Wilmington journal., 1875-07-16

Mf. \jnarIeS y. Harris, OF CabarruS,
gave us at Concord Court an interest
ing account of the visit to our State
of the French patriot and friend of
w. G. Means and Daniel Coleman, are
the last survivors of company of 80
horsemen, who left Concord in tha last
days of February, 1925, to escort the
Marquis La Fayette through our State
from Virginia to the South Carolina
line. Those three survivors all met
last Tuesday in Concord. The Captain
OF their company was Thos. G.. Polk;
lst Lieut.. James Mean; I'd Lieut..
Thos. I. Polk; Ensign or Color bearer,
VIM. Parks; 1st Sergeant. VIM. NJ.
Grier, Quartermaster, Caleb Phifer
Alexander; Bugleman, Thompson'Hunt
The company was composed of Meek
lenburgers and Cabarrus men in equal
| numbers. They were joined at starting
by four young men of Salisbury, viz:
Josiah HOWE Augustus Chambers, Rich
ard Long and Addison Kelly. The State
had made all appropriation of S., 600
to defray expenses, and they were we'll
provided with wagons, tents, &c. The
first days, march was to Salisbury, the
I'd to Lexington, the Sd to Greensboro;
the 4th to Glasses Mill, on Haw River,
the 5th to Chapel Hill; the 9th to Ra-
leigh. So great was the hospitality on
the road that only at Chapel Hill, then
IA very small place, was it necessary to
pitch their tents. After a DELAY of
three days in Raleigh the company |
proceeded onward to the Virginia |
line to meet the Marquis. AS he ad- |
vanced, the men were all dismounted !
by the side of the road, and each held
his horse by the hand. There we're
three carriages in the suite of
the Marquis. In the first he rode with
Col. VIM. Polk, hero of the Rev
olution, and son of Col. Thos. Polk,
of the Mecklenbnrg Declaration of In
dependence. In the second carriage
were Governor Hutchins G. Burton
and George Washington La Fayette,
son of the Marquis. In the third were
some of the state officials. The Mar
quls and Col. Polk got out of the car
rage and wal ked on foot along the line.
Both limped from wounds received in
the Great Rebellion, and both were J
now old men. Col. Polk introduced +
the Marquis to every man in the COM +
pany, and he SHOOK hauds with each L
one.
On the return to Raleigh, they weat 7
direct to the Capitol Canova's splen-
did statue of Washington was in the
Rotunda, and the Marquis went IN to
see it, accompanied by Col. Polk, the
Governor and other State dignitaries.
The soldiers ranged in circle around ]
the door. The Marquis came out
weeping, SO affected was he with the
sight OF the statue. He halted upon b
the steps OF the Capitol and gave a e
brief address to the soldiers and people n
assembled to welcome him. His Eng
lsh was somewhat broken, but it was
plain, simple and forcible. The next A
lay the Marquis and his escort dined
at the mansion of Governor Holmes.
About one hundred guests sat down "a
to the magnificent repast. The wines
md liquors here as everywhere else on
he march, were of the very best quail CO
ty and in great profusion.
From Raleigh the Marquis proceed
ID to Fayetteville, whose name was tn
hanged from Cross Greek to Fayette-
lille IN his honor. He was met some -
niles from town by the Fayetteville '
.lght Artillery, Captain Robert
strange commanding-a finely eouip- =
ed e company. The next day, the same '''
tficer presided at the public dinner
iven to La Fayette. Mr.. H., saws he tn
Id not inquire his name at the time.
ut years afterwards, he saw him on 1t
ne Bench, and learned that the Cap
an OF the Fayetteville Light Artillery
as then Judge Robert Strange. Those be-
ere the palmy days of dinner parties,
'ntlmental speeches, toast-making,
C. At the dinner in Raleigh, Mr.. 2'
oe. Gales, reported in short hand
riting all the good things said.
Mr.. 81. describes La Fayette as
en- being about 7Oyears old, tall and M
ect, with good countenance and i'm
essive bearing, and very courteous in
intercourse with those about him..
Charlotte Home.