tering parliament he gave his attention to the wretclied condition of unfortunate debtors, who in large numbers languished in London prisons, and projected a colony for their permanent relief. Oglethorpe's conviction was that liberation from prison was no benefit to the debtor. What was wanted for him was a new sphere, with new sur- roundings and new opportunities. The scheme found favor ; all the more so, that it was proposed to make the new colony an asylum as well for the afflicted Protestants of Germany and other parts of the European continent. Parliament granted £10,000, a large sum was raised by sub- scription, and in June, 1732, King George IL granted to Oglethorpe and twenty other persons all that region of territory that lies between Sa- vannah and Altamaha rivers. It was named Geor- gia in honor of the king. In January, 1738, Ogle- thorpe arrived at Charleston, at the head of a com- pany of 150 persons, comprising about thirty-five families. The Savannah river was explored, and a site for the new settlement was selected on what was known as Yamacraw bluff. There were laid the foundations of what is the town of Savannah. In April, 1734, he went to England, taking with him the Yamacraw chief, several members of his family, and some of his men, and on 1 Aug. the chief had an interview with the king at Kensing- ton palace. During this visit he sent out about loO Scottish Highlanders as a protection to the colonists, who had been largely increased by bands of German Protestants from Salzburg and its neighborhood. In 1735 he returned to Georgia, accompanied by about 300 emigrants, among whom, with others of less note, were John and Charles Wesley, whom Oglethorpe had induced to accept ecclesiastical appointments in the colony. Under his rule the colony made satisfactory progress, but he had not a little trouble with the Spaniards, who were then in possession of Florida. Being con- vinced that war was inevitable, he hastened to England, raised a regiment of about 600 men, ob- tained a grant of £20,000, and was back again in Georgia before the close of 1738. In October of the following year war was declared by England against Spain, and the American colonies were ordered each to contribute its quota to a grand expedition against the Spanish possessions in the West Indies. Aided by supplies and re-enforce- ments from South Carolina, Oglethorpe, in obedi- ence to orders, invaded Florida, and made an un- successful attack on St. Augustine in the summer of 1741. In the following year the Spaniards made preparations for the invasion of Georgia, and the purpose was not concealed that, if success attended them, they would drive the English out of that colony and South Carolina as well. Oglethorpe made a spirited resistance, and compelled the Spaniards to retire. In 1743 he went to England to reply to charges that had been made against him by Capt. Cook, one of his own officers. The trial was by court-martial. Oglethorpe was ac- quitted, and the charges were pronounced false and malicious. Cook being dismissed the army and declared incapable of further serving the king. Oglethorpe did not return to Georgia, but he had the satisfaction of knowing that he had successful- ly laid the foundations of a prosperous state. In 1745 he was made major-general, and sent north against the forces of the pretender. Failing to overtake them, he not only incurred much odium, but came under grave suspicion. He was again tried by court-martial, and again acquitted. In 1752 he resigned his charter of Georgia to the Brit- ish government. In 1754 he retired from parlia- ment to his seat in Essex, where he continued to entertain his many friends, among whom were some of the most eminent men of the day. In February, 1765, he was put on half-pay, as a retired general. When, in 1775, Gen. Gage returned to England, the command in America was offered to Oglethorpe, but he refused to accept unless he was furnished with powers of concession and con- ciliation. He was one of the first to call on John Adams on his arrival as ambassador in England, and to assure him of his regard for the United States, and of his satisfaction and gratitude be- cause the war was ended. Oglethorpe was a man of fine feeling, of excellent taste, and of culture far beyond the men of his class. He commanded ad- miration from such men as Alexander Pope, James Thomson, and Samuel Johnson, who expressed a willingness to write his life if the material were put into his hands. Thomson alludes to his philan- thropic labors in the poem of " Winter," and Pope's couplet in his praise is well known. His own ac- count of the St. Augustine campaign, published immediately after the close of the struggle (Lon- don, 1742). is still a readable book. Oglethorpe's life has been written by Thaddeus jM. Harris, D. D. (Boston, 1841): Robert Wright (London, 1867); and William B. 0. Peabody in Sparks's " American Biography." His " New and Accurate Account of the Colonies of South Carolina and Georgia" and his letters to the trustees of the colony and others are i^rinted in the " Collections " of the Georgia historical society.
O'GORMAN, James Michael, R. C. bishop, b.
in County Limerick, Ireland, in 1809 ; d. in Cincin-
nati, Ohio, 4 July, 1874. He became a Trappist
monk in 1828, and was appointed to found a mon-
astery of the order in the United States. He se-
lected a spot about twelve miles from Dubuque,
Iowa, and erected the monastery of New Milleray, of
which he was afterward prior. He was nominated
vicar-apostolic of Nebraska in 1859, and was conse-
crated bishop of Raphanea in partibus infidelium on
8 May. Bishop O'Gorman displayed great execu-
tive ability in the administration of his vicariate.
He had only three priests to assist him, and the few
Roman Catholics in the territory were separated
widely from one another. Priests were induced to
join him, and churches and schools multiplied rap-
idly. He established a hospital and an asylum,
and founded academies, all of which were placed
under the charge of Sisters of Mercy and Benedic-
tine nuns. He also founded Indian missions.
O'HARA, Charles, British soldier, b. about
1740; d. in Gibraltar, 21 Feb., 1802. He was ap-
pointed lieutenant and captain in the Coldstream
guards in January, 1756, promoted lieutenant-
colonel, February, 1762, colonel of the 2d Foot
guards in August, 1777, and major-general, 19 Oct.,
1797. He came to this country in 1780 in com-
mand of his regiment, served in Virginia, and com-
manded the vanguard in the pursuit of Gen. Daniel
Morgan after the battle of Cowpens, S. C, in 1781.
He was severely wounded at the battle of Guilford,
N. C, where he led the left wing of Cornwallis's
army. He was afterward included in the surren-
der at Yorktown. He was again severely wounded
at Toulon, France, in November, 1793. After
being governor of several colonies, he was made
lieutenant-governor of Gibraltar in 1795, and gov-
ernor in 1797. He was a brave and enterprising
soldier and a strict disciplinarian.
O'HARA, Theodore, poet, b. in Danville, Ky., 11 Feb., 1820 ; d. near Guerryton, Bullock co., Ala., 6 June, 1867. He was the son of Kane O'Hara, an Irish political exile, and was graduated at St. Jo-
