SCHAICK, GOSEN VAN, a brigadier-general in the United States army, was the son of Sybrant G. Van Schaick, Esq. formerly mayor of the city of Albany, and was born in the year 1737. In the year 1756, at the early age of nineteen, he entered the British army as a lieute nant, under the patronage of lord Loudon, his father's friend. He served through the remainder of the French war, and rose to the rank of lieutenant-colonel, in 1760. When the revolutionary war commenced, he took sides with his native country. A muster of the militia having been made on the east side of the Hudson river, opposite the city of Albany, not a person was found among them capable of taking command. At this emergency, colonel Van Schaick was requested to go over and take charge of the drill; and he particularly distinguished himself on that occasion, by introducing confidence and regularity among them. He afterwards commanded the first New York regiment in the line. He was at the battle of Monmouth court-house, and in 1779, headed an expedition against the Onondago Indian settlements. With the assistance of colonel Willet and major Cochran, the objects were completely effected, and success rewarded their efforts. The enemy were defeated, and the troops returned to fort Schuyler, the place of rendezvous, in five days and a half after they had left it, performing the arduous service required of them, and a march through the wilderness of one hundred and eighty miles. For this handsome display of talents as a partisan officer, colonel Van Schaick, and the officers and soldiers under his command, received the thanks of congress.

The cruelties exercised on the Wyoming, and other settlements attacked by the Indians in the course of the preceding campaign, had given a great degree of importance to this expedition, and a deep interest was felt in its success.

Shortly before his death, in 1784, he received a brigadier-general's commission in the regular line. His own fortune was not a little impaired by the heavy demands made upon it, by the necessities of his men, at a time when the supplies were scanty and irregular. In short, he was ever a good citizen, a true patriot, and a brave soldier.

SCHUYLER, PHILIP, a major-general in the revolutionary war, received this appointment from congress, June 19, 1776. He was directed to proceed immediately from New York to Ticonderoga, to secure the lakes, and to make preparations for entering Canada. Being taken sick in September, the command devolved upon general Montgomery. On his recovery he devoted himself zealously to the management of the affairs in the northern department. The superintendence of the Indian concerns claimed much of his attention. On the approach of Burgoyne in 1777, he made every exertion to obstruct his progress; but the evacuation of Ticonderoga by St. Clair, occasioning unreasonable jealousies in regard to Schuyler in New England, he was superseded by general Gates in August, and congress directed an inquiry to be made into his conduct. It was a matter of extreme chagrin to him, to be recalled at the moment when he was about to take ground and to face the enemy. The patriotism and magnanimity displayed by general Schuyler, on this occasion, does him high honour. All that -could have been effected to impede the progress of the British army, had been done already. Bridges were -broken up; causeways destroyed; trees felled in every direction to retard the conveyance of stores and artillery. Patrols were employed to give speedy intelligence of every movement of the enemy, and detached corps of light troops to harass and keep up perpetual alarm.

On Gates's arrival, general Schuyler, without the slightest indication of ill-humour, resigned his command, communicated all the intelligence he possessed, and put every interesting paper into his hands, simply adding, "I have done all that could be done as far as the means were in my power, to injure the enemy, and to inspire confidence in the soldiers of our army, and I flatter myself with some success; but the palm of victory is denied me, and it is left to you, general, to reap the fruits of my labours. I will not fail, however, to second your views; and my devotion to my country, will cause me with alacrity to obey all your orders." He performed his promise, and faithfully did his duty, till the surrender of Burgoyne put an end to the contest.

Another anecdote is recorded to his honour. General

Burgoyne, dining with general Gates immediately after the convention of Saratoga, and general Schuyler named among the officers presented to him, thought it necessary to apologize for the destruction of his elegant mansion a few days before, by his orders. "Make no excuses, general," was the reply: "I feel myself more than compensated by the pleasure of meeting you at this table."

