The History of Augusta
North, James W.
1870
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Page 180

 

180
General William North.
1783.
 

elegant hospitality. In the latter part of her life she became blind; and the world she had cheered was shrouded from her vision."1 She lived many years after the loss of her sight, continuing an active correspondence with many friends by the hand of an amanuensis. She died February 10, 181.9, aged seventy-eight years.

   GEN. WILLIAM NORTH, son of Capt. John and Elizabeth North, was born in Fort Frederic, Pemaquid, in 1755. After his father's death his mother removed with him to Boston, where he was educated and placed with a merchant with whom he remained until the port was closed by the British in the fall of 1774. In the next year he volunteered to accompany Arnold in his expedition to Quebec, but was prevented by sickness from proceeding. He early entered the Revolutionary army; was commissioned May 9, 1776, by the "major part of the council " of Massachusetts Bay, second lieutenant in Capt. Gill's company of Col. Craft's regiment, of train artillery, and continued in the service through the war. He was commissioned by Congress captain in Col. Jackson's regiment of infantry from May 10, 1777, and major in the second regiment of the United States army from October 20, 1780; and was appointed inspector of the troops remaining in service in 1784.

   "In 1779 he was appointed aide-de-camp to Steuben, and soon became his favorite. He aided the Baron in introducing his system of discipline into the Continental army. Major North was with the army in Virginia, and was present with Baron Steuben at the surrender of the British army, commanded by Lord Cornwallis, in October, 1781." When the war was over " North retired to private life, but afterwards was induced to accept public employment; was several times elected to the legislature of New York, was speaker of the assembly, and for a short period one of the senators of New York in the Congress of the United States.2 During our troubles with France, in the presidency of the elder Adams, Major North was appointed Adjutant General of the army which was raised on that occasion, with the rank of Brigadier General."

   "He has filled," 'says the memoir of the Cincinnati,' of which he was a member, " a distinguished place in the history of his country, not only in the war of Independence but in our subsequent annals. He was a gentleman by birth, education and early

1 Judge Weston's Reminiscences.   2 Appointed by Gov. Jay in 1798.