The Washington union. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1859, 1858-07-11
INDEPENDENCE DAY IN 1894.
TBy Grant Thorburn, of New York;

arrived in New York. for the first time, the six
teenth of June, in the year l794. had no acquanan-
in the city them resolved to spend the annyer-
Bary in way to please myself At sunrise the bells
rung out merry peal from the steepes of old Trinity,
Middle Dutch, and st. Georges Churches st. Pauls
had neither bell steee at that tme its present one
then in process of erection and was completed Ia the
fall of that year. There thirteen gunsone for
each ;State--fred from the Battery company, com
posed of forty fifty Of the old veterans paraded the
streets with muskes, and fired salute at twelve, m
They old cooked hats and battered uniforms, in
which they fought by the side of Washington. There
now and then with only single arm.
In 1902 number of those aged and noble soldiers
Of the revolution removed from the custom house
and other Offices and their places filed by beardless
and bloodess patriots At 2, p. M, twelve four
teen of pushed off in boat from the foot of the
old Ply Market. passenger took the helm, while two
boamen began to over the river to Brook yn.
A strong spring tide was running in, which carried
our fra barque as high as Wallabout before we
made the Long Island shore. Being now in slack
water, reached Brooklyn in ten minutes, having
made the passage in ono hour and qunrtcr-a thing
which often occurred in those days. This the first
time ever was on Long Island stood few minutes
the wharf, looking in all directions about me, and
do not think l could have counted thirty houses.
walked forward in the middle of the street until came
to the old Dutch Church, about mile from the ferry
thunder storm coming up sought shelter in cottage
by the wayside Dutch negress and two three
in possession Of the hut AS she could
speak neither Scotch Dutch to any extent words
half an hour and took to the street again. Here
saw for the first time field of Indian 1t was
eight feet high in full leaf and tasse and the rain
drops sparklcd it like diamonds under the CHANGING
rays Of the mounted upon the rails of the fence
sec this beautiful sighit looked like field that the
Lord had blessed. 1t food tide when returned,
crossed in twenty minutes think " was in
1911 that Fulton commenced running his steamboats,
from New York and Brooklyn. Now the passage il
made with unlimited quantity Of freight and passen-
gers in from five to ten minutes. Fulton died in needy
circumstances From the ferry stairs walked up the
on the corner Of Water and hearing shout
coming from the south, followed the sound.
Itproceedcd from multitude assembled In front of
the cid Exchange Coffee House, the corner Of Wall
and Water streets. The Society Of the Cincinnati
drinking toasts and at every toast salute fired from
six FOUNDER in the street. and all the people shouted
with joy think it in 1913 when the General latter
wards Governor dwelt in Liberty street, opposite the
Middle Dutch church. My own house near by,
| SO we were on eocia terms. On the Fourth of July,
in that year. the Cincinnati Society dincd in Washington
Hall, which then stood on the spot where Stewart
marble store now stands. gre
| About 5, p m, q letter left at the Generals
house. which the family thought required immediate
answer It being Independence Day. the servants had
a gam tier ain gait, his daughter stated the case To
me, and carried the letter myself to hnbeiug glad
of the opportunity to many OF WashinRtOns Off
assembled together An orderly sergeant stood by
the room door in the passage dressed in full Continental
uniform The General answered the call met me in the
passage opened the letter. and glanced at the signature
placed it in his pocket and invited mo to the honor Of
entering the room shook hands with dozen of those
hoary headed veterans drank to the health of Washing
| ton, made any bes. bow, and retired.
should think there about one hundred and fifty
sitting around tho tables. Among them were Generals
Hamilton, Giles Gates LOwis Stevens Van Caustlandt
Schuyler etc In the were also, Colonies varick
DUR, TurnbulL McComb Majors Fairly, Lamb, and
others whom did not know. All of that company ncye,
met again two weeks after that date the yellow fevc,
| came in upon the city like food, and thinned thc
ranks most wofully 1t has been many years since the
last of them died, and wo will never look upon the1
like again al