_Visits of Heroes--Gala Days--The Society of the Army of the Potomac
Enters Town, &c._
Fredericksburg has received the visits of many heroes and statesmen, and
on various occasions has been placed on "dress parade," and proved herself
equal to the demands made upon her on every occasion. Only a few of these
visits are mentioned here, but these few should be placed upon perpetual
record that they may inspire our noble youth and the coming generations
and cause them to appreciate more highly the great blessings transmitted
to them through the efforts and achievements of those heroes.
GEN. GREEN VISITS THE TOWN.
The first we mention is the visit of Major-General Nathaniel Green, on his
way from Georgia to his home in New Hampshire at the close of the
Revolutionary war. In 1780 the patriot cause in Georgia and North Carolina
appeared to be lost, in consequence of the overwhelming numbers of the
British and the ravages of the Tories, which brought disaster to our arms.
In this condition of things Washington recommended that Gen. Nathaniel
Green should be placed in command, but Congress sent Gen. Gates instead.
Before leaving for his new field Gen. Gates had an interview with Gen.
Charles Lee--who was then without a command--in Fredericksburg, when Gen.
Lee charged him in parting, "Beware that your northern laurels do not
change to southern willows." Gen. Gates went to his field of operation,
met with disaster, and was relieved by Gen. Green; and it is worthy of
note that Gen. Gates left Fredericksburg for his southern command, and
Gen. Green passed through Fredericksburg when he went down to relieve him.
Gen. Green was fortunate in having to aid him in his southern department
such dashing commanders as Gen. Daniel Morgan, of Winchester; Col. Wm.
Washington, of Stafford, and Col. Henry Lee, of Westmoreland county--Gen.
Robert E. Lee's father and known as "Light Horse Harry." With these brave
men Green succeeded in driving the British before him and subduing the
Tories, thus restoring peace and quiet to that panic-stricken people, and
greatly endearing him to all patriots. In grateful recognition of his
services the State of Georgia gave him a magnificent farm and residence,
and on his return from the South to his home, in New Hampshire, he met
with grand ovations all along the route. He passed through Fredericksburg
on the 12th of September, 1783. A public meeting of the citizens was
called, which adopted and presented an address to the war-scarred hero.
The masses gathered to greet him, and the old soldiers, who had just
returned home from victorious fields, went into ecstasy over him. The
following is the address of the people of Fredericksburg:
_To the Honorable Major-General Green, Commander-in-Chief of the
Armies of the United States of America, in the Southern Department_:
SIR--We, the inhabitants of the town of Fredericksburg, impressed with
just sentiments of the importance of your singular services rendered
our country, as Commander of the Armies of the United States in the
Southern Department, cannot omit rendering you our acknowledgements as
a grateful, though small, tribute, so justly due to your distinguished
character as a soldier, a gentleman and friend to American liberty. We
lament that the absence of the Mayor, and other officers of the
corporation, deprives us of the opportunity of rendering you this
token of gratitude in the style of a corporation, but we trust, sir,
that your own conscious merit will give us credit, when we assure you
that we now present you the united thanks of this city for your
zealous, important and successful services in recovering the Southern
States from our cruel enemy, and restoring peace, liberty and safety
to so great a part of our country. We cannot express, sir, our great
joy in seeing you once more among us, and language is too faint to
paint the contrast in the cause of liberty since you passed us to take
the command of the Southern Army. Permit us, therefore, to pass over
the then gloomy moment and to participate in the pleasure you now
enjoy in the possession of the American _Laurel_, a crown as splendid
as all the honors of a Roman Triumph. We also beg leave to follow you
with our best wishes into domestic life. May you long enjoy
uninterrupted, under your vine, all the happiness of that Peace,
Liberty and Safety, for which you and your gallant officers and
soldiers have so nobly fought and greatly conquered. We have the honor
to be with every sentiment of respect, your most obedient and very
humble servants. Signed by order of the inhabitants.
CHARLES MORTIMER, _Chairman_.
Sept. 12, 1783.
To this address Gen. Green responded as follows:
_To the Inhabitants of the City of Fredericksburg_:
GENTLEMEN--Highly flattered by your address, and no less honored by
your sentiments, how shall I acknowledge fully your generosity in
either! From your hearty welcome to this city and your good wishes for
my future welfare I feel the overflowings of a grateful mind. The
noblest reward for the best services is the favorable opinion of our
fellow citizens. Happy in your assurances, I shall feel myself amply
rewarded, if I have but the good wishes of my country. I have the
honor to be, gentlemen, your most obedient, humble servant,
NATHANIEL GREEN.
