The Portland daily press., 1870-12-14
qerms $500 per amman, IN adrance.

-Ss""ySttc1 tcPhNu'
There are two brass twelve pound field guns
in the State arsenal which were taken by
Gen. Lafayette at Brandywine, with which he
was saluted from the hill above. There was
military escort headed by the, Portland
Light Infantry, Captain Benjamin Ilsley,
who commanded the whole escort; also
the Portland Rifle Corps, Captain Reu-
ben Mitchell, Portland Mechanic Blues,
and l think the Portland Artillery. The
brunswick Light Infantry marched all the
way from Brunswick to do honor to the Rev
'olutlonary hero. There was also large num-
Der OF truckmen mounted, in white frocks,
headed by Captain Seth Bird.
The next point that 1 recollect was an
arch across Danforth st. at the corner of High
st. covered with evergreen and roses. On
one side was "Welcome Lafayette" and on
the other the word Brandy wine." / not being
learned in history, and grocery being kept
by Levi Sawy er on the corner, supposed that
the procession would stop there for refresh
ment. At the head of Free st. was another
arch, on the top of which,was live Eagle
from a colony which always inhabts one tree
in Dole's woods, Stroud water, where one
could be had any time by climbing the tree in
the dark. On the south side OF Free st. the
children of the public and private schools
were paraded, the boys with ribbon on their
hats, with "Welcome Lafayette printed
thereon, (no cloth caps there). There was
another arch at the corner of aKing and
Back Streets, now India and Congress, sur
mounted by ship full rigged, and on the
arch below the motto 81 shall purchase and
tit out vessel for myself" this being Lafay-
cites answer to DR.. franklin when told that
the colonies were too poor to send ship for
him. One circumstance at this point / have
reason to recollect. Charles Moody was
Lieutenant of the Rifle Corps, (hind captain
as the boys termed it, / wanted to cross to
the opposite side of the street, and the widest
open space could see was between him and
his company, through which I darted, but
not quick enough to dodge his sword, with
which he slapped my back as passed, and
being clothed in linen jacket and pants it
made deep impression on my skin and
memory.
The procession marched up Congress 81. to
the wooden building then standing on the
corner of Myrtle and CsDgress streets, used
for Senate Chamber, with the executive
Offices in the lower story. 1t was called the
State House. Portland was then the State
Capitol, the Court House being used for a
Representatives Hall. The space between
the State House and the Elm trees in front,
some fifty feet, was covered with an awning
fastened to large iron hooks under the gutter
and to the treee. Under this was platform
about 3 feet high. The general passed
into the Senate Chamber, but soon came out
in company with Gov. Paris. They took
stand at the door on the platform when the
citizens were introduced and shook hands
with Gen. L. A late writer in Richmond,
Va, paper, speaks of Gen. Lafayettes won
derful recollection of his comrades in arms,
even calling the privates by name when he
visited that place. This called to my mind
his visit to Portland, and particularly this
scene on the platform. Gen. John X. Smith.
gray haired revolutionary soldier whom
every body knew and respected, went for
ward to greet Gen. Lafayette, who saw him,
advanced several steps to meet him calling
him Capt Smith, the title by which Gen. La
fayette knew him in the army. While this
was going on the platform broke and let the
crowd down, but without injuring any one.
Atterward the procession reformed and march
ed to the house of Daniel Cobb on Free
street, the same now occupied ty Mark P.
Emery, or one that stood ON the same spot.
This was kept by Mr.. Cobb as a first class
boarding house where rooms had been fitted
up for Gen. Lafayette. He dined at Union
Hall-tand by the way the writer in the
PRESS giving history of the Hall is mistak-
en- 10 the date of the burning Of the old hall;
it was burned in 1928 and not in 1919 as he
has it. l have drop from the cut glass
after the fire. il being my first year in Port
land. He is also wrong in his statement that
the Gen. was the guest Of the Gov. during
his stay in town. After dinner he was es-
corted to Gov. Parris's residence ON Danforth
street in a peltiDg rain, where levee was
held in the evening, but he slept at Daniel
Cobb's. saw his room the day before. The
fashion for bedsteads then was very high and
his had steps to go up. The next morning
was Sunday, but Gen. Lafayette was obliged
to leave, as he was engaged to be in New
York on the 4th of July, and must 60 by the
way of Vermont and Albany. He left very
quietly, without any escort. He sailed for
France in the new frigate Drandywne from
Annapolis, Md. lie took an active part in
restoring order in France after the three days
Revolution and assisted to establish Louis
Philippe on the throne in 1881. He died
soon alter, but the precise date of his death I
am unable 10 give. w,
Windham, Dec. 10, 1870.