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HARPERS' ENCYCLOPÆDIA

OF

UNITED STATES HISTORY

Oak Woods, BATTLE OF. In the Civil War the siege of Richmond had gone on quietly until near the close of June, 1862, when General Heintzelman's corps, with a part of Keyes's and Sumner's, was ordered to move forward on the Williamsburg road, through a swampy wood, for the purpose of ascertaining the nature of the ground beyond, and to place Heintzelman and Sumner in a position to support a proposed attack upon the Confederates at a certain point by General Franklin. They met a Confederate force, and a fight ensued, in which the brigades of Sickles and Grover, of Hooker's division, bore the brunt. The Confederates were driven from their encampment, and the point aimed at was gained. The National loss was 516 men killed and wounded.

Oaths, solemn appeals to God for the truth of an affirmation. There are two classes of oaths; (1) assertatory, when made as to a fact, etc.; (2) promissory, oaths of allegiance, of office, etc. Taken by Abraham, 1892 B.C. (Gen. xxi. 24), and authorized 1491 B.C. (Exod. xxii. 11). The administration of an oath in judicial proceedings was introduced by the Saxons into England, 600.

Of supremacy. first administered to
British subjects, and ratified by Par-
liament, 26 Henry VIII...
Oaths were taken on the Gospels so
early as 528; and the words,
help me God and all saints," conclud-
ed an oath until....

"So

Ancient oath of allegiance in England, "to be true and faithful to the King and his heirs, and truth and faith to

1535

1550

O.

It

bear of life and limb and terrene honor; and not to know or hear of any ill or damage intended him without defending him therefrom," to which James I. added a declaration against the pope's authority... was again altered...

Affirmation of a Quaker authorized instead of an oath, by statute, in 1696 et seq.

Of

abjuration, being an obligation to maintain the government of King, lords, and Commons, the Church of England, and toleration of Protestant Dissenters, and abjuring all Roman Catholic pretenders to the crown, 13 William III...

Affirmation, instead of oath, was permitted to Quakers and other Dissenters by acts passed in 1833, 1837, 1838, and 1863.

In 1858 and 1860 Jews elected members of Parliament were relieved from part of the oath of allegiance.

New oath of allegiance by 31 and 32 Victoria c. 72 (1868), for members of the new Parliament: "I do swear that I will be faithful and bear true allegiance to her Majesty Queen Victoria, her heirs and successors, according to law, so help me God." (Bradlaugh case, Parliament, 1880.) Following is the form of the oath of allegiance Washington was directed by Congress to administer to the officers of the army before leaving Valley Forge: "I [name and office], in the armies of the United States of America, do acknowledge the United States of America to be free, independent, and sovereign States, and declare that the people thereof owe no allegiance or obedience to George III., King of Great Britain; and I renounce, refuse, and abjure any allegiance or obedience to him; and I do —that

I will to the utmost of my power support, maintain, and defend the said

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United States against the said King George III., his heirs and successors, and his or their abettors, assistants, and adherents, and will serve the said United States in the office of which I now hold, with fidelity according to the best of my skill and understanding ...June, 1778 [By act of Congress, Aug. 3, 1861, the oath of allegiance for the cadets at West Point was amended so as to abjure all allegiance, sovereignty, or fealty to any State, county, or country whatsoever, and to require unqualified support of the Constitution and the national government.] "Iron-clad " or "test" oath, prescribed by Congress July 2, 1862, to be taken by persons in the former Confederate States appointed to office under the national government. The text was as follows: I, A. B., do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I have never voluntarily borne arms against the United States since I have been a citizen thereof; that I have voluntarily given no aid, countenance, counsel, or encouragement to persons engaged in armed hostility thereto; that I have neither sought, nor accepted, nor attempted to exercise the functions of any office whatever, under any authority or pretended authority in hostility to the United States; that I have not yielded a voluntary support to any pretended government, authority, power, or constitution within the United States, hostile or inimical thereto. And I do further swear (or affirm) that, to the best of my knowledge and ability, I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion, and that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office on which I am about to enter, so help me God."

in honor of J. F. Oberlin (1740-1826), a Protestant pastor of Waldbach, Alsace. In 1903 it reported 96 professors and instructors; 1,509 students; 3,856 graduates; 68,000 volumes in the library; grounds and buildings valued at $716,000; and productive funds, $1,576,153. Henry C. King, D.D., president.