Sept. 12, 1783.
GEN. WASHINGTON VISITS HIS MOTHER.
In December, 1783, General Washington visited Fredericksburg. He had just
resigned his commission of Commander-in-Chief of the American Armies, and
as a private citizen had come to visit his mother and friends at his old
home. He was the uncrowned King of America, and was uncrowned only because
he refused to be crowned. He came with victory upon his brow, and peace
and liberty for the American people. From mouth to mouth went the
message--"the great and good Washington is coming." From town and country
the masses gathered to give him welcome and do him honor. The military
turned out, the civic societies paraded, the cannon boomed and everybody
went into raptures over his coming. The City Council was called together
and the following address was adopted, amid the wildest enthusiasm, and
presented to the grand American:
_To his Excellency, General Washington, late Commander-in-Chief of the
Armies of America_:
SIR--While applauding millions were offering you their warmest
congratulations of the blessings of peace and your safe return from
the hazards of the field, we, the Mayor and Commonalty of the
corporation of Fredericksburg, were not wanting in attachment and
wishes to have joined in public testimonies of our warmest gratitude
and affection for your long and meritorious services in the cause of
liberty; a cause, sir, in which, by your examples and exertions, with
the aid of your gallant army, the virtuous citizens of this western
world are secured in freedom and independence, and although you have
laid aside your official character, we cannot omit this first
opportunity you have given us of presenting, with unfeigned hearts,
our sincere congratulations on your returning in safety from the noisy
clashing of arms to the walks of domestic ease. And it affords us
great joy to see you once more at a place that claims the honor of
your growing infancy, the seat of your venerable and amiable parent
and worthy relatives. We want language to express the happiness we
feel on this occasion, which cannot be expressed but by superior acts
(if possible) of the divine favor. May the great and omnipotent Ruler
of all human events, who, in blessing America, has conducted you
through so many dangers, continue his favor and protection through the
remainder of your life in the happy society of an affectionate and
grateful people. I have the honor to be, in behalf of the corporation,
with every sentiment of esteem and respect, your Excellency's most
humble servant,
WILLIAM MCWILLIAMS, _Mayor_.
To this beautiful and appropriate address, the noble Washington responded
as follows:
_To the Worshipful, the Mayor and Commonalty of the Corporation of
Fredericksburg_:--
GENTLEMEN--With the greatest pleasure I receive in the character of a
private citizen, the honor of your address. To a benevolent Providence
and the fortitude of a Brave and Virtuous army, supported by the
general exertion of our common country, I stand indebted for the
plaudits you now bestow. The reflection, however, of having met the
congratulating smiles and approbation of my fellow citizens for the
part I have acted in the cause of Liberty and Independence cannot fail
of adding pleasure to the other sweets of domestic life; and my
sensibility of them is heightened by their coming from the respectable
inhabitants of the place of my growing infancy[83] and the honorable
mention which is made of my revered mother, by whose maternal hand
(early deprived of a Father,) I was led to manhood. For the
expressions of personal affection and attachment, and for your kind
wishes for my future welfare, I offer grateful thanks and my sincere
prayers for the happiness and prosperity of the corporate town of
Fredericksburg.
GO. WASHINGTON.
The ceremonies of this gala day were closed with a ball at the
market-house at night, which is known in history as the "peace ball." At
the special request of the citizens, Mary, the mother of Washington,
attended this ball and held a reception in company with her illustrious
son. She "occupied a slightly elevated position, from which she could
overlook the floor and see the dancers, and among them the kingly figure
of the Commander-in-Chief, who led a Fredericksburg matron through a
minuet."[84]
It will be noticed--and the fact will no doubt be treasured with
pride--that Washington, in his reply to the address on this occasion,
alludes to Fredericksburg as the place of his "growing infancy," which
shows that, history and tradition to the contrary notwithstanding, he grew
up in this town, where he was educated, and where the hand of that revered
mother led him to manhood, and the address of Robt. Lewis, nephew of
Washington, to Gen. Lafayette makes the same claim.
GEN. LAFAYETTE'S LAST VISIT.
