The daily morning journal and courier., 1898-05-26
OLD FORT DECATUR.

O1Jb EoR1 lILS<Al oAe' The Ruins Located by Children of
 American Revolution.
 Mrs. William Molthrope, president Of the Belton Allyn society of Gales Fer ry, has been for months busy with her interesting group of Children of the American Revolution preparing sur prise for the county, the marking of mountain almost north of the village of Gales Ferry. The Norwich Record says: The ruins have been nearly ob- liberated by times ruthless hand it was a happy inspiration that made her se- lect this most interesting and inlpor- tant work for the Belton Allyn's earn est labors. No one can believe how lovely the spot is and how command ing is the position chosen by Decatur to watch his small fleet through those twenty-one months of weary waiting when blockaded in New London harbor by Commodore Harpy's English fleet. The society and it's officers, with a few other members of the Children of the American Revolution societies and their state director, met at 2:30 p. m. Saturday in the hospitable home of MT. and Mrs. Perkins, to whom the prop erty belongs, on the northern slope of AHyn's mountain. The procession was then formed by Mrs. Molthrope, the president assisted by Mrs Frank Fish, the vice president, and led by the color-bearer, and wound it's way up the steep ascent to the crumbling ram pant now just discernible at the fort. There everything had been most admir- ably arranged, and in the center of the triangular redoubts, near the old we'll rostrum and a few seats were placed, whilst on their northern boundary was seen a huge boulder beautiful in pro- portions and covered with a large United States flag.
 The day was ideal, with it's clear, blue sky and great masses of shifting clouds. The whole space within the old mounds was carpeted with moss and wild flowers and the air seemed laden with fragrance of the pines. And such a view! Amid these beguiling sur roundings the following programme filled two charming hours: Mrs; Molthrope called for the salute to the flag
 Hymn, "America."
 Address, Fort Decatur
 Master Charles w. Pierce, historian. Unveiling of boulder.
 Violet Perkins.
 The inscription is on the face of a huge boulder-a large square space has been beautifully prepared and in large gilded lettering these words are placed:
 This boulder
 was marked by
 The Belton Allyn Society, c. A. R.,
 of Gales Ferry
 as being the
 north boundary
 of Fort Decatur
 that was erected
 in the
 years 1813 and 1914
 to protect
 Decatur's fleet from
 the British Address, Commodore Decatur, the Man Who Built the Fort
 Song, Yankee Dewey"
 Mrs. Molthrope called for action on Mrs. Slocumb's resolution, which was adopted unanimously:
 That 1t be resolved, by the Belton Allyn Society of Gales Ferry, Children American Revolution. to adopt the paraphrase .'Yan- kee Dewey'' IS their Yankee Doodle" for all time In commemoration of Commodore Manita on Sunday, May 1, 1898, and that they, through the state director, call uBon all Connectlcut's Children of American Revo- luton to join them in thus honoring the man who, when leaving Washington to join his squadron in the far east, laughingy promised his sorrowing friends 'