For some years he has been president of the Numismatic and Antiquarian Society of Pliiladelphia, and in 1886 he was elected vice-president of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, to preside over the section on anthropology. During the same year he was awarded the medal of the "Societe Americaine de France" for his "numerous and learned works on American ethnology," being the first native of the United States that has been so honored. In 1885 the American publishers of the "Iconographic Encyclopædia" requested him to edit the first volume, to contribute to it the articles on "Anthropology" and "Ethnology," and to revise that on "Ethnography," by Prof. Gerland, of Strasburg. He also contributed to the second volume of the same work an essay on the "Prehistoric Archæology of both Hemispheres." Dr. Brinton has established a library and publishing-house of aboriginal American literature, for the purpose of placing within the reach of scholars authentic materials for the study of the languages and culture of the native races of America. Each work is the production of native minds, and is printed in the original. The series, most of which were edited by Dr. Brinton himself, include "The Maya Chronicles" (Philadelphia, 1882); "The Iroquois Book of Rites" (1883); "The Güegüence: A Comedy Ballet in the Nahuatt Spanish Dialect of Nicaragua" (1883); "A Migration Legend of the Creek Indians" (1884); "The Lenape and their Legends" (1885); "The Annals of the Cakchiquels" (1885). Besides publishing numerous papers, he has contributed valuable reports on his examinations of mounds, shell-heaps, rock inscriptions, and other antiquities. He is the author of "The Floridian Peninsula: Its Literary History, Indian Tribes, and Antiquities" (Philadelphia, 1859); "The Myths of the New World: A Treatise on the Symbolism and Mythology of the Red Race of America" (New York, 1868); "The Religious Sentiment: A Contribution to the Science and Philosophy of Religion" (1876); "American Hero Myths: A Study in the Native Religions of the Western Continent" (Philadelphia, 1882); "Aboriginal American Authors and their Productions, especially those in the Native Languages" (1883); and "A Grammar of the Cakchiquel Language of Guatemala" (1884).
BRION, Luis (bree-awn'), Colombian naval officer, b. in Cura9oa, 6 July, 1782; d. 20 Sept., 1821. He was sent to Holland to receive his education, his father being a native of that country, entered the Dutch army, and afterward visited the United States, where he studied navigation. On the death of his father he bought a vessel, made several voyages, established a mercantile house at Curaçoa, and in 1811 was appointed captain of a frigate in the service of the republic and state of Caracas. At his own expense he fitted out a fleet, and attacked the Spanish forces at the island of Margarita, where he gained a signal victory. Brion distinguished himself at the conquest of Guiana, and also at Santa Marta and Cartagena. The latter part of his life was rendered unhappy by a misunderstanding with Bolivar, which so preyed upon his mind that he became ill, and returned to Curaçoa. dying soon afterward in poverty.
BRISBANE, Abbott Hall, military engineer, b. in South Carolina; d. in Summerville, S. C., 28 Sept., 1861. He was graduated at the U. S. military academy in 1825, and appointed second lieutenant of the 3d artillery, serving on topographical duty in the city of Washington, and afterward with the engineer, Bernard, on the South Atlantic coast until the close of the year 1827, when he resigned. He served in the Florida war against the Seminole Indians in 1835-'6 as colonel of South Carolina volunteers, and was engaged in the skirmish of Tomoka, 10 March, 1836. After the war he turned his attention, as engineer, to a projected railroad from Charleston, S. C., to Cincinnati, Ohio, having especially intrusted to him the examination of the mountain-passes through which it was to run. He received the appointment of constructing engineer of the projected road, which place he held from 1836 till 1840. He was also chief engineer of the Ocmulgee and Flint railroad, Ga., in 1840-'4. In 1847-'8 he was superintending engineer of an artesian well for the supply of water to the city of Charleston, and he then accepted the chair of belles-lettres and ethics in the South Carolina military academy, occupying the place from 1848 till 1853, after which he retired to his plantation near Charleston. He was the author of a political romance, "Ralphton, or the Young Carolinian of 1776."
BRISBANE, William H., clergyman, b. about 1803; d. in Arena, Wis., in 1878. He inherited a large number of slaves, but became convinced that slavery was wrong, and in 1835 brought thirty-three of them to the north, manumitting them and aiding them to settle in life. In consequence of this, he was obliged to take rank among the poor men of the country. Making his home in Cincinnati, he became the associate of prominent abolitionists, and a constant worker in their cause. In the early days of the anti-slavery agitation he was among its foremost advocates. In 1855 he removed to Wisconsin, was chief clerk of the state senate in 1857, became pastor of the Baptist church in Madison, and early in the civil war was tax commissioner of South Carolina. In June, 1874, he took an active part in the reunion of the old abolition guards in Chicago.
BRISBIN, James Sanks, soldier, b. in Boalsburg. Pa.. 23 May, 1837; d. in Philadelphia, 14 Jan., 1892. He became known as an anti-slavery orator, and at the beginning of the civil war enlisted as a private in a Pennsylvania regiment, and in April, 1861, he was appointed second lieutenant of the 1st dragoons. At the battle of Bull Run, 21 July, 1861, he was twice wounded. He was promoted captain in the 6th cavalry, 5 Aug., served with his regiment in the peninsular campaign of the army of the Potomac (1862), and, under Gen. Alfred Pleasanton, accompanied the expedition to the Blue Ridge mountains in 1863. He was appointed colonel of the 5th U. S. colored cavalry, 1 March, 1864, and was engaged in the Red river expedition in the department of the Gulf in April and May, 1864. Later in the same year he was on recruiting service in Kentucky, and chief of staff to Gen. Burbridge. He was brevetted brigadier-general of volunteers, 13 March, 1865, for gallant conduct at the battle of Marion, Va., 16-19 Dec, 1864, and was promoted to the full rank of brigadier-general of volunteers, 1 May, 1865. He received the brevet of major-general of volunteers, 15 Dec, 1865. In the mean time he had received brevets of major and lieutenant-colonel in the regular service for gallantry at Beverly Ford, 9 June, 1863, and at Marion, Va. He was brevetted colonel in the regular army, 13 March, 1865, for "meritorious services during the war." He was transferred to the 9th U. S. colored cavalry in July, 1866, and was promoted major. 2d cavalry, 1 Jan., 1868, and lieutenant-colonel, 9th cavalry, 6 June, 1885.
BRISSOT DE WARVILLE, Jean Pierre, French author, b. in Chartres, 14 Jan., 1754; d. 31 Oct., 1793. He was the thirteenth son of an inn-