On the 27th day of November, 1824, Gen. Lafayette visited the town and
remained two days. He was Washington's right arm in the Revolutionary war,
and was visiting for the last time the early home of Washington, where he
took affectionate farewell of Washington's mother, in the early part of
the year 1783, as he returned to France. The General's coming was known
some days beforehand and a splendid mounted guard of honor was organized
in town and country, who met him just above the "Wilderness Tavern." At
that place hundreds of others joined the procession, including the
volunteer companies from Fredericksburg, and thus he and his party--his
son George Washington and Colonel La Vasseur--were escorted to town by
hundreds of mounted men and men on foot, with martial music, amid the
grandest display and wildest enthusiasm on the part of the people. He
received a welcome to the town no less cordial and sincere than was
accorded to Green and Washington, because the liberty, so highly prized
and gratefully enjoyed by them, was not achieved by Green and Washington
without the aid of Lafayette. A public reception was held during the day,
when he was welcomed by Mayor Robert Lewis, Washington's nephew, and
Lafayette's intimate friend, and thousands shook him by the hand and
wished him a safe voyage home to his own beloved France.
At night a ball was given in his honor over the present market-house,
where hundreds gathered to do him honor and contribute to his pleasure.
The next day being Sunday he visited the Masonic Lodge, which was the
mother lodge of his "bosom friend," Washington, enrolled his name as an
honorary member, eulogized Washington and attended services at St.
George's Episcopal church.
[Illustration: Entrance to National Cemetery, erected on Willis's Hill, a
portion of the Marye Heights. (See page 190)]
[Illustration: The Superintendent's Lodge at the National Cemetery,
constructed of the stone taken from the famous "stone wall." (See page
191)]
On the following morning, with the same mounted escort, with music and
the booming of cannon, he departed for the Potomac river, on his way to
the city of Washington, with the best wishes and earnest prayers of all
the good people of Fredericksburg.
At the reception at the town hall were Mr. Lafayette Johnston and his good
wife, Mrs. Eliza Johnston. Mr. Johnston was named for Lafayette, and
having a son born to them during Lafayette's visit in this country,
concluded to add a further honor to the General by naming their son for
him, which they did and notified the General of it. Lafayette responded
with the following letter, which is now framed and in possession of Mr. H.
Stuart Johnston, a great-grandson:
WASHINGTON, _January 6, 1825_.
DEAR SIR--I am much obliged to the remembrance of my brother soldier
when he gave you my name, and am now to thank you for an act of
kindness of the same nature conferred upon me by his son. I beg your
consort and yourself to accept my acknowledgement to you, my blessing
upon the boy, and my good wishes to the family.
Most truly, yours,
LAFAYETTE.
_To Fayette Johnston, Esq._
GEN. ANDREW JACKSON'S VISIT.
The next hero to visit the town, that we mention, was the "Hero of New
Orleans," Andrew Jackson, President of the United States, who, with most
of his cabinet, came on the 7th of May, 1833. The occasion was the laying
of the corner-stone of the Mary Washington monument, which Mr. Silas
Burrows proposed to erect to her memory. The civic and military display
was very imposing and the crowd was well up into the thousands.
Military companies from Washington, Alexandria, Fauquier county, and
United States marines, and our own military companies, were in line, under
the command of Col. John Bankhead, of White Plains, chief marshal. Col.
John B. Hill was chief architect of the monument. It was a great day in
Fredericksburg.
DEDICATION OF MARY WASHINGTON MONUMENT.
The next occasion was the dedication of the Mary Washington monument,
erected by the Ladies' Mary Washington Monument Associations, national
and local, on the 10th of May, 1894, sixty-one years and three days after
the laying of the corner-stone of the Burrows monument. A more beautiful
day could not have dawned upon the city, and everything had been well
planned and faithfully executed for the grand event of the day.
The streets and houses were beautifully decorated all along the route of
the march, and the private residences were adorned and made gay with
national and State flags. It was a general holiday for town and country,
and it appeared that everybody was present and intent upon seeing the
dignitaries who were to be here and hearing the addresses and ceremonies.
Besides hundreds of invited guests from different parts of the United
States, distinguished men and ladies, President Cleveland and nearly the
entire cabinet and their wives, Vice-President Stevenson and Mrs.
Stevenson, United States Senators, Representatives in Congress, Governor
O'Ferrall and his staff, two members of the Supreme Court of the United
States--Chief Justice Fuller and Justice Harlan--were present. The crowd
was so immense that the ground seemed to tremble under their tread. It was
the biggest day Fredericksburg ever had in the memory of man.