Oblong, THE. In 1731 the long-disputed boundary between New York and Connecticut seemed to be settled by mutual concessions. A tract of land lying within the claimed boundary of Connecticut, 580 rods in width, consisting of 61,440 acres, and called from its figure "The Oblong," was ceded to New York as an equivalent for lands near Long Island Sound surrendered to Connecticut. That tract is now included in the Connecticut towns of Greenwich, Stamford, New Canaan, and Darien.

This agreement was subscribed by the respective commissioners at Dover, then the only village on the west side of the Oblong. The dividing line was not run regularly, and this gave rise to a vexatious controversy, which was settled in 1880.

O'Brien, JEREMIAH, naval officer; born in Scarboro, Me., in 1740. On hearing of the affair at Lexington (April, 1775), he and four brothers, and a few volunteers, captured a British armed schooner in Machias Bay, May 11, 1775. Jeremiah was the leader. It was the first naval victory, and the first blow struck on the water, after the war began. O'Brien soon afterwards made other captures, and he was commissioned a captain in the Massachusetts navy. He commanded a privateer, but was captured, and suffered six months in the JERSEY PRISON-SHIP (q. v.). He was also confined in Mill Prison, England, a

For another form of special oath, see year, when he escaped and returned home. AGUINALDO, EMILIO.

Ober, FREDERICK ALBION, author; born in Beverly, Mass., Feb. 13, 1849; now connected as ornithologist with the Smithsonian Institution, for which he has travelled extensively. Among his works are Puerto Rico and its Resources; Brief Histories of Spain, Mexico, and the West Indies, etc.

Oberlin College, a non-sectarian, coeducational institution in Oberlin, O., founded in 1833 by the Rev. John J. Shipherd and Philo P. Stewart, and so named

At the time of his death, Oct. 5, 1818, O'Brien was collector of customs at Machias.

O'Brien, RICHARD, naval officer; born in Maine in 1758; commanded a privateer in the Revolutionary War, and was an officer on the brig Jefferson in 1781; was captured by the Dey of Algiers, and enslaved for many years, carrying a ball and chain until a service performed for his master's daughter alleviated his condition. Thomas Jefferson, while Secretary of State (1797), procured his emancipation, and appointed him an agent for the United

OBSERVATORY-O'CONOR

States. He died in Washington, D. C., teen years of age, and remained there

Feb. 14, 1824.

Observatory. The first observatory in Europe was erected at Nuremberg, 1472, by Walthers. The two most celebrated of the sixteenth century were the one erected by Landgrave William IV. at Cassel, 1561, and Tycho Brahe's at Uranienborg, 1567. The first attempt in the United States was at the University of North Carolina, 1824; and the first permanent one at Williams College, 1836. The leading observatories in the United States are those of the Naval Observatory in Washington, the Princeton University, Harvard University, Dudley Observatory at Albany, Michigan University, Chicago University, Hamilton College, and the Lick Observatory in California.

four years. Teaching school awhile at Lebanon, he removed to Montauk, L. I., where he taught and preached. Sent to England (1766) as an agent for Wheelock's Indian school, he attracted great attention, for he was the first Indian preacher who had visited that country. Occum was employed in missionary labors among the Indians, and acquired much influence over them. He died in New Stockbridge, N. Y., July 14, 1792.

