HUMPHREYS, DAvui (1752-1818). An American soldier, diplomat, and poet, born :II Derby, Conn., and educated at Yale t'ollege. At the outbreak of the Revolutionary ‘Var he en tered the army as captain, became major of a brigade under General Parsons in 1777, was made aide to General Putnam in 1778, and in 1780 became 1Vashington's aide and military secretary. After the battle of lorktown he was put in charge of the colors and standards cap tured from the British troops, and for his ser vices received from General Knox, in 1786, a sword voted by Congress live years In 1781 he acted as secretary of the commission, consisting of Adams, Jefferson, Franklin, and others. that \vent to Paris to arrange commercial treaties bet foreign powers and the United States. Ile served in the Connecticut Legisla ture in 1736, participated in the suppression of Shays's Rebellion in 1787, and from 1783 to 1790 lived with Washington's family at Mount Ver non, where he wrote .1n Essay Upon the Life of
t;en. Israel Putnam. From 1791 to 1797 he served as United Stales 'Minister in Lisbon, being the first Iliph»natie representative' of the Unit.•1 `tates cver sent to Portugal; and was then made Minister Plenipotentiary to Spain. In 1302 he returned, bringing with him the first merino sheep introduced into the United States. Dur ing the War of 1812 he eommanded the Connecti cut militia, lie was a fellow of the Royal So ciety of London, and a prominent member of the literary coterie known as the 'Hartford Wits.' with whom he wrote the .1 norehiad. His other writings include: The Widow of Malabar, a translation of the French tragNly; In Address to the Armies of the United States (1782); The Happiness of America; The Future ,;tart of the United States; and many political papers and orat ions.