The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1883-11-21
THE OLD FRANCIS TAVERN.
Washington's Leave-Taking of His OF
ficers 100 Years Ago.
Present Appearance OF the Room IN Which
the Father OF His Country Ate,
Drank. and Spoke.
New York Times.l

lngly Just reduy W Jump Jul VI tuoI iOOSc
packets. pile of snow-wbite bread. and
brown-stone mug of foaming ale sat before
an old man with thin. gray hair and grizzly
beard. The table was a long, low, pine
structure, covered on top with white oil-cloth
vaguely streaked with blue. The old man
sat on a stout, implanted chair made of ash.
The room was long and broad, with a low
ceiling. Five old-fashioned windows let the
daylight in from two sides of the building
and an open fireplace of ancient appearance
caused an uncomfortable draught in one
corner of the room. A dark modern paper
of gilt and black covered the walls, but the
rugged wainscoting, the deep window cas-
ings, and the general outlines of the apart
ment gave to the place an unmistakabe ap-
pearance of old age. A large picture OF
Washington on horseback and two or three
ancient prints in narrow mahogany frames
were the only visible attempts at decoration.
"Yes Sir; this is the place where Gen.
George Washington took leave of his officers
after the close OF the Revolutionary War;"
said the old man as he carefully
balanced q rich morsel of steak on
his fork. A huge yellow cat that had been
warming itself in the fading sunlight of the
late afternoon, jumped down from one of the
windows and yawned expectantly at the old
juicy freight out of the range of feline's
vision, and after washing down the morsel
with a drink of ale the old man resumed: ut
was in this identical room, one hundred
years ago, that Washington shook hands
with and babe goodbye to some of the
men who had fought by his side through the
long and hard struggle for liberty"
But the room has been changed since
then. has il not?"
mot in size or general appearance. OF
course it has been reprinted and repapered
several times. This room, as you see, is on
the second floor In Revolutionary times the
building was but three stories high; now it is
five, but the two upper stories were built on
without alte ring in any way the internal ar
rangement of the old tavern. which has al
ways stood on this northeast corner of Broad
and Pearl streets Many good time has been
enjoyed in this old room, as | have often
heard my father tell"
A far away look came into the old mans
eyes as be thought OF the past and its tradi-
tions and the big yellow cat took advantage
of his abstraction TO snatch a remnant Of
meat from the platter and scamper away
with it. II don't know as anybody could
tell you when this Old building was put up"
continued the speaker. after emptying his
mug of ale and pushing back his chair little
local history makes OF it is
that Colonel Robinson occupied the building
as residence before 1857. In that year
Delaney. Robinson IL Co opened store here
and it was not until 1862 that Samuel Francis
converted the place into the Queens Head
Tavern. George III. had welded Queen
Charlotte in the fall of 1761 and the tavern
was named after her. Samuel Francis, an
told. was very successful as a host. He kept
the travern until 1866, when John Jones took
it and conducted it for about year as the
Free Mason's Arms Next Bolton & Sigell
ran 1T for three or four years as the Queens
Head, and in 1770 Samuel Francis resumed
control and continued as host for several
years"
Are you familiar with the circumstances
of Washington's leave-taking here?"
''0h, yes l have got it all in my scrap
book up stairs. Plea wait one moment"
The white-haired man was obliged to lean
heavily upon his stout stick, but he moved
briskly nevertheless, and in a few minutes
he returned from trip up stairs with a much
worn black scrap book under his arm. Yes
yes, here it is" said he, and he read from
venerable newspaper excerpts as follows:
On the morning of the 18th OF November,
1873. the American troops marched into the
city in procession, at their head their Excel
lencies General Washington and Governor
Clinton on horseback attended by their aides
The Governor gave a public dinner at Fran
cis's Tavern, at which the Commander-in-
Chief and other General Officers were pres
ent.
After dinner the following toasts were
drank by the company:
1.-The United States of America.
2-His Most Christian Majesty.
3-The United Netherlands
4-The King of Sweden.
5-The American Army.
6-The Fleet and Armies of France.
THE memories of those heroes who have
fallen for our freedom.
Mo- he. f.,1
military children.
9-May justice support what courage has
gained.
10-The vindication of the rights of man.
kind in every quarter of the globe.
11-May America be an asylum to the per-
secuted of the earth.
12-May a close Union of the States guard
the temple they have erection to liberty.
13-May the remembrance OF this day be a
lesson 70 the Princes.
A letter to the Pennsylvania Packet, dated
New York, December 6, Saturday 1888, de-
scribed the leavetaking between Washington
and his officers in the following language
Last Thursday noon the principal officers of
the army in town assembled at Francis Tav-
ern to take final leave of their illustrious,
gracious and much beloved commander
Gen Washington. The passions of human
nature were never more tenderly agitated
than in this interesting scene. His Excelency
Hlleu u glass OI wine, Iuou duuIeSSeu us
brave fellow soldiers:
with a heart full of love and gratitude,
now take leave of you. / most devoutly
wish that your latter days may be as prosper
Gus and happy as your former ones have been
glorious and honorable"
Washington drank his wine, and, setting
the glass down, said:
II cannot come to each of you to take my
leave, but shall be obliged if each of you will
come and take me by the hand"
''These words produced extreme sensibility
OH both Sides they were answered by warm
expressions and feryent wishes from the gen.
tlemen of the army, whose truly pathetic
feelings it is not in our power to convey :"
"In Custis's Recollections of Washington"
continued the old man. sit is written. Gen.
Knox, who stood nearest to him. washing
toni turned and grasped his hand, while the
tears flowed down the cheeks of each; the
COMMANDMENT Chief kissed him. This he
did to each of his officers, while tears and
sobs stfled utterance.
Happy as was the occasion" wrote an
officer to friend in Albany, prayed for it
as it was by him and all patriots when we
might feel that there was not any enemy in
America, it brought with it its sorrows. and
could hardly speak when turned from TAX
ing my last look of him. 1t was extremely af-
fecting. and do not think there ever were so
many broken hearts in New York as there