FREDERICKSBURGERS EVERYWHERE.
Fredericksburg has one peculiarity that tradition gives her, which is
worthy of a place in this sketch, and that is, that in every city of any
size in the civilized world a native of Fredericksburg, or some one who
has lived in Fredericksburg, can be found. This is said to have been an
old saying of tourists, sailors, marines and naval officers, who candidly
declared that they were always able to find a Fredericksburger in every
place of any size they had visited.
Capt. George Minor, who was born and raised in Fredericksburg, and who was
a captain in the United States navy, and afterwards in the Confederate
navy, often related this curious fact, and stated that it was positively
true as to him in all his travels both by land and sea. In connection with
this singular fact he related this incident: Before the Civil war he
sailed into the harbor of the city of Honolulu, on the Hawaii islands,
which have recently become a part of the United States. He thought of
this peculiarity of his old home town, but felt confident that no
Fredericksburger could be found in Honolulu, situated as it was away out
in the Pacific ocean. He made his way to the city, and, after some delay,
procured a guide to conduct him about the place, who could speak English.
As they progressed on their rounds from place to place, the guide pointing
out places of note, giving an interesting history of the place and people,
their customs, habits and peculiarities, he found himself very much
interested in his guide and his narratives, and wished to know something
of his history. So he asked him: "Are you a native of Honolulu!" "No,
sir," was the response of the guide. "Well," continued the Captain, "where
are you from?" "I am from Fredericksburg, Virginia," answered the guide.
"I learned my trade of printer under Timothy Green, in the Virginia Herald
office." "I am from Fredericksburg, too, and know Mr. Green well," said
Capt. Minor, and the two Fredericksburgers had a real love feast. After
that experience Capt. Minor said he never expected to land anywhere that
he did not find a Fredericksburg man.
THE SOCIETY OF THE ARMY OF THE POTOMAC ENTERS TOWN.
The hospitality of the people of Fredericksburg is as well known probably
as any other characteristic of her citizens. It has been thoroughly tested
on many occasions, and has never failed to measure up to the demands and
even exceeded the expectations of the recipients. It is gratifying, too,
to be able to say that even our former enemies have been partakers of the
hospitalities of the town, at our private residences and in our public
halls, and have found language too poor to properly express their
gratification of the warm welcome and the generous hospitality they
received while in our midst. This was the case with the Society of the
Army of the Potomac in May, 1900.
It had been suggested by some of the prominent citizens of the town that
it would be a gracious thing, and would testify our kind feeling towards
the members of that organization, for the City Council to invite the
Society of the Army of the Potomac to hold its thirty-first annual
reunion, in 1900, in the city of Fredericksburg, as guests of the town.
The society had never held a reunion on southern soil, and it was deemed
appropriate that its first meeting should be here, where they could meet
and mingle with Confederate veterans, where so many bloody battles were
fought between the two great armies of the Civil war.
It had been intimated that members of the society, and even officials of
the organization, had expressed a desire to hold a session in
Fredericksburg, which would give many old soldiers an opportunity to visit
again the historic grounds, over which they had fought, and view the
country in times of peace. The City Council caught the spirit and approved
the suggestion, and on the 27th of July, 1899, unanimously passed the
following resolution:
"Resolved by the Common Council of the city of Fredericksburg,
Virginia, That his honor, the Mayor, be and he is hereby, authorized
and instructed to extend a cordial invitation to the Society of the
Army of the Potomac to hold its annual meeting for the year 1900 in
this city, and to urge the acceptance of this invitation by said
society, assuring its members that they will meet with a cordial and
fraternal welcome by our citizens generally, and that every effort
will be made on our part to make their sojourn here pleasant and
agreeable to them."
While the resolution did not authorize it, it was understood that the
Mayor would attend the reunion in September of that year, either in person
or by a representative, and urge the society to accept the invitation of
the city authorities. Mayor Rowe, being unable to attend the meeting of
the body, requested Judge James B. Sener to represent him, which he did,
and presented the resolution of the Council in an eloquent and patriotic
address, which was well received by the society. The result was Judge
Sener was elected an honorary member of the society and the invitation was
unanimously accepted.
Upon the information that its invitation had been accepted, and that May
25th and 26th, 1900, were the days fixed for holding the reunion, the
Council appointed a reception committee of fifteen--five of its own body
and ten from the citizens, which was increased by the committee itself to
twenty--to make all the necessary arrangements and see that the members of
the society, and the visitors on that occasion, were properly received and
entertained. Those appointed of the Council were Col. E. D. Cole, John T.
