New-York tribune., 1878-06-24
CROSSING THE DELAWARE.
cpNrENNIAt, CELEBRATIoN.

LOsT o
IFRoM A SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT OF THE TRIBUNE
LANBERTyILLE, n. j., June 22.-This STIR
ring little city lies mainly the strip oflevel land be-
tween the Delaware and the hills which rise abruptly
behind it, From the highest point OF TINS range the
view is extensive and Of s1rDassng beauty Almost d
reety under the observers feet rests the town, which
today bae aun6 all its banners out, while across the
river the fertile hills OF Bucks County roll away to the
southwest in successive bllows Of green toward the
scbuylH and Valley Forge a little more than thlry
miles distant. On the right, the course OF the Droa
river, winding down among its hills, can De faceu
for many miles and il lost to sight on the left Dehna
forest-coyered point On every side stretch rioh eu
dow and pasture lands, and uxuriant woods and way
ing grain and long straight of growing eon and
there is nothing the general suggestion OF peace
and plenty except occasional wheat field prematrey
Drowned by the ravages Of that revolutionary insect he
Hesslan fly whose prolific ancestors King Georges her
cenares said have brought over with them 10 the
camp on Long Island the yearin which the Colonies
declared their independence After Washington had re-
treated before Cornwas into Pennsylvauia, in l7T6,
portions Of his army stationed opposite THIS pOih
some detachments having crossed the ferry here ana III
December before the surprise at Trenton washington
himself crossed these hills to reconn0tre ana de
eide whether COrnwallis, by occupying them' couid
command the high lands the other bank On
his return he ordered sOckades to be built and battery
planted ON the bluff above The waving skyline OF the
first range of Pennsylvania hills seen rom the bridge
below is at one point interrupted by straight hor-
zonta section which still marks the site OF an old re-
doubt short distance below the town is the tmckly
wooded Malta Island behind which Washington con-
ceaed all the boats which be could collect along the
river from far up Easton and still further down
stands Mrs Neey's old house, where were quartered
Captain James Monroe and Lieutenant John Pat
tersOn who seem to have been young officers Of
much promise but Of restricted wardrobe. At all
events the chamber is still pointed out in this house
where the future President Of the United States and the
future Governor OF New-Jersey and Justice OF the SUI
prcme Court went to bed while good Mrs. Nicely re-
freshed their linen.
Where LambertgIe now stands, the "Old York Road"
which was the original Kings Highway between New
York and Philadelphia crossed the Delaware. Early in
the eighteenth century this crossing was known
as COatcss Ferry. In 17l9 one Welles leased
the Pennsylvania terminus, and the rapids be-
low are still called Welles's Falls. Ii is on
record in the state Department az Trenton that In 1872
his Gracious Majesty George the Second granted TO
Emanuel COrye his heirs and assigns, the sole liberty
the river Delaware at place called COatess ferry oppo
site to Wcess ferry the Pennsylvania side as aforesd
and three miles mp and three miles down the sd river
Delaware-that to say three English miles above and
three English miles below the sd place called
Coates's ferry, for carrying and ierylng, OF
passengers, horses, goods, wares and merchan,
Nova Caesaria affixed 10 this document then estab-
lished the name OF CoryePs Ferry to this crossing,
the little hamlet the jersey shore was called LAMBERT
ye after the family which had settled there sometime
before The John Lambert OF that day was man OF more
than local consequence, having Deen several times
member OF the state Council, twice acting governor,
member of the House OF Representatives, and United
StaesscnatOr The COryes belonged 10 family OF treneh
Hugueuos, and the name Is stu an hon0red one. In
George Corye who died at the age OF nnetyone and
his monument 70 Is written he was the last SURVIVOR
OF she men VINO ld tne Oouy Oi "'o' III 'H'
R the world knows how Washington crossed the Del
n tO-iaV bis
halted here for time while the ranks
OF his army were filing up with the New-JerseY
mtamen who came troOpnR merrily down from the
