GEN. LUCIUS V. BIERCE,

OF AKRON, 0HI0.

     The following Biographical Sketch of GENERAL L. V. BIERCE, we copy from "Biographical Sketches of Eminent Americans."

      "Gen. Lucius V. Bierce was born at Cornwall, Litchfield county, Connecticut, on the fourth day of August, 1801. His paternal ancestors came from England, and settled at Halifax, N. S. From thence they removed to Plymouth. Mass., and from thence to Cornwall, where the subject of our present memoir was born.

      "On the maternal side he was descended from the Bells, of Scottish renown, from whom he inherited a sprinkling of the wild and chivalrous propensity that marks the Highland clans­man.

      His father was a soldier of the Revolution during the con­tinuance of that war, having enlisted in April, 1775, and was discharged in November, 1783. He belonged to Col. Heman's Swift's Regiment of Connecticut troops, and was sent immediately after his enlistment, to Ticonderoga, then considered on the con­fines of the world. He was orderly sergeant of the company to which he belonged, and in the battles of Monmouth, White Plains, Fort George, and in the dreary winter spent at Valley Forge, every officer of his company higher than himself was killed, or died, and he left in command.

      "During his seven years' service he clothed himself from home, and laid up his pay and the amount allowed him for clothing, so that at the close of the war he had a "pile" of worthless continental bills. The only use they ever were to him was to quiet the little ones and the whole compensation for standing target for British soldiers seven years, was given to the children to play with. This circumstance, probably gave a tinge to the mind of our subject, as has ever been a most bitter enemy to a paper cur­rency.

      "During the session of the Ohio Legislature of 1830-31 numer­ous applications were made for additional bank charters. Petitions were sent in, signed by Democrats as well as by their opponents, asking additional "bank facilities." Gen. Bierce got up a remonstrance against them and, unable to get an additional name, sent it in, signed by himself' alone.            The closing sentence is characteristic of the man. Said he: If we must have monied incorporations to control the currency, and regulate the exchanges of the country, let us have a United States Bank. For my part, I had rather be swallowed by a whale than nibbled to death by minnows."

      "All else that remained to his father at the close of the war was honorably discharge, and a hundred acres of land in Muskingum Ohio—which he sold, sixty-six years afterwards, for two dollars an acre.

      "The subject of this notice received the common rudiments of an English education at the school in his native town, which was all his father was able to bestow on him. At the age of fifteen he lost his mother when his father being advanced in life, concluded to abandon housekeeping. Young Bierce was thrown upon his own resources, and his mind was soon settled upon his future course of life.

      "The year subsequent to his mother's death, his father removed from Cornwall to Nelson, Portage county, Ohio, and within one week after his arrival there young Bierce announced his determination of acquiring an education. His father gave his assent, with the chilling remark—"But you must rely on your own resources; I cannot help you." That very day he left his paternal roof, and started for the Ohio University, at Athens, where he arrived on the 3d of September, 1817. To add to his difficulties, he was taken sick with a bilious fever immediately on his arrival, which confined him for three months, most of the time dangerously ill, and for a considerable time without reason. On his recovery he found himself possessed of the one fifth of a quarter of a dollar, it being at the time of making "cut money," when they cut five sixpences from a quarter. This with a father's blessing, was all that remained of is patrimony. But discouragement was a word unknown to his vocabulary and on the 3d of December, 1817, he commenced his academic course, under the charge of Rev. Jacob Lindley long President of the Ohio University. On the 11th of September, 1822, he graduated, and received the degree of A.B. He now determined to go to the Southern States and see if he could not retrive [sp] his fortune, and replenish his empty purse. Although in debt for his tuition, board, and clothing, yet so much confidence had he inspired in the public mind, that the Hon. Amos Crippen of Athens, than whom does not live a nobler man, gave him an unlimited letter of credit, on which to raise money for his journey. Having arranged his business, which consisted in packing his knapsack, he started, on foot, on the 9th of October, and on the 3d of November, 1822, landed in Yorkville, South Carolina. Here he remained a few days, when he went to Lancaster, and not finding business as good as he had hoped, he commenced the study of law with Robert J. Fenill, which he continued until the 4th of March following, when he left there en route for Alabama, where he arrived on the 8th of April, and commenced study with Dr. Sterne Houghton, in Limestone county. On the 12th day of September, 1823, he was examined, and licensed as an attorney and counselor at law, by C. C. Clay and Richard Ellis, of the Supreme Court of that State.

