716 



RAXXEY, MOSES H. 



RAXSOM THOMAS E. G. 



vctcrate political enemies had ever breathed a 

 suspicion, all contributed to render his old age 

 interesting and endearing. Few men, it may 

 be said, have ever so completely outlived the 

 animosity which party rancor had associated 

 with their character. Though retired from po- 

 litical life he continued to be in theory a fed- 

 eralist of the early type, and an uncompromis- 

 ing opponent of a slaveholding power. He was 

 a warm advocate of the election of Col. Fre- 

 mont in 1856, in whose behalf he wrote and 

 even spoke iu public, though then in his 85th 

 year ; and the outbreak of the rebellion in 1801 

 found him a staunch supporter of the Govern- 

 ment, notwithstanding the infirmities of age 

 prevented him from taking an active part in 



support of the Union. He looked upon the 

 war as the most hopeful sign of the country's 

 future that he had ever seen, and predicted 

 from the date of its termination the commence- 

 ment of a new and grander epoch of national 

 greatness. 



Besides a number of speeches in Congress and 

 occasional orations, in which he evinced a con 

 siderable degree of florid eloquence, Mr, 

 Quincy published a memoir of his father ; " His- 

 tory of Harvard University " (2 vols., Cam- 

 bridge, 1840), expanded from his oration at 

 the second Centennial of the University ; " Mu- 

 nicipal History of Boston during two centuries ; " 

 "Life of 'John Quincy Adams." and some mis- 

 cellaneous works. 



RAXXEY, MOSES II., M. D., an American 

 physician, born at Stockbridge, Yt., Aug. IGth, 

 1814, died in Xew York, of typhus fever, Dec. 

 7th, 1864. He graduated at the Berkshire Med- 

 ical Institute, at Pittsfield, Mass., in 1838, and 

 subsequently practised his profession in Sauls- 

 bury, Yt., for seven years. In 1845 he removed 

 to Xew York City, and was appointed assistant 

 physician of Bellevue Hospital. After a due 

 course of service he was appointed resident 

 physician of the lunatic asylum on Blackwell's 

 Island, in 1847, which position he held until 

 his decease. He occupied a high place in the 

 medical profession, and was thoroughly adapted 

 for the important and responsible position to 

 which he was called, and from his experience 

 and close application to the study of mental 

 diseases was accounted as an authority both in 

 the profession and in the courts ; his opinions 

 being frequently made the basis of judicial de- 

 cisions. Dr. Ranney was a member of the Xew 

 York Pathological Society, and a frequent con- 

 tributor to the medical and psychological jour- 

 nals of the United States. 



RAXSOM, THOMAS EDWARD GEEEXFIELD, a 

 brigadier-general of U. S. volunteers, born in 

 Xorwich, Vt., Xovember 29, 1834, died of dys- 

 entery at Rome, Ga., October 29, 1864. "in 

 1846 he entered Xorwich University, continuing 

 there, with the exception of a short interval, 

 until the age of seventeen. In 1851 he entered 

 upon the practise of his profession as an en- 

 gineer, in Lasalle County, Illinois. Three years 

 later he embarked in the real estate business at 

 Peru in that State, and in 1855 removed to 

 Chicago to become a member of a firm largely 

 engaged in land operations. At a later period 

 he removed to Fayette County, and while en- 

 gaged in trade acted as an agent for the Illinois 

 Central Railroad Company. At the commence- 

 ment of the war he raised a company and pro- 

 ceeded to Camp Yates, at Springfield, April 24, 

 1861, where it was organized into the llth Il- 

 linois volunteers, and upon the election of offi- 



cers he was made major. After the expiration 

 of the three months' service the regiment was 

 reorganized and mustered in for three years, 

 Ransom being elected lieutenant-colonel. On 

 the night of the 19th of August, in a brilliant 

 dash upon Charleston, Mo., he was severely 

 wounded, and in consequence was granted a 

 furlough of thirty days, but reported for duty 

 upon the seventh day. He participated in the 

 capture of Fort Henry, and led his regiment in 

 the assault upon Fort Douelson, where he was 

 again severely wounded, his clothing bekg 

 pierced by six bullets, but he Avould not leave 

 the field until the battle was ended. For his 

 gallantry upon that occasion he was promoted 

 to the colonelcy. At Shiloh Colonel Ransom 

 led his regiment through the hottest part of the 

 battle, and was mentioned by Major-General 

 McClernand in his official report as "perform- 

 ing prodigies of valor, though reeling in his 

 saddle and streaming with blood from a serious 

 wound." He subsequently served upon the 

 stafF of Gen. McClernand, and also upon that 

 of Gen. Grant, who has on several occasions 

 borne testimony to his bravery as an officer. 

 In January, 1863, Ransom was appointed briga- 

 dier-general, his commission dating from Xo- 

 vember, 1862. He Avon honor to himself at 

 Vicksburg and during the Red River campaign, 

 commanded a division until Gen. McClernand 

 fell ill, when the command of the corps devolved 

 upon him. In the disastrous battle of Sabino 

 Cross-Roads, April, 1864, while fighting with 

 a courage and bravery unsurpassed, he was 

 severely wounded in the knee. The limb was 

 examined by four surgeons, two advising am- 

 putation, and the others deeming it unneces- 

 sary. Subsequently Gen. Ransom was assigned 

 to the command of the Fourth division, Six- 

 teenth army corps, operating in the vicinity 

 of Atlanta, from thence was promoted to the 

 command of the left wing of the corps, and 

 finally to the command of the Seventeenth 

 corps. From the date of the capitulation of 



