The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1896-08-29

was waited upon by the same negro servant
Richard Mills. Lafayette slept in the
same house on his way to the Virginia
campaign.
The British moved slowly and finally
concentrated their forces on Gray's Hill,
east of Elkton. American scouts were
stationed on this hill to watch the move
ments of the enemy. As the British ad
vanced they retreated to Cooch's Bridge,
engagement took place, in which about
forty Americans were killed. The English
loss was not quite so heavy. From there
the enemy advanced until they encountered
the American forces at the Brandywine, by
which victory they took Philadelphia.
FIRST STEAMBOAT PATENT.
James Rumsey, the steamboat inventor,
was born in Middle Neck, this county, but
subsequently lived in Virginia. In 1884
he applied to the Legislature for patent,
as the Constitution had not been adopted,
and the Articles of Confederation contained
no reference to this matter. Rumsey 8
method is described rs a method of propel
ling vessels by the means of the reaction of
stream of water forced by the agency of
steam through trunk cylinder parallel to
the keel out at the stern. The action Of
this stream upon the water in which the
vessel foated, it was believed, would cause
the vessel to move forward. The Legisla-
ture gave him him the exclusive right for
ten years.
The Cecil County Manufacturing Com
pany presented Thomas Jefferson with
sufficient cloth to make a suit which he
wore when he was inaugurated President of
the United States.
The first line of packets between Balti-
more and Philadelphia was established in
1906. 1t consisted of four sloops, which
ran to Frenchtown, and then passengers
and luggage were driven to New Castle,
and put aboard another vessel for Phila-
delphia
| IN THE WAR OF 1872
When the War of 1912 broke out Ceci
county again became the ground of many
exciting adventures. In the spring of the
same year Cecil countians built forts along
the Elk River. The British sailed up the
Elk on April 30, 1913. They took French
town, where there was fort and burned
the town. Then they tried to proceed to
Elkton, but only got as far as Fort De-
tiance. when they were driven back. They
then landed at White Hall and attempted
to get the owner to show them the way to
Elkton. Failing in that, they took female
slave, who led them to Cedar Point, oppo-
site Fort Hollingsworth, about mile be-
low the town, where they received such
warm reception that they retired to their
ships and dropped down the river.
Among the soldiers that came to the de-
fence of Elkton from Pennsylvania was ex-
President James Buchanan, then a young
man. The enemy, after dropping down
the river, sailed up the Sassafras and
burned Fredericktown and Georgetown.
One of the most important events in the
history of steamboats, took place within the
boundaries of the county, on June 81,
1913. The first steamboat that ever ran
on the Chesapeake Bay or its tributaries
was one called the Chesapeake. 1t was
built in Baltimore and made its first trip
from Baltimore to Frenchtown and back,
140 miles, in "a hours. A pilot stood in
the bow and called out the course to man
amidships, and he to the helmsman. There
being no bells, the captain called out his
orders or by stamping his heels on the
woodwork above the engine. The engi
neer accidentally found he could reverse
his engine and back the boat after he had
been running it six months.
This historical old county can boast of
one of the oldest railroads in this country;
and the very first on which steam engine
was used. Increase of travel and need of
better facilities led to the building of this
road, known as the Frenchtown and New
Castle Railroad. The company was char
tered by the Maryland Legislature, with
capital stock of $500, 600, in 1928. There
was some doubt as to its success, and the
Legislature compelled the company to keep
a turnpike 90 feet wide alongside of it. 1t
was not finished until 1881. Horses were
used to pull the cars for the first two years.
The road was of very peculiar construc-
ton. The rails were placed about the
same distance apart, as in modern roads,
but instead of being placed on wooden
sleepers, MS now, they were placed on
stones ten or twelve inches square. These
stones had holes drilled in them, in which
wooden plug was inserted, and upon
them were laid wooden rails about six
inches square and ten or twelve feet long,
which were fastened to the stones by means
of piece of flat iron shaped like the letter