Henry Alexander Wise, an American politician, born at Drummondtown, Accomack co., Va., Dec. 3, 1806. He graduated at Washington college, Pennsylvania, in 1825, studied law, and settled in Nashville, Tenn., but in 1830 returned to Accomack. In 1833 he was elected to congress by the Jackson part)', and after the election fought a duel with his competitor for the office. He was twice reelected. In congress he went over to the opposition on the development of Jackson's bank policy, and took strong ground in favor of slavery. In 1837 he was second to Mr. Graves of Kentucky in his duel with Mr. Cilley of Maine, in which the latter was killed. In 1842 the senate rejected the nomination of Mr. Wise as minister to France, but he was subsequently appointed minister to Brazil, and resided at Rio de Janeiro from May, 1844, till October, 1847. In 1848 and 1852 he supported the democratic candidates for president. He was elected governor of Virginia in 1855, after a very vigorous canvass, directed especially against the " know-nothings." Toward the close of his term occurred the seizure of Harper's Ferry by John Brown, whose execution (Dec. 2, 1859) was one of the last acts of his administration. (See Brown, John.) In February, 1861, he was a member of the state convention, in which, from the committee on federal relations, he made a report which aimed at compromise and a peaceable adjustment with the seceded states.

After the secession of Virginia he was appointed brigadier general in the confederate army. His force was driven out of the Kanawha valley by the national troops under Gen. J. D. Cox, and at Gauley bridge lost a large quantity of arms and stores. Subsequently he commanded at Roanoke island, N. C, where his forces were defeated by Burnside's expedition, his son, O. J. Wise, being among the killed.