Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1852-09-11
INTERESTING RELICS OF ANTIQUITY.

We are indebted to Philadelphia descendant Of
the Society Of Friends for the opportunity of trans
ferrng to our columns the subjoined article, which
lately appeared in the Delaware Republican 1t is
from the pen of one of the surviving old-fashioned
Quakers distinguished himself as all of them were,
for integrity and philanthropy, and who are yet
curious to the early history of the settlement of
this country by their ancestors of by-gone genera
tons:
To the Editors fthe DelaUare Republican
The discovery of ancient relics in the old Fort Chris
tina mentioned in your paper Of the 10Th instant has
excited much interest in this vicinity. 1t not often
have the opportunity of digging up treasures of European
origin buried during the Government of Oliver Cromwell
No spot the Delaware has higher claims the regard
Of the historian or the veneraon of the antiquary than
the site of that old Fort was the first location in
State of civilized community which outived its founder
1t the first foundation of place for christian worship
within the boundaries of Pennsylvania and Delaware 1t
is ascertaned by official documents that the Swedes,
under the command of Governor Minui arrived in the
Delaware with armed ships, and landed this spot
in April, 1888. The very rock which they first set
their feet is yet there 3
Attracted by the aspect " the country tho
had ordered the mariners to anchor their ships of the
mouth Of the Mnquds the CHRISTINA. Here he was
visited by an old Indian sachem named MArTEHooRN,
who for kettle and other small articles sold him the old
point called the Rocks with much land round it
he wanted, which they bounded by six marked trees
This point that time, Of the Capes Of Chris
teen the Old Ferry Point being the other Here Minuit
landed and Immediately began to erect fort which he
named CHRISTINA, after the young Queen of Sweden,
daughter of the renowned Gustayus Adophus This was
the origin of the old Fort at the Rocks.
The Swedes remained in quiet possession of this fort
and the country round it the western side Of the Della
ware until the Dutch, in 1851 built fort Cassmer
point four FIVE miles below, called Sandhuken, now
Newcastle. This gave the Swedes great uneasiness,
which finally led to hostiities and in the year 1855
Gov Stuyvesant, with army Of six hundred
men, came round from New Amsterdam, now New York.
and laid siege Fort Christina then commanded by the
Swedish Governor Caudius Risngh After investment
of fifteen daysit surrendered the Duchforce which
terminated the Swedish authority in America.
On the 31st of March, 1885, about century after its
surrender to Stuyvesan the old fort again brought
into view by circumstance which is recorded by Acre.
rs the historian and which occurred while he resided
in Wilmington, pastor to the Swedish church He says
ION taking up by chance pieces Of the walls there
were found many balls granadoes and other SIM
liar things, which had been kept carefully concealed
aotly hundred yedrs"-(See Original Settlements on
the Delaware by B. Ferris, p. ss.)
And now after the lapse Of nearly another hundred years.
the old fort again brought into view land probably for
the last time in this way by the discovery of the remain
der Of the cannon balls left by Governor Rsingh There
fourteen Of themnine and six pounders-a bearing
ample evidence Of their antiquity by the depth Of oxyda
tons which them. Besides these cannon balls,
there several other articles dug up them,
Of which od-fashoned pewter dish, deeper than
dinner plates, and narrower in the brim,
which it is supposed Governor Rsnghs soup plate
It. however, bears certain marks Of its age than of
its family it being in many places so thoroughly oxyda
ed retain of its original lustre enacity
They oil found buried from eighteen to thirty inches
below the surface and probably secreted by Rsngh
during the siege when the hope of recovering the colony
from the Dutch had been abandoned by the Swedes
Sth mo. 25, 1852 F.