German poets ; became a contributor to the " South- ern Literary Messenger" in 1842, and afterward contributed to the " Ladies' Repository " and other periodicals. Collections of his poems were pub- lished in 1850, '52, and '58, at Cincinnati.
BIDDLE, James, naval officer, b. in Philadel-
phia in 1783; d. there, 1 Oct., 1848. He entered
the navy as a midshipman in 1800, was on board
the frigate " Pliiladelphia " when she was wrecked
off the coast of Tripoli in 1803, and with the rest
of the officers and crew was held in captivity dur-
ing the war with the Barbary states. After his
release he was on ordinary duty until the war of
1812, when he was assigned to the sloop-of-war
" Wasp," and was present at the capture of the
British sloop " Frolic." He was placed in com-
mand of the prize, with orders to make for some
southern port of the United States ; but while the
two vessels were hastily repairing damages, a Brit-
ish seventy-four, the " "Poictiers," appeared, and, as
the two late antagonists could neither fight nor
escape, they were both captured. On being ex-
changed in March, 1813, Mr. Biddle was promoted
master-commandant and placed in charge of a
gun-boat flotilla in the Delaware, but was soon
transferred to the " Hornet," then blockaded by
the British in the port of New London, Conn. He
escaped with his ship, and shortly afterward sailed
for Tristan d'Acunha. When off that island (23
March, 1815) he fought and captured the British
brig " Penguin," after a sharp engagement of
twenty-two minutes at close quarters, during which
the " Penguin " was so shattered by the " Hor-
net's " fire that she had to be scuttled and aban-
doned. Just at the end of the action Biddle was
severely wounded. Ha zing repaired the damages
to his ship, he sailed for tihe Cape of Good Hope,
and on 27 April encountered a British line-of-battle
ship, which followed the " Hornet " for nearly thirty-
six hours, pressing her so closely — often within
cannon-range — that Biddle was obliged to throw
his guns overboard, only escaping capture by the
exercise of good seamanship. He sailed for San
Salvador to refit, but when he reached port found
that a treaty of peace had been concluded. Reaching
New York on 30 July, he found that he had been pro-
moted post-captain while at sea. Congress voted
him a gold medal, and New York gave him a state
dinner, while his native city presented him with a
service of plate. He asked for a court of inquiry
to investigate the sacrifice of his armament, and
the return of the " Hornet," which acquitted him
of all blame, and commended the skill that had
saved the ship from capture. After the war he
was almost continuously on active duty. In 1817
he took possession of Oregon for the United States,
and in 1826 represented the government in nego-
tiating a commercial treaty with Turkey. At his
suggestion, while governor of the naval asylum
at Philadelphia (i838-'42). Sec. Paulding sent
thither unemployed midshipmen for instruction,
thus laying the foundation of a naval school. He
was flag-officer of the East Lidia squadron in 1845,
and negotiated the first treaty with China, after-
ward landing in Japan. This was his last extend-
ed cruise, though he was in command on the Cali-
fornian coast during the Mexican war.
BIDDLE, John, soldier, b. in Philadelphia, Pa.,
9 March, 1789; d. in White Sulphur Springs, Va.,
25 Aug., 1859. He became second lieutenant in
the 3d artillery, 6 July, 1812, first lieutenant in
March, 1813, captain in the 42d infantry in Octo-
ber, and assistant inspector-general, with the rank
of major, on 19 June, 1817. He became U. S. In-
dian agent at Green Bay, Wis., in February, 1821,
and resigned in May of the same year. He then
removed to Detroit, Alich., and was territorial dele-
gate in congress from 1829 till 1831, when he was
appointed register of the land-oltice in Detroit.
Maj. Biddle travelled extensively in Europe just
before his death. He wrote many interesting pa-
pers on Miciiigan history.
BIDDLE, Nicholas, naval officer, b. in Philadelphia, 10 Sept., 1750; killed in action, 7 March,
1778. On 22 Dec, 1775, congress passed a resolu-
tion appointing nineteen naval officers, of whom
five were captains. Nicholas Biddle, one of these,
was assigned to the "Andrea Doria," an armed
brig. In October, 1776, the number of captains
had been increased to twenty-four, and it became
necessary to settle the question of rank. A resolu-
tion was passed accordingly, and Biddle's name
stands fifth on the list. His maritime experience
jn-ior to this time had been somewhat extended.
When a boy of thirteen he went on a voyage to the
West Indies, and was cast away on a desert island,
where, with two companions, he remained two
months. In 1770 he entered the British navy as a
midshipman, such appointments being open to the
sons of colonial gentry. Three years afterward,
hearing of Capt. Phipps's proposed Arctic exploring
expedition, he deserted his own vessel and shipped
as a seaman on board one of Phipps's vessels, where
he met Nelson, the future admiral, a volunteer like
himself. Both boys were made cockswains before
the voyage was ovei", and Biddle served through
the cruise, but returned to America as soon as
revolution threatened. Being now an experienced
sailor, he was given an independent command.
The " Andrea Doria " mounted fourteen or sixteen
guns, and her first cruise was to the Bahamas with
a small squadron under Fleet-Captain Hopkins.
Biddle participated in the very creditable capture
and occupation of New Providence, where a large
quantity of munitions of war were seized, and
loaded upon the vessels of the squadron for trans-
portation to the United States. Off' Montauk
point. Long Island, two small British cruisers were
captured (4 and 5 April), and on 6 April a large
ship, the " Glasgow," was engaged. In this fight,
which was indecisive, Biddle took part. The Eng-
lishman drew ofE after having sustained and in-
flicted much damage, and, being a better sailer
than the heavily-laden Americans, made her escape.
After refitting in New London, the "• Andrea Doria "
cruised on the banks of Newfoundland, captured
two armed transports filled with soldiers, and made
prizes of so many merchantmen that when he re-
turned to the Delaware Biddle retained but five of
his original crew, the rest having been placed on
board prizes. On 6 June, 1776, he was appointed
by congress to command the " Randolph," a 32-
gun frigate then building in Philadelphia. She
was launched near the close of the year, and sailed
early in 1777. Some constructional defects were
discovered in the ship, and Capt. Biddle put into
Charleston for repairs. These made, he sailed, and
was back again in a few days with four prizes, one of
which had an armament of twenty guns. The South
Carolinians were so pleased with these successes
that they voluntarily equipped four small vessels,
which they placed under his command, and the
squadron sailed in search of British cruisers sup-
posed to be in the neighborhood. On 7 March they
encountered the British 64-gun ship "Yarmouth."
Prudence dictated fiight from so powerful an an-
tagonist, but she soon overtook and engaged the
"Randoljjh." After a sharp action of twenty min-
utes at close quarters the latter blew up, and the
vessels were so close together that fragments of
