the Miamis and materially assisted the Indian commissioners in securing a treaty of peace between that tribe and the United States. During the latter years of his life he was a consistent believer in evangelical Christianity. He visited England in 1786 and raised the funds with which the 1st Episcopal church in Upper Canada was built. He translated the gospel of St. Mark into the Mohawk language, and, together with Col. Daniel Claus, rendered into the same tongue the “Book of Common Prayer.” As a warrior he was cautious, sagacious, and brave; as a diplomat and courtier, adroit and accomplished; and as a friend, chivalrous and faithful. His humanity toward a captive or a fallen foe is too well established to admit of doubt, nor has the purity of his private morals ever been questioned. A monument to his memory, the main feature of which is a statue of heroic size, was unveiled at Brantford, Canada, 13 Oct., 1886. — His son, John, b. 27 Sept., 1794; d. in September, 1832, served on the British side with distinction in the war of 1812, and was a member of the Canadian parliament in 1832. — Catherine Brant Johns, b. in 1800; d. in Wellington square, Canada, in 1867, was the last survivor of Brant's children. — The Canadian government in 1886 gave to an association thirteen bronze cannon for a statue to Brant's memory. See “Life of Joseph Brant,” by William L. Stone (1838; new ed., Albany, 1865).
BRASHER, Abraham, soldier, b. in New York city, 2 Dec, 1734; d. in exile in 1782. He was one
of the most active associates of the "liberty boys"
of his native city, and wrote many of the popular
ballads of the revolutionary period. Among his
poetical productions were "Another New Year's Address" and the "General's Trip to Morristown," which were favorites in the American camp.
BRASSEUR DE BOURBOURG, Charles Étienne, French explorer, b. in Bourbourg, 8 Sept., 1814; d. in Nice, in January, 1874. He studied for the priesthood at Ghent, was ordained at Rome in 1845, and became professor of ecclesiastical history in the seminary at Quebec. In 1846 he was appointed vicar-general at Boston. From 1848 till 1863 he was engaged in explorations in the United States, and in Mexico and Central America. A part of the time he acted as chaplain to the French legation in Mexico, and for a time devoted himself to teaching the Indians in Guatemala. In 1864 he returned to Mexico as archaeologist to the French scientific expedition. During his self-sacrificing labors as a missionary among the Central American races he studied for years their various dialects, and applied his mind to the problem of the
ancient Aztec hieroglyphics. In November, 1863,
he wrote a letter from Spain to M. de Quatrefages,
published in the "Bulletin" of the French geographical society for March, 1864, announcing his
discovery, in the archives of Madrid, of the alphabets of the inscriptions on the Aztec monuments
of Central America. These alphabets, which are
phonetic, enabled him, with the aid of the "Codex
Mexicanus" and documents contained in the Dresden library, to decipher several words. His discovery of a key to the picture-writing is still a matter of doubt, although no one has acquired a
sufficient acquaintance with the Indian languages
to test it critically. In 1857-'9 he published an
account of Aztec civilization under the title of
"Histoire des nations civilisees du Mexique et de
l'Amerique Centrale avant Christophe Colomb."
His philological researches into Central American
languages are contained in "Collection de documents dans les langues indigenes pour servir a l'etude de l'histoire et de la philologie de l'Amerique ancienne " (4 vols., 1861-'8). In the third volume, which relates to Yucatan, is an inquiry as
to whether there are sources of the primitive history of Mexico in the Egyptian monuments, and
of the primitive history of the Old World in the
American monuments. His illustrated "Monuments anciens du Mexique" was published in 1864-'6 under the auspices of the French government. He has also published "Histoire du Canada, de son eglise," etc. (1852), and two novels, "La derniere vestale" (1839) and "Le khalife de Bagdad" (1853). His later works include "Voyage sur I'isthme de Tehuantepec" (1860); "Manuscrit Troano, etude sur le systeme graphique et la langue
des Indiens Mayas" (2 vols., 1869-'70); and "Bibliotheque Mexico-Guatemalienne " (1871).
BRATTLE, Thomas, merchant, b. in Boston, Mass., 5 Sept., 1657; d. there, 18 May, 1713. He
was graduated at Harvard in 1676, and became treasurer of the college. He wrote "Eclipse of the Sun and Moon observed in New England," published in the "Philosophical Transactions" for 1704; "Lunar Eclipse, New England, 1707"; and a private letter giving an account of the witchcraft delusion in 1692, which is preserved in the "Massachusetts Historical Collections."—His brother, William, was pastor of the church in Cambridge, having been previously a tutor in Harvard college. He published a treatise on logic entitled "Compendium logicjB secundum Principia D. Renati Cartesii," which was long used as a recitation-book in the college. His death, at the age
of fifty-four, occurred on 15 Feb., 1717.—William, son of William, loyalist, b. in Cambridge, Mass., about 1702 ; d. in Halifax, Nova Scotia, in October, 1776. He was graduated at Harvard in 1722, studied theology, and preached acceptably; then became a lawyer, and was for many years a member of the
legislature and of the governor's council. He also practised medicine extensively, and was besides a military man, becoming captain of the artillery company in 1733, and afterward major-general of militia. His talents and attractive manners made him a favorite with the governor, and popular
among the people. When the revolutionary war began, his attachment to Gen. Gage impelled him to side with the British. He withdrew to Boston, and, when the troops evacuated that city, accompanied them to Halifax. The family is commemorated by a well-known street in Boston.
BRATTON, Martha, patriot, b. in Rowan co., N. C.; d. near Yorkville, S. C., in 1816. Her husband, William Bratton, was a colonel in the revolutionary army. In June, 1780, a party of British cavalry under Capt. Huck called at her house, and vainly, though with threats of death, tried to obtain information as to her husband's whereabouts.
