Gen. John J. entered the United States Military Academy in 1839, and graduated eighth in the large class of 1843, a brevet 2d Lieutenant of Artillery. His life has been an active one, and his military career brilliant and honorable.

In 1845, he entered the army of Gen. Taylor, with Duncan's Flying Artillery, and continued in the service through the Mexican

war.

The part he acted, and the estimation in which his services were held, may be learned in the following extract from a letter of Gen. Worth to the Hon. Erastus Corning, John Van Buren, and others, dated City of Mexico, December 8, 1847:

"I have desired my young and gallant friend, Lieut. Peck, to hand you this, and beg to commend him to your consideration and kind attention. You will find the name and services of this officer in an official account of every battle, save one, from the commencement of this war to the conquest of the basin, as the associate of Duncan or Smith. He is of our State, and worthy of it."

For his gallant and meritorious conduct, he was honored with the brevet rank of Captain and Major.

On his return from the war, his fellow-citizens tendered him a public dinner, and presented him a sword, with the following inscription upon it:

Presented to
MAJOR J. J. PECK,

By the citizens of Manlius, as a testimonial of respect for his gallant and meritorious conduct in the battles of Palo Alto, Resaca de la Palma, Monterey, Vera Cruz, Cerro Gordo, Contreras, Churubusco, Molino del Rey, Chepultepec, Causeway and Gate of San Cosine and City of Mexico.

This was a record that a young man surely might well feel proud of.

He continued in the United States service until 1853, when he resigned his commission, and retired from the army, to enjoy a less arduous and more quiet life. He became one of the first movers of the Syracuse and New York Railroad, to which he devoted some time. He was for several years President of the Board of Education. The Hamilton College conferred upon him the honorary degree of A. M.

In 1856, he was the democratic nominee for Congress, and was tendered a renomination in 1858.

On the breaking out of the rebellion, he tendered his service to the government, and the President made him a Brigadier, August 11, 1867. Gen. McClellan asked for his services, and he was with him through the Peninsular campaign, participating in the battles, and rendering important service. His timely arrival at the battle of Williamsburg was said to have saved the day. He assumed the command of the centre, and recovered the battery and ground lost by Hooker. He is highly complimented by Gen. Keyes (Off. Rep., May 14, 1862) for his coolness, excellent judgment, and the admirable dispositions of his forces.

He was promoted, June 24, to the command of Gen. Casey's Division, and July 4, made a Major-General, for his services in the field and his gallant conduct with his commands when under fire. At the battle of Fair Oaks, he had two horses shot under him.

Headley, in reference to one of these, in speaking of him (Vol. 1, p. 428), says: "Peck's horse, while dashing through the fire, received a ball through the neck; the next instant another pierced his flank. Still unhurt, this gallant commander was spurring on, when a cannon ball took off both of the hind legs of his steed; he sank to the ground. Mounting another, he cheered on the troops by his dauntless bearing." At the battle of Malvern Hill, his division occupied the extreme right of the line. In that memorable march to Harrison's Landing, the rear-guard of the whole army fell to his care, and in spite of the enemy he saved the entire trains.

In September, he assumed command of the forces south of the James. His duties here were very arduous, but he performed them with signal ability, meeting with but few losses, and preserving all the great interests intrusted to him.

During his command here, Longstreet besieged Suffolk, with from 30,000 to 40,000 men; but after continuing it from April 10 to May 3, and constructing from eight to ten miles of covered ways and field works, with such noted West Pointers as Hill, Hood, Picket, French and Gannett, to advise with, found himself outmanœuvred, outgeneralled, and foiled in all his operations, and raised the siege in the night, with heavy losses of men and mate