Fisherman & farmer. [volume] (Edenton, N.C.) 1887-19??, 1893-11-03
TRENTON BATTLE SHAFT.
THE MONUMENT UNVEILED
WITH PATRIOTIC POMP.
1t Marks the Spot Where the Tide
First Turned in Favor of the Rev
dictionary Army-Eisht Govern
ors Participate In the Imposing

The Trenton On y Battle Monument has
been dedicated. Governors of many States
partipated, and an imposing military dis
play was one of its features. The city was
never more lavishIy decorated.
The shaft rises from the spot on which
Captain Alexander Hamilton opened fire on
the HessIans on that memorable December
morning in 17i6. OF the $50. 900 thus spent
10 commemorate the victory which
followed, the United States Government con-
Irlputed z30, OO0 the State of New Jersey
$1,000 and the people OF Trenton the re-
malnder. The presence of eight Governors,
nearly all of whom took part in the dedica-
ZION exercises, and other distinguished n en-,
lent interest and dignity to the OCCASION
From morning until night the streets were
choked with people.
Governors Flower. of New York Pattison
OF pennsylvania, and Russell, of Massachu-
sets, received especially warm welcomes
Inc other Governors present were Fuller,
OF Vermont Reynolds, of Delaware Brown,
OF Maryland Morris, OF Connecticut and
"erts, OF New Jersey. Each was at
tended by members of his staff. and
all received reception at the State House
before the opening of the exercises of tho
day. The Capitol was beautif1ed with Ma
II thousands were conGregated to cheer the
Governors as they passed in.
A letter from President Cleveland ex-
pressing regret at being unable to attend
the celebration was accompanied by an
Eounce-1ents that the members of the
cabinet and of Congress who had been
invited would not be present. Even
senators Smith and Mcpherson failed to
appear, the excuse being that it was impOssi-
bic for them to leave Washington on account
OF the Repeal bill debate. The Presidents
place in the programme was taken by Rich
6nr Thn
Thirty thousand people gathered to hear
the oratory and music. The grand
stand alone held 5000. The roots and
windows of every building for half a
mile about were packed win specta-
tors The civic societies REPRESENTED
were the Society of G .ncinnati, Sons of
the Revolution, the New Jersey Society of
Colonial Danes of America, Princeton Battle
Monument Association, Daughters of the
American Revolution and the Monmouth
Battle Monument Association.
The exercises were opened with music by
the band of the Seventh Regiment. National
Guard of New Jersey, after which Bishop
Starkey, of Newark, offered prayer, and
General William S. Stryker, President
of the Monument Association, deliv-
cred an address on "The Victory at
Trenton" The tablet presented by the
New Jersey Society of the Cincinnati
was now unveiled, the address being
delivered by Clifford Stanley Sims, Presi-
dent of the society, who described its origin
and patriotic character, and alluded to the
appropriate nature of its contribution to the
shaft. Hugh H. Hamill of the association
accepted the tablet.
The unwilling OF the statute of Blair
McClenachen followed. He was a soldier
of the Philadelphia troop Of light horses
atterward known as the City Troop. The
tain Joseph Lapsley Wilson, COM
mander of the troop. Ex-senator John Tay-
lor accepted the gift for the Monument
Association, and then the statue of John Rus
sell was unveiled. The latter was a soldier
of Colonel John GlOver's Fourteenth Regi-
ment of Massachusetts Continentals. The
presentation address was made by Governor
Russell. whose appearance was greeted With
specially loud applause.
Governor Pattison, of Pennsylvania, I'M
'veiled the relief representing the Continental
army crossing the Delaware, which was pre-
sented by the Commonwealth of Pennsyi.
wants., and spoke of the share the Pennsyl-
vania volunteers had in the subsequent bat
tie
William L. Dayton ex-United Stat % Min
lister to the Hague, responded for the Monu-
ment Association, and when he had finished,
the relief, entitled The Opening of the
Fight was unveiled, Governor Flower max
ing the presentation speech.
Governor Morris, of Connecticut, pre-
sented the relief ''The Surrender OF the Hes
SLAMS The reading Of his poem by Richard
Watson Glider followed, and then came the
unwilling of William Rudolph O'Donovan'&
statue of Washington. which surmounts the
monuments. Governor Werts. of New Jer:
sey. made brief address, and the benedic-
ton was pronounced by the Rev. Thomas
HanlOn. President of Pennington Seminary.
During the exercises the military parade was
in progress. There were 5000 troops and 10Ot
Grand Army members in the procession.
General Sewell and the New Jersey regi'
ments of the Second Brigade held the right
of line.
Troop A, of New York, elected many
rounds of applause. Organizations that
added greatly to the picturesqueness OF
the parade were the First and Second
companies OF the Connecticut Foot
Guard, the Hartford Grays, the Phila
delphia City Troop. brakes Veteran
of Newark. The National Guard of Penn
sylvania was represented by several fine reg
iments, and the military Of Massachusetts,
Delaware and Maryland was also repre-
scented.
The shaft which was dedicated is Roman
Dorc in style, of white granite. 1t towers
1876 feet in the air, and is surmounted by
u bronze statue of Washington thirteen
feet high, which is the gift of New York
State. Washington is represented as
standing, glass in hand, surveying the
fleeing Hessians, and with right arm
Warren street, in the direction he wished
Captain Hamilton's battery to open on the
foe. The figure is in the full uniform of a
Continental general officer, an exact repro
duction of the uniform worn by Washington
during the Revolutionary War.
The shafts summit will be accessible by
means of an electric elevator. thus affOrdtn2
to every visitor 3 view Of the old town in
which the famous battle took place Thirteen
electric lights from the top of the monument
will shed their radiance upon the darkness
every night, as by day the thirteen stars
carved upon the capitol will denote the origi-
nal States of the Union.
! There a-e four tablets on the base of the
pedestal supporting the column. In their
Historical order they are as follows: The re-
Gef on the vest side of the base represents
''The Continental Army Crossing the Della
ware River"
On the south side is the relief showing the
opening of the fight. The battery OF Captain
Hamilton is presented as about to fire the
first shot ut the enemy on King street. This
tablet is presented by the State of New York.
The relief on the east side OF the monument
depicts 1.-The surrender of the HeSsians.
which took place on the outskirts of the Vll'
lagt.
This tablet is presented by the State of
Connecticut by an act of its Legislature. On
the north side of the base is an historical
bronze tablet presented by the Society OF the
is in these words
This monument is erected by the Trenton
Battle Monument Association to commemo-
rate the victory gained by the Americans
over the forces of Great Britain in this town
on the 26th day of December, Ammo Domml
1776'
This tablet is in bronze, and the lettering
is ornamental in design characteristic OF
the Society of the Cincinnati.
At one side of the doorway Of the monu-
nent, guarding the entrance, stands bronze
STATUE of Private John Russell OF captain
John Seaman's company of the Fourteenth
Regiment OF the Continental Line. organized
in Massachusetts, by Colonel John Glover.
This figure is the gift of Massachusetts.
ON the other side of the doorway is the
statue modelled after a likeness of Private
Blair McCienachan of the Philadelphia
Troop Of Light Horse, which troop took part
in the battle of Trenton. 1t is the gift Oh
he troop now know as the First Troop Pills
delphia City Cavalry.