SERGEANT, JONATHAN DICKENSON, a zealous patriot, and eminent lawyer, was born at Princeton, in New Jersey, in the year 1746. His father was Jonathan Sergeant, a highly respectable citizen of New Jersey, and his mother was the daughter of the Rev. Jonathan Dickenson, the first président of Princeton college, whose learned and pious writings are extensively known; and have obtained for his memory the high respect due to so enlightened and faithful a servant in the cause of religion and letters. The subject of this article studied the law with Richard Stockton, Esq., the elder. He becoal and with decided success. When gan the practice cally, and with the resistance commenced to the oppression of Great Britain, he took at once an active and distinguished part in favour of the rights of his countrymen, and throughout the whole of the arduous struggle which ensued, was a steadfast and resolute whig, in the darkest periods, preserving a cheerful confidence, and exerting himself with unabated vigour.

In February, 1776, he was returned a delegate from New Jersey to congress, when he became a faithful and industrious member of that illustrious body. He conti nued in this station throughout the périlous period of 1776, and part of 1777. In the month of July of the latter year, he was called by the state of Pennsylvánia to the office of attorney-general of that state, which he accepted, with a full sense of the laborious and critical nature of the service he was thus required to render, but feeling, too, that the cause of the revolution might in some measure be considered as turning upon à vigor

ous exertion of judicial authority in Pennsylvania, for it was then a very prevalent opinion that her laws against treason could not be enforced. On the departure of the British from Philadelphia, he removed to that city with his family, and there resided until his death. In the distressing period that passed during the occupation of Philadelphia by the British, he bore a leading and prominent part in the administration of the affairs of the state, and then became intimately acquainted with the leading whigs of Pennsylvania, with whom he delighted, during the remainder of his life, to maintain the relations of political and personal friendship, and in concert with them, to devise the measures necessary for strengthening the foundations of liberty which had been laid in the revolution.

In 1778, congress, having directed a court martial for the trial of general St. Clair and other officers, in relation to the evacuation of Ticonderoga, and ordered two counsellors learned in the law, to be appointed to assist the judge-advocate in conducting the trial, selected Mr. Sergeant and Mr. Patterson, attorney-general of New Jersey, to perform that duty.

In the celebrated controversy between the states of Pennsylvania and Connecticut, concerning the Wyoming lands, which was heard and determined in 1782, before a court of commissioners, held under the confederation, Mr. Sergeant was one of the counsel for the state of Pennsylvania.

In 1780, the storm of war having passed away, he resigned the office of attorney-general, and devoted himself to his profession, in which his business was large and lucrative. Declining, after the peace, like many of the patriots of 1776, to accept of any office, his acquaintance was courted, and his advice and aid were constantly sought by the republicans who took part in the important transactions of those days.

He continued to enjoy good health in the midst of his friends, and a numerous family, till the pestilence of the yellow fever of 1793, visited the city of Philadelphia. Terror, and alarm, and flight, were the effects of the appearance of this appalling visiter, whose strides were too gigantic and marked, not to be perceived. The poor

were left destitute, and the children of the poor who fell victims to the disease, were orphans indeed. Mr. Sergeant, with a few others, obeying the impulse of humanity, and facing the danger which every where surrounded them, took upon themselves the office of a committee of health, and remained to assist the sick, relieve the distressed, and provide the helpless orphans with clothing, and food, and shelter, from funds charitably contributed by themselves and their fellow-citizens. In the performance of this interesting and hazardous duty, he fell a victim to the fever in the month of October, 1793. He died at the age of forty-seven.

As a lawyer, he was distinguished for integrity, learning, and industry; for great promptness, and an uncommonly fine natural elocution. As a man, he was kind, generous, and actively benevolent; free from selfishness and timidity, and at the same time prudent and just; maintaining in his house a liberal hospitality, without ostentation or display. As a citizen and a public man, he was ardent, sincere, and indefatigable; fearless of every consequence of the honest discharge of his duty. He died in the midst of his usefulness, but he fell in the cause of humanity; and the blessings and tears of the orphans whom he had helped to rescue, accompanied his departing spirit.

SHERMAN, ROGER, one of the signers of the declaration of independence, was born in Newtown, Massachusetts, on the 19th of April, 1721. He received no other education than the ordinary country schools in Massachusetts at that period afforded. He was apprenticed to a shoemaker, and pursued that occupation for some time after he was twenty-two years of age. It is recorded of Mr. Sherman, that he was accustomed to sit at his work with a book before him, devoting to study every moment that his eyes could be spared from the Occupation in which he was engaged." In 1743, Mr. Sherman travelled, with his tools, on foot, to New Mil