     The father of young Bierce being far advanced in life, and anxious to have his son near him in his declining days, decided his future course. Prompted by a sense of filial duty, he left the sunny south, on the 2d of October, 1823, and on the 19th again arrived in Athens, having been absent a year and ten days during which time he had studied the law, and had been admitted to practice, besides walking over 1800 miles, with his knapsack on his back.

      On returning to Ohio he concluded to settle in Ravanna, Portage county, and accordingly pursued his law studies for one year longer, under the instruction of Hon. J. Slaam, of that town. In 1824 he was admitted to the bar of 0hio, and in 1825 received the appointment of district attorney which he held by successive appointments and elections for eleven years, when he resigned the office, and removed to Akron, now the county seat of Summit. He now devoted his whole time to the duties of his profession, until the "Patriot war" broke out in 1837. He then entered into that with a spirit and perseverance that was worthy of success. His time and, money were freely expended to little purpose. McKenzie, Sutherland, and Van Rensselaer, and others had failed: the fairest portion of Canada had been laid in ashes by order of Sir John Colburn, and many of her bravest sons had perished on the scaffold. In this desponding state of affairs he was astonished, on his reception in Cleveland, on the 8th of August, 1838, at the official information that he had been unanimously elected commander-in-chief of the Patriot forces in Canada. 

     Desponding as were the prospects of Canadian independence, after so many defeats, and responsible and dangerous as was the situation, he accepted it, and immediately repaired to his post, and commenced arranging for another campaign. He opened a correspondence with Colonel Von Schultz, a Polander, who had under his command 300 veteran Poles, who had seen service, and been compelled to flee their country for participating in the Polish rebellion. These were ordered to Detroit, to serve as a nucleus around which to form an army. General Putnam, a descendant of the revolutionary hero, but for twenty years a resident of Canada, was recruiting, in Michigan, where he had over 1200 on his muster-roll; and Colonel Hannel a Kentuckian, was recruiting in Ohio, and had 187 in his roll; and Gen. Birge was in command of a considerable force in New York. These latter were ordered to Buffalo, to hold themselves in readiness to cross, and fortify Fort Erie, as soon as they should learn that Gen. Bierce had possession of Fort Malden.

      While things thus assumed a favorable aspect, Gen. Bierce learned with surprise that Gen. Birge had countermanded his or­ders to Colonel Von Schultz and had planned the unfortunate expedition on Fort Wellington, at Prescott. An express was im­mediately sent to stop the wild scheme, but scarcely had it left before another express arrived saying they should cross and attact Fort Wellington at all hazards. Gen. Bierce then started in person, in hopes to be in time to prevent it, but arrived in Buff­alo just in time to hear that his worst fears were realized. 

     Seeing his hopes all blasted, he immediately repaired to Swan Creek, opposite Malden, where his troops were then rendezvous­ing, but instead of raising that cheering news which animates the soldier, he was compelled to announce that all hope of success was blasted.

      Von Schultz, on whose military experiences so much reliance had been placed, had perished on the scaffold and his brave Poles were dead or prisoners. No aid could now be expected from New York, and the Canadians had lost their confidence. Gen. Bierce laid the matter fully before his troops—told them there was no prospect of success—but if they decided to attempt it, he would lead them. All but 180 immediately left, and returned to their homes. A council of war was held, and, with one exception, they unanimously declared they had rather cross, and die honora­ble, than return to their homes, and be sneered at as cowards. On the determination of this council of war, the order was given, and at ten o'clock at night, on the 3d of December, 1838, this little band left Detroit for Windsor, with little expectation of ever returning. To add to their misfortunes, Gen. Brady, on the night before they left their camp, with a party of United States troops, had seized all the Patriot guns he could find, under the misnamed neutrality law, so that they had but one hundred and twelve guns on landing on the Canada shore.