Oconastoto, INDIAN CHIEF, elected head chief of the Cherokees in 1738. In the French and Indian War he sided at first with the English, but in consequence of a dispute between the Indians and some English settlers, he made a general attack on the frontier settlements of the Carolinas. Ocala (Fla.) Platform, of the Farm- At the head of 10,000 Creeks and Cheroers' Alliance, was adopted Dec. 8, 1890. kees he forced the garrison of Fort Loudon It favored free silver, a low tariff, an to surrender, and in violation of his promincome tax, the abolition of national ise, treacherously killed all his prisonbanks, and the establishment of sub- ers, over 200 in number. Three men treasuries, which should lend money to the people at a low interest.

which lasted until the war of the Revolution, when Captain Stuart, who had been made British Indian agent, induced Oconastoto to head an attack on the colonists with 20,000 Indians. JOHN SEVIER (q. v.) after a five years' struggle succeeded in permanently crushing the power of the allied Indians. Oconastoto was reported alive in 1809 by Return J. Meigs, United States Indian agent, although eighty years previously (1730) he had reached manhood and had represented the Cherokee nation in a delegation sent to England.

only escaped-Capt. John Stuart, and two soldiers. Stuart's life was saved by one O'Callaghan, EDMUND BAILEY, histo- of the chiefs, who assisted him in returning rian; born in County Cork, Ireland, Feb. to Virginia. As a result of the massacre 29, 1797. He was a member of the the colonists burned the Cherokee towns, Parliament of Lower Canada in 1836. and forced Oconastoto into an alliance He came to the United States in 1837, and was for many years (184870) keeper of the historical manuscripts in the office of the secretary of state of New York. He translated the Dutch records obtained from Holland by Mr. Brodhead, contained in several published volumes. O'Callaghan wrote and edited very valuable works, such as the Documentary History of New York (4 volumes); Documents relating to the Colonial History of New York (11 volumes); Journals of the Legislative Councils of New York (2 volumes); Historical Manuscripts relating to the War of the Revolution; Laws and Ordinances of New Netherland (2 volumes, 1638-74). In 1845-48 he prepared and published a History of New Netherland (2 volumes). At the time of his death, May 27, 1880, he was engaged in translating the Dutch records of the city of New York.

Occom, SAMSON, Indian preacher; born in Mohegan, New London co., Conn., about 1723; entered the Indian school of Mr. Wheelock at Lebanon when he was nine

O'Conor, CHARLES, lawyer; born in New York City, Jan. 22, 1804; admitted to the bar in 1824. He was connected with many of the most prominent legal cases, the most famous of which were the suits against the Tammany ring in 1871, in which William M. Evarts, James Emmot, and Wheeler H. Peckham were associated with him. In 1872 Mr. O'Conor was nominated for the Presidency by that portion of the Democratic party which was opposed to the election

of Horace Greeley. Mr. O'Conor was one of the counsel of Samuel J. Tilden before the electoral commission in 1876. He died in Nantucket, Mass., May 12, 1884.

Odd-fellows, a name adopted by members of a social institution having signs of recognition, initiatory rites and ceremonies, grades of dignity and honor; object purely social and benevolent, confined to members. The independent order of odd-fellows was formed in Manchester, England, in 1813. Odd-fellowship was in troduced into the United States from Manchester in 1819; and the grand lodge of Maryland and the United States was constituted Feb. 22, 1821. In 1842 the American branch severed its connection with the Manchester unity. In 1843 it issued a dispensation for opening the Prince of Wales Lodge No. 1, at Montreal, Canada. American odd fellowship has its headquarters at Baltimore and branches in nearly all parts of the world, the supreme body being the sovereign grand lodge of the world. In 1903 its membership was 1,031,399; total relief paid, $4,068,510.

Odell, BENJAMIN B., JR., governor; born in Newburg, N. Y., Jan. 14, 1854; member of Congress in 1895-99; elected governor of the State of New York in 1900.

O'Dell, JONATHAN, clergyman; born in Newark, N. J., Sept. 25, 1737; graduated at the College of New Jersey in 1754; took holy orders in 1767, and became pastor of the Episcopal Church in Burlington, N. J. During the Revolution he was in frequent conflict with the patriots in his parish, and at the close of the war he went to England, but returned to America and settled in New Brunswick, Nova Scotia. He died in Fredericton, N. B., Nov. 25, 1818.