d oven ne bi@hands IN order 10 guard against flank
ath0ngb very short and fat one Early this morning
fbe good people OF Iamberyie who had not been al
Who under cover Of the darness had been rehearsing
aroused by sayo OF artillery 60 find that
54e a6 ocaI Tea'r dispatch SS daeg at cofyes Ferry
June 22 1873 Washington stated that II ined nearly
deadly Bnt not even copious rainfall with the wind
IN the could suppress the energetic patriotism OF
the thousands who had determined to celebrate the day
AZ O'Clock troops crossing the river from the
Pennsylvania side IN ferry fats under the direction Of
the acting commodore OF the COhtnental tOta, Cap
tain John H. Horn. hale OLD waterman,
aud one OF the few survivors OF the race
OF Durham bOatnen' VINO, we're Jhe common
carriers OF merchandise up and down the river before
the days Of railroads Meanwhile frequent eXcu sion
trains were unloading and visitors arriving from
every direction, and while the rain was spending itself
In final drizze the procession formed ana began to
move. lt was headed by the Amwell Troop, recruited
the adjoining townshpsaud In one Of the carriages
which followed the horsemen rode the venerable ex-
Senator BOVINE who Was one OF the 100 riders OF the Am
well Troop III 1926. the hfeth year iot the Republic,
when they cantered over 10 Princeton and escorted
Lafayette on his riumphal progress 70 IientOn Ihen
there soldiers OF the 9th and 7th Newersey Reg
ments, and detachment Of the l6th Pennsylvania from
Doyestown and hre departments rom Doth sdes OF inc
rYeT and COnnens III tatterCd uniforms, with pow
der-hOrns and hntocKs and mounted band OF feath-
cred and painted sayages anonymously led by highly
civilized gentleman In stoye-pipe hat, and long line
ous industries for winch the locality Is famous.
or course the procession was not so large
nearly mile long, and when the clouds finally
broke away IL presented brave appearance in the sun
shine. Alter passing through the towns both sides OF
the Il was reviewed by General Mott and staff and
there patriotic addresses by General Campbell and
During the Revolution NewJersey was so repeatedly
tramped from side TO side by retreatng and pursu
diversified supply Of Washngtous Headquarters 10
the square mile than any OF her sister commonwealth
The particular headquarters by which the procession
wound to-day is well preserved stone house IN the cor
pOrate limits Of Lamhertvie. II was owned 100 years
ago by Richard HOlcOmbe, representative OF the nu-
merous and thrifty HolcOmbes whose ancestors settled
in these parts as long ago as I7O5 Before tho house is
~ ia, % rSainTt tr,e now sboVin, siens Of decay
under whose shade, according 10 authentic ira
dition, Washington aud Green were often in
close counsel. On the Pennsylvania sde there
pointed out TO visitors an immense chestnut tree,
six feet IN diameter, which is amagnicent
ruin all OF its great branches excepting two three
being entirely bare. Three years ago it stil COW
cred with foliage and It's skeleton shows that It must
have been or the graudest character and proper
tons Standing hard by the Old ferry road lon the first
considerable rise above the river II easy believe that
Washington selected this as the point from which 60
pentend the crossing and IL very touching TO observe
the confidence with which every native OF New-HOpe
asserts that his great-grandmOther the little grl
who carried the cup OF cold water 20 the Father of his
Country he stood under the branches OF the great
Chestnut and that n his tgrandah who held
the Generals horse while he lunched under s hOsptbe
shadow It Is wen worth noting too, that at point
the procession reviewed by Mrs. BrttOn, yener-
able Quaker lady who was two years and
nine months old when Washington crossed the
river In 1878. Her placid face lighted up with quiet
terest tho occasion, will be The pleasantest memory
carried away from Lambertyle by hundreds OF visitors
to-day. The only prominent feature OF the programme
omitted the Governors. Governor Hartranft con-
cuded 10 Monmouth next week. but he preferred
to take other route than Coryeps Ferry Governor
Mcclellan had just been double Lid at Prince
ton, aud OF course he couldn't come while Joel
EarLar Lnlnmrnnhel IhaL he Lal LnI-anL trim