Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-10-19
ON TRENTON'S FIELD.
Monument Dedicated Where the
Battle Was Fought.
MANY GOVERNORS WERE ON HAND.
Tablets Presented by the Different
States.
A BE A U TIFUL SH AFT.

A BE TIFUL AFT.
TRENTON, N. j., Oct. 19.-The Trenton
battle monument was dedicated today. The
pomp and splendor of the affair were i'm
pressive. Governors of many states partici-
pated, and impressive military display was
one of its features. The city was never
more lavishly decorated in honor of any
occasion. and never did any people manifest
their patriotism more enthusiastically. AL
most every dwelling in the city was dec
GRATED with flags and bunting, and the pub
lie and business buildings were all hand
somely decorated with the national colors
Every work shop and factory was closed
and the entire population turned out to
witness the exercises and festivities and
thousands Of strangers swelled the great
throng of sightseers.
Among those present was Miss Rossell
the great granddaughter Of Chief Justice
Trent, the founder of Trenton. and after
whom 1t was named. 1t was formerly writ
ten '"Trentstown."
The Occasion C0mmemOrated.
The monument commentaries the histor-
teal encounter Of Gen. Washington with the
British and Hessians in the streets Of Tren-
ton on December 26, 1776. At that time
Trenton was a struggling village. Today 1t
is lively. growing city Of 5000 inhabit-
ants. with here and there still standing
buildings which were erected in King
Georges time. From the top of the monu-
ment grounds made sacred by the blood Of
the early patriots is visible on every side.
The place where Washington with his
ragged and half-famished army crossed the
Delaware on that cold Christmas night be-
fore the battle is only two miles distant.
Through a glass the battle fields of
Princeton and Monmouth may be seen.
The monument stands in Monument Park.
at the junction of Warren and Green
streets and Brunswick, Princeton and
Pennington avenues. the exact spot where
Capt Alex. Hamilton of New York opened
his battery Of the New York state company
of artillery on the Hessian foe.
A Great Gathering.
Around about the monument 30, ,00e people
were gathered to witness the exercises.
The military rested arms In Warren street,
the thoroughfare down which the Hessians
were swept and from whose soil mementos
In the shape of shot and shell are still occa-
sionally dug up.
The failure of President Cleveland and
other distinguished men to arrive from
Washington was deeply regretted. since it
was their intention to be present If possible
However. the dignity and interest of the
occasion were scarcely lessened, for other
wise there were no disappointment and
every feature of the program was carried
out.
The national and state dignitaries that
were present included Governors Flower Of
New York. Pattison of Pennsylvania, Fuller
OF Vermont. Reynolds Of Delaware, Russell
Of Massachusetts. Werts of New Jersey,
Morris Of Connecticut and Brown of Mary
land. ex-Governors Albeit and Green. and
on the grand stand among them was the
Venerable DR.. +. H. Doty of Jamesburg
whose cousin, Van Wart was one of the
captors of Andre; near him were Col John
Sschuyler and William d. H. Washington Of
New York.
The latter is a grandson of Capt. william
Augustine Washington. who participated
in the charge on the Hessian force, and
was wounded within a hundred yards Of the
monument.
The civic societies largely represented
were the Society Of Cincinnati, Sons Of the
Revolution. the New Jersey Society Of Col
onial Danes Of America, Princeton Battle
Monument Association, Daughters Of the
American Revolution and the Monmouth
Battle Monument Association.
The Battle Monument.
The shaft. Roman Doric in STYLE Is Of
white granite. It towers 1876 feet in the air
and is surmounted by a bronze statue Of
Washington, thirteen feet high. and Is the
gift Of New York state.
Washington Is represented as standing.
glass in hand. surveying the fleeing Hes
slams. and with right arm extended, pointing
down the street-now Warren street-in the
direction be wished Capt. Hamilton's bat
terry to open on the foe. The figure is in
the full uniform OF continental general
officer, an exact representation OF the GTf-
form worn by Washington during the revo-
lutionary war. The statue was designed by
William r. O'Donovan of New York, and
was cast at the National Art Foundry Of
New York. while the whole plan of the
monument was conceived by John H. Dun
can of New York. Artistically. the column
seems to be faultless in design and it is
confidently thought that it will be account
ed through all time as one Of the most per
feet monumental shafts OF victory In the
world.
Its summit will be accessible by means
of an electric elevator, thus affording to
every visitor a fine view of the quaint. old
town in which the famous battle took place.
Thirteen electric lights from the top OF the
monument will shed their radiance upon the
teen stars carved upon the capitol will de-
note the original states OF the union.
There are four tablets on the base OF the
pedestal supporting the column. In their
historical order they are as follows:
The relief on the west side of the base
represents 1.-The Continental Army Cross
ing the Delaware River" The design de-
parts widely from the crossing as depicted
Dy 1<eutLe III Ills CctcUtdSCu PiStohC 81 ANAsy
in his delinea ton of the direction of the
passage Of the boats; in the kind OF boats
used in the representation OF the Ice and
the flag carried by the American army. In
its design the Durham boats which Gen.
Washington directed to be collected from
the upper waters Of the Delaware during
his march through the Jerseys appear
prominent as having been used for convey
ing the army from the Pennsylvania to the
New Jersey shore. Rats also appear as
they were used in transporting the horses.
In the immediate foreground Capt. WILL
liam Washington and the lieutenant of his
company, James Monroe, afterward Presi-
dent of the United States. Both Of these
officers were wounded in the battle at Tren-
ton. With them, evidently alarmed at some
noise on the New Jersey Shore Is Col Ed
ward Hand and the Pennsylvania regiment
of sharpshooters commanded by that gal
liant officer.
The current Is swift and the passage dam
gerous on account of the early winter ice
which drifted roughly against the boats,
requiring great skill in padding them. The
little boat in the foreground contains Gen.
Washington and Col. Knox. The artillery
men and the Jersey farmer are towing
them on the river. In the distance may be
seen the shore of New Jersey as it appears
| today. This tablet Is presented to the as
socation by the commonwealth of Penn
sylvania.
On the south side is the relief showing the
opening Of the fight. The battery of Capt.
Hamilton Is presented as about to fire the
first shot at the enemy in King street The
mounted figure Of this brave soldier who af-