ROACH, Isaac, soldier, born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 24 February, 1786; died there, 29 December, 1848. He was commissioned 2d lieutenant in the 2d artillery, 2 July, 1812, and served in the detachment under Captain Towson in cutting out the British brigs "Caledonia" and "Detroit," lying under the guns of Fort Erie, 8 October, 1812. Lieutenant Roach was among the first to board the captured brig, the "Detroit," and, in the words of Winfield Scott, "certainly no one surpassed him in intrepidity and efficiency." He was wounded in the assault on Queenstown heights, 13 October, 1812, promoted captain, 13 April, 1813, and in this capacity had command of a piece of artillery, and formed a part of the advance-guard in the capture of Fort George, 27 May, 1813, when he was again wounded. On 24 June following, at the Beaver dam, he held his position for hours against a greatly superior force, which he repeatedly drove back, but toward the close of the day, through the misconduct of his commanding officer, he was obliged to surrender. He was held prisoner until the close of the war, when, after escaping and being recaptured, he was liberated. On the reduction of the army upon the peace establishment, he was transferred with his full rank to the corps of artillery. He was brevetted major for ten years' service, 13 April, 1823, and resigned, 1 April, 1824. In 1838 he was elected mayor of the city of Philadelphia, and ha was treasurer of the mint in that city in 1844-'7.