crowfoot" is 

 derived from Ranunculus 

 Asiaticus, which has a 

 cluster of small black 

 roots not unlike the loot 

 of a crow. As often 

 happens in such cases, 

 the name has crept over 

 the whole genus, embrac- 

 ing those with fibrous 

 and bulbous roots as well 

 as those of the original crowfoot style. In the United 

 States "Crowfoot ' is not, often used as a common 

 appellation, "Buttercup" having gained the popular 

 appreciation. The origin of thiscommon name is un- 

 certain, but perhaps the butter-colored flower-cup may 

 have been quite sufficient to suggest the name. The 

 generic name, Rcutunathlt, denotes a little frog or tad- 

 pole, the connection between the two not being appar- 

 ent, except that this plant, like many others, is found 

 in marshy places. 



Two of the leading Buttercups of Europe have 

 flourished by introduction to the New World. In the 

 New England States Jlnntmculut acris has found itself 

 completely at home, and is one of the worst weeds the 

 farmer has to contend with. Farther south, Ramin- 

 ctilus Imlbostis is the prevailing Buttercup. R. repens 

 is occasionally found. R. scclerafus, named from its 

 excessive acrid qualities, as its specific name implies, 

 the "Cursed Buttercup" or " Crowfoot," is found 

 only abundantly along water-courses. 



The acrid property is a strong characteristic of the 

 genus. Before cantharides was introduced it was in 

 general use for raising blisters. Cattle feeding on the 

 leaves get sore mouths and often ulcerated intestines. 



Ranunculus. 