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army as captain under his brother Matthias, and fought at Brandywine. He was brigade-major under Lee at Monmouth, and assistant aide-de-camp to Lord Stirling; aid to General Maxwell in Sullivan's expedition; was at the battle of Springfield (June, 1780); and in 1781 was with Lafayette in Virginia. He led infantry to the storming of a redoubt at Yorktown, and received the commendation of Washington. After the war he practised law, and held civil offices of trust in his State. He was United States Senator from 1801 to 1803, and governor of New Jersey from 1812 to 1813. In the War of 1812-15 he commanded the militia of New Jersey. At the time of his death, in Jersey City, N. J., April 19, 1839, he was presidentgeneral of the Society of the Cincinnati.

Odell, MOSES FOWLER, statesman; born in Tarrytown, N. Y., Feb. 24, 1818; elected to Congress in 1861 as a fusion Democrat from Brooklyn, N. Y., and in 1863 as a war Democrat. He was a member of the committee on the conduct of the war. In Ogden, DAVID, jurist; born in Newark, 1865 he was appointed naval officer of the N. J., in 1707; graduated at Yale in 1728; port of New York, and subsequently was appointed judge of the Supreme Court of offered the post of collector of the port, New Jersey in 1772, but was obliged to which he declined on account of failing resign at the beginning of the War of the health. Mr. Odell was a prominent mem- Revolution. He was in England the greatber of the Methodist Episcopal Church, er portion of the time until 1789, acting as

OGDEN-OGDENSBURG

agent for the loyalists who had claims on of northern New York from that quarter Great Britain, and he secured a compensation of $100,000 for his own losses. He settled in Whitestone, N. Y., in 1789, and died there in June, 1800.

caused Gen. Jacob Brown to be sent to Ogdensburg to garrison old Fort Presenta tion, or Oswegatchie, at the mouth of the Oswegatchie River. Brown arrived on Oct. Ogden, HERBERT GOUVERNEUR, topog- 1, and the next day a British flotilla, com rapher; born in New York, April 4, posed of two gunboats and twenty-five 1846; served in the Civil War; connected bateaux, bearing about 750 armed men, with the United States coast survey; left Prescott to attack Ogdensburg. At took part in the Nicaragua expedition, the latter place Brown had about 1,200 1865; exploration of the Isthmus of effective men, regulars and militia, and Darien, 1870; Alaskan boundary ex- a party of riflemen, under Captain Forpedition, 1893, etc.

syth, were encamped near Fort Presenta tion, on the margin of the river. The latter were drawn up in battle order to dispute the landing of the invaders. Brown had two field-pieces, and when the British were nearly in mid-channel these were opened upon them with such effect that the enemy were made to retreat precipi

Ogden, MATTHIAS, military officer; born in Elizabethtown, N. J., Oct. 22, 1754; joined the army at Cambridge in 1775, accompanied Arnold in his expedition to QUEBEC (q. v.), and commanded the 1st New Jersey Regiment from 1776 until the close of the war, when he was brevetted brigadier-general. He died in Elizabeth- tately and in great confusion. This re

town, N. J., March 31, 1791.

Ogdensburg, BATTLES AT.

pulse gave Brown much credit, and he The pres- was soon regarded as one of the ablest men in the service.

The British again attacked Ogdensburg in the winter of 1813. On Feb. 22 about 800 British soldiers, under Colonel McDonell, appeared on the ice in front of the town, approaching in two columns. It was early in the morning, and some of the inhabitants of the village were yet in bed. Colonel Forsyth and his riflemen were stationed at Fort Presentation, and against them the right column of the invaders, 300 strong, moved. Forsyth's men were

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PRESENT SITE OF FORT PRESENTATION.

ent city of Ogdensburg, N. Y., was a little partially sheltered by the ruins of the village in 1812, at the mouth of the fort. Waiting until the column landed, Oswegatchie River. The British village the Americans attacked them with great of Prescott was on the opposite side of energy with rifle-shot and cannon-balls the St. Lawrence. A threatened invasion from two small field-pieces. The invaders

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