Columbia Encyclopedia

Search results

500 results found

Poniatowski, Józef Anton, Prince

(Encyclopedia)Poniatowski, Józef Anton, Prince yo͞oˈzĕf änˈtôn pônyätôfˈskē [key], 1763–1813, Polish general and marshal of France; nephew of Stanislaus II. He fought (1792) the Russians in the campai...

Campbell, William

(Encyclopedia)Campbell, William, 1745–81, American Revolutionary soldier, b. Augusta co., Va.; brother-in-law of Patrick Henry. He fought in Lord Dunmore's War (1774) and helped expel the royal governor from Will...

Duane, James Chatham

(Encyclopedia)Duane, James Chatham, 1824–97, American army engineer, b. Schenectady, N.Y., grad. Union College, 1844, and West Point, 1848; grandson of James Duane. In the Civil War he organized the engineer equi...

Reed, Ishmael Scott

(Encyclopedia) Reed, Ishmael Scott, 1938- , African-American novelist, poet, and social critic, b. Chattanooga, Tn. When he was a child, Reed’s family moved ...

Hancock, Winfield Scott

(Encyclopedia)Hancock, Winfield Scott, 1824–86, Union general in the American Civil War, b. Montgomery Square, near Norristown, Pa. He served with distinction in the Mexican War and was chief quartermaster on the...

Ewell, Richard Stoddert

(Encyclopedia)Ewell, Richard Stoddert, 1817–72, Confederate general, b. Georgetown, D.C., grad. West Point, 1840. Ewell rose rapidly in the Confederate army, becoming a major general by Oct., 1861. In 1862 he fou...

Lincoln, Benjamin

(Encyclopedia)Lincoln, Benjamin, 1733–1810, American Revolutionary soldier, b. Hingham, Mass. He served under Horatio Gates in the Saratoga campaign before becoming (1778) commander in the South. In 1779 he faile...

Arana Osorio, Carlos

(Encyclopedia)Arana Osorio, Carlos kärˈlōs äräˈnä ōsōˈryō [key], 1918–2003, president of Guatemala (1970–74). A conservative army colonel noted for his successes during an antiguerrilla campaign (196...

Rehnskiöld, Karl Gustaf

(Encyclopedia)Rehnskiöld, Karl Gustaf kärl gŭsˈtäv rānˈshöld [key], 1651–1722, Swedish field marshal. One of the ablest lieutenants of Charles XII in the Northern War, he played an important part in the P...

political action committee

(Encyclopedia)political action committee (PAC), U.S. organization formed by a corporation, labor union, or association to raise money for political activity. Funds can be gathered by voluntary contributions from me...