Lossing
BENSON JOHN, an Amer ican historian; born in Beekman, Dutchess co., N. Y., Feb. 12, 1813. He published "Pictorial Field-Books" of the Revolution, the War of 1812, and the Civil War, the first in 1850-1852 (2 vols.), the second in 1868, the third 1866-1869 (3 vols.). He was a wood engraver, and himself made the engravings for the works, the scenic ones largely from sketches on the spots. He wrote also "Lives of the Presidents of the United States" (1847); "Biographies of Eminent Americans" (1855); "Cyclopædia of United States History" (1881, revised and enlarged to 10 vols., by George J. Hagar 1901); "History of New York City" (1884); "The Empire State" (1887); etc. He died near Dover Plains, N. Y., June 3, 1891.
LOT (1ō) (Latin Oltis), one of the largest tributaries of the Garonne in southern France, rising in the Cévennes, flowing in a generally W. direction, being known at first as the Olt, through the LOT-ET-GARONNE (lō-tā-gä-ron'), a department in the S. W. of France, formed out of parts of the old provinces of Guienne and Gascony, and comprising the arrondissements of Agen, Villeneuve, Marmande, and Nérac, watered by the Garonne and its tributaries, the Gers and Lot; area 2,078 square miles; pop. about 275,000. The department is a rolling plain and extremely fertile, except in the S. W., where it is invaded by the landes; principal products wheat, maize, wine (20,000,000 gallons annually), hemp, fruits (the plums of Agen are particularly celebrated), tobacco, potatoes, flax, and oil-plants; pine, cork, and chestnut woods are numerous; poultry are reared in great numbers for exportation; manufacturing is confined chiefly to metal-works, paper-mills, woolen and cork factories, distilleries, and tanneries. Capital, Agen.
LOTHAIRE I., Roman Emperor, eldest son of LOUIS LE DÉBONNAIRE (q. v.); born about 795. In 817 he was associated with his father in the empire, and named King of the Lombards in 820. He afterward dethroned his father. After his father's death, father's death, Louis and Charles, his brothers, joined forces, and defeated joined forces, defeated departments of Lozère, Aveyron, Lot, Lothaire at Fontenoy, in 841. Two years and Lot-et-Garonne, and joining the Ga- afterward, the three brothers entered ronne from the right at Aiguillon, after into a treaty at Verdun by which Loa course of nearly 300 miles, nearly twothirds being navigable. thaire retained the title of emperor, with Italy and some French provinces beyond the Rhine and the Rhone. Died in 855.
LOTHAIRE II., Emperor of Germany, and Duke of Saxony, between 1125 and 1137. He died in Italy, on his return from an expedition against Roger,