Knight, Wm. E. Bradley, H. B. Lane, George W. Wroten. Those from the
citizens were Capt. S. J. Quinn, Major T. E. Morris. St. Geo. R. Fitzhugh,
H. F. Crismond, John M. Griffin, Isaac Hirsh, James A. Turner, H. H.
Wallace, Thos. N. Brent and James P. Corbin.
The committee met and organized, with Col. E. D. Cole, chairman, and Capt.
S. J. Quinn, secretary, and the following gentlemen were associated with
the committee: Capt. M. B. Rowe, A. T. Embrey, Judge John T. Goolrick,
Capt. T. McCracken and George W. Shepherd. The committee was then divided
up into sub-committees and assigned to necessary and appropriate duties,
which were well and faithfully discharged.
To assist at the banquet and lunch on the occasion, the committee
requested the services of the following ladies, who responded cheerfully
and did so nobly the parts assigned them that they merited, and received,
the hearty thanks of the committee and visitors: Mrs. James P. Corbin,
Miss Mary Harrison Fitzhugh, Mrs. Wm. L. Brannan, Miss Mary Shepherd, Mrs.
Vivian M. Fleming, Mrs. H. Hoomes Johnston, Miss Lula Braxton, Mrs. L. L.
Coghill, Mrs. E. Dorsey Cole, Miss Corson, Mrs. H. F. Crismond, Miss E.
May Dickinson, Mrs. Wm. F. Ficklen, Miss Goodwin, Mrs. John T. Goolrick,
Miss Alice Gordon, Miss Sallie Gravatt, Mrs. John M. Griffin, Miss Louise
Hamilton, Miss Roberta Hart, Mrs. David Hirsh, Mrs. Henry Kaufman, Mrs.
Harry B. Lane, Mrs. H. McD. Martin, Miss Annie Myer, Miss Eleanor
McCracken, Miss Carrie Belle Quinn, Mrs. Wm. H. Richards, Miss Lena Rowe,
Mrs. Edward J. Smith, Mrs. R. Lee Stoffregen, Miss Bertha Strasburger,
Miss Sallie Lyle Tapscott, Mrs. W. Seymour White, Miss Nannie Gordon
Willis and Mrs. Mary Quinn Hicks.
The presidential party was met at Quantico by a sub-committee consisting
of Hon. H. F. Crismond, Hon. A. T. Embrey, Postmaster John M. Griffin,
Major T. E. Morris, James A. Turner and S. I. Baggett, Jr., and escorted
to Fredericksburg.
At half past ten o'clock on the morning of the 25th of May, most of the
members of the Society of the Army of the Potomac having arrived, the
procession was formed at the courthouse, the society, under command of
Gen. Horatio C. King, secretary, with the reception committee, Confederate
veterans and citizens generally, headed by Bowering's band, proceeded to
the depot to meet the presidential train. Col. E. D. Cole, chief marshal,
with his aides, Capt. Dan. M. Lee, John T. Leavell, A. P. Rowe, Jr., and
W. J. Jacobs, with a cordon of mounted police, had charge of the line.
At the depot an immense crowd of people had collected, and when the train
arrived there was a vociferous greeting to the President and cabinet and
Fighting (General) Joe Wheeler. The presidential party consisted of
President McKinley, his private secretary, Cortelyou, Secretary Hay,
Secretary Root, Attorney-General Griggs, Postmaster-General Smith,
Secretary Long, Secretary Hitchcock--every member of the cabinet except
Secretary Wilson--Gen. Nelson A. Miles, Commander-in-Chief of the Army,
his aide, Col. Michler, Lieut. Robert S. Griffin, secretary to Secretary
Long, Gen. Henry E. Tremain, Gen. W. J. Sewell, Gen. J. W. Hawley and Gen.
Joseph Wheeler.
Headed by the celebrated Marine band, of Washington, sixty strong, the
line of march from the depot was up Main street, to George, thence to
Princess Ann and thence to the courthouse. All along the march the streets
were thronged with citizens and visitors, and the waving of handkerchiefs
and cheering kept the President constantly bowing to the right and left.
When the courthouse was reached the presidential party filed in, followed
by the Society of the Army of the Potomac, visitors and citizens. The
courthouse was densely packed and hundreds were turned away, being unable
to get even standing room.