      The attack commenced about four o'clock in the morning, by driving in the British outpost, and charging on their main position. This, too, was soon carried, and the Patriots, after an engagement against treble there number, for five hours, the burning of the public lands and xxx xxxxx on the arrival of a reinforcement from Malden, with field artillery. The enemy now numbered over 600; the Patriots, but 137 at crossing, now reduced by killed and wounded to about 100, and they incumbered with 26 prisoners. As evidence of the moral principle that governed the Patriots, it need only be mentioned that though in possession of Windsor several hours, not a cent of private property was injured. Three large barracks and a government steamboat were taken and burned, the latter in re­venge for the burning of the Caroline.

      As the Patriots rushed into the fight the cry was raised, "Re­member Prescott," and every man fought as if it were a personal duty devolved on him to avenge Von Schultz and his companions.

"Thus terminated, as Gen. fierce had foreseen it would, after the fatal expedition to Fort Wellington, the campaign, of 1838, and the Patriot war. Seeing that further agitation would result in nothing but a waste of blood, he returned to Akron, and resumed his profession.

      "Soon, however, he was called before the United States Court, at Columbus, Ohio, to answer for a violation of the Neutrality Law of 1818; but with as pointed a charge as Judge McLean could give, so popular was the man and his cause, that a grand jury could not be induced to indict hint.

      "This was at the January term, 1839, and so persevering were the prosecutors of the U. S. that before Gen. B. left the city of Columbus anew process was served on him to appear at the next term of said court to answer to the charge. While attending court at Columbus he received intelligence that his only child, a son, was lying at the point of death; and on his return he found his fond hopes blasted, and his only child dead.

      "At the ensuing term of the court he again attended, but in­stead of a persevering enemy in the prosecution, he found Mr. Van Buren had removed N. H. Swayne, District Attorney, and appoint­ed in his place Israel Hamilton, an old schoolmate and personal friend of Gen. Bierce. Their meeting under such circumstances, after a separation of sixteen years, may be imagined. Mr. Ham­ilton at once dismissed the prosecution, and Gen. Bierce returned home to find his hearth desolate. During his absence his wife, overcome by the intensity of her feelings, had died by a rush of blood upon the heart, which terminated her life in about ten minutes from the first symptoms of the attack. 

     "When the call was made by the Governor of Ohio for volun­teers to go to Mexico, Gen. Bierce volunteered as a private soldier, and was fast filling up a company, when notice was given that the quota of Ohio was full, and they were disbanded. Since then he has devoted himself to his profession, and to the cause of popular education. For several years he has been President of the Board of Education of Akron, and devoted his time and energies to the subject of educating the whole people, Education and morality are the great pillars of the state, in his opinion; and his only hope of a continuance of our government is in the general diffusion of them among the mass. In his own language, " Education is the helm which guides the ship of state; but as the helm in the hands of the inexperienced mariner may guide the ship into the whirlpools of destruction; so educated intellect, guided by passion instead of moral principle, by vicious impulse instead of well-regulated reason, may guide its possessor to a whirlpool more dangerous than Scylla, and more destructive than Charybdis."

      He is of a medium height, five feet ten inches, light complexion, light hair and eyes, and slightly inclining to corpulency. The cast of his mind is practical, rather than theoretical, and he is ever inclined to look on the bright side of a subject. His aim is to make things go as he wishes, if he can, but, if he cannot, to let them go as they please. 

     "In his law studies he has compiled two volumes of digested cases, arranged in alphabetical order, but they will probably lie in manuscript during his life.

      'Technicalities he abhors, and those technicalities which serve to delay and prevent right and justice, he despises. It is only when the law is the protector of right, and the honorable arena of disciplined mind, that he loves it. 

     "For many years, and, indeed, until he refused longer to accept the office, he was Mayor of Akron; but having acquired a competency, with no desire for wealth, he is striving to withdraw from active life, and in retirement, to enjoy that quietude he has so long denied to himself.

      "He has just completed, and has now in press, "A History of the Western Reserve." He is a regular contributor to the Ohio Historical and Philosophical Society, and the Minnesota Historical Society, both of which he has been elected a member

      At the Grand Communication of the Grand Lodge of Ohio, in October, 1853, be was elected and installed Grand Master of  Masons in Ohio.