and powerful face. The east of his character was earnest, his rule of action was conscientiousness, and his mind was strong rather than brilliant. Though a vigorous and at times fierce opponent, he always commanded the respect of his political enemies. He fought strongly against the recon- struction legislature of the Republican party, but owed his chief distinction to his efforts for a re- vision of the tariff in the direction of free trade, his adherence to the policy of resumption, and his opposition to the inflation theory. He was an eager investigator of the principles of finance, and fear- less in advocating their application, so that he found himself at one time almost alone among the politicians of Indiana in fighting against an indefi- nate issue of greenbacks. During his congressional career he served on the committees on private land claims, elections, railways, and canals, the civil service, and ways and means.
KERR, Washington Caruthers, geologist, b.
in Alamance county, N. C, 24 May, 1827 ; d. in
Asheville, N. C, 9 Aug., 1885. He was graduated
at the University of North Carolina in 1850, and
subsequently taught, also holding a chair in Mar-
shall university, Texas, whence he went to Cam-
bridge, Mass., as a computer in the Nautical Al-
manac office. This place afforded him opportuni-
ties for study at Harvard. In 1855 he was called
to the professorship of chemistry, geology, and
mineralogy in Davidson college, N. C, but the civil
war severed this relation, and he enlisted as a pri-
vate in the Confederate army. Prof. Kerr was soon
detailed to superintend and devise methods for the
manufacture of salt on the coasts of North and
South Carolina. In 1806 he was made state geolo-
gist of the former state, and at the same time he
delivered occasional lectures on geology at the
University of North Carolina. His work on the
geology of the state continued until 1882, when he
received an appointment on the U. S. geological
survey, so that he might connect the work of his
state with that of the nation. His health failing
in 1883 he was compelled to resign his office. He
was a member of scientific societies, to whose pro-
ceedings he contributed papers of merit, and he
published, besides minor reports, " Report of the
Geological Survey of North Carolina " (vol. i., Ra-
leigh, 1875 ; vol. 'ii., 1881).
KERSAINT, Gni Pierre de Caetnempreii, Count de (kair-sang), French mariner, b. in Paris, 20 July, 1742 ; d. there, 4 Dec, 1793. He was descended from a family that is famous in the annals of the French navy, and entered the marine guards in 1755. Two years later, after fighting in the West Indies, he became lieutenant, and was made
captain in 1765. He served in Canada in 1762 and
during the war for American independence in
1777-83. In 1777 he captured off Boston harbor
two English frigates after a brilliant engagement.
During the following year he served under Count
de Guichen in the West Indies, and contributed
under the Marquis de Bouille to the capture of
Tobago in 1779. He commanded in 1782 a squad-
ron composed of one ship of the line and four
frigates, and after a sharp action drove the English
from the Dutch colonies of Demerara, Essequibo,
and Berbice. Then, joining Count de Grasse off
Yorktown, he was stationed in Chesapeake bay
and fought several engagements with English
cruisers. In 1783 he became an honorary member
of the Society of the Cincinnati, and the Dutch
voted him an annuity of 4,000 florins on the cus-
toms receipts of Guiana. From 1785 till 1790 he
commanded the station of South America, and he
was made vice-admiral in 1793. As a deputy to
the constituent assembly his political influence was
very great, for a time during the French revolution,
and he was conspicuous in supporting the claims
for political rights of the colored population of the
French colonies. He also wrote pamphlets that
enjoyed a high reputation. When the reign of ter-
ror began he was arrested, and after a mock trial
sentenced and executed. Among his works the
best known is "Opinion et projet de decret sur
l'organisation des corsaires" (Paris, 1792).
KERSHAW, Joseph Brevard, soldier, b. in
Camden, S. C, 5 Jan., 1822. He was educated at
academies in South Carolina, admitted to the bar
in 1843, and was a member of the state senate
in 1852-'7, and of the state convention of 1860.
He raised the 2d South Carolina regiment for the
Confederate army, and commanded it at the first
battle of Bull Run in July. 1861. He was made
brigadier-general, 13 Feb., 1862, commanded a bri-
gade in McLaws's division through the peninsula
campaign of that year, and afterward held the
sunken road at Fredericksburg against the assault
of the National troops. His command led the
attack of Longstreet's corps at Gettysburg, where
he lost more than half his brigade. After en-
gaging in the battle of Chickamauga and the siege
of Knoxville. he returned to Virginia in 1864 as
major-general, and commanded a division in the
final campaigns of Lee's army. He held the Na-
tional forces in check at Spottsylvania until the
arrival of Lee, was at Cold Harbor, in Early's val-
ley campaign, and in the rear of Lee's army at
Sailor's Creek, where he surrendered on 6 April,
1865. He was then imprisoned at Fort Warren
till July, 1865, when he resumed his law-practice
in Camden, S. C, and was a member of the state
senate in 1865-'6. serving in the latter year as
president. In 1870 he prepared for the conserva-
tive convention the resolutions that were adopted
by that body, recognizing the recent constitutional
amendments as accomplished facts and entitled to
obedience. In 1877 he was elected judge of the 5th
circuit of the state, which office he now (1887) holds.
KERVERSEAU, Antoine Nicolas, Baron de (kair'-vair'-so). French soldier, b. in Jeremie, Santo Domingo, in 1751; d. in Rochefort, Fiance, in July, 1802. He studied in Le Cap, and when eighteen years of age was commissioned lieutenant in the army of Santo Domingo. He served in the
expedition against Tobago in 1778, and in 1780 on the continent under Saint Simon ; was present at Yorktown, and led his regiment in the successful assault on that town, where he was wounded. Re- turning to Santo Domingo at the conclusion of peace in 1783, he took command of the district of baint Marc. At the time of the French revolution he accepted democratic principles and afforded
valuable aid to the colonial assembly of Santo Domingo, which met at Saint Marc, 25 March, 1790. The governor-general. Marquis de Peynier, ordered Kerverseau to dissolve the assembly ; but the latter permitted the new constitution to be promulgated in May following, and, on his repeated refusal to interfere, was threatened with arrest. He then sought refuge on the frigate " Leopard,"
and sailed for France to seek redress before the National assembly. On his arrival he was arrested, but liberated in 1795, and served under Bonaparte in Italy. When the first consul resolved to reconquer Santo Domingo, Kerverseau asked to serve in the expedition, and was sent to subdue
the Spanish part of the colony. Marching toward Seybo, he took Hato Mayor, and, after a successful engagement with the negroes at Bayaguana, arrived, on 16 Feb., 1802, before Santo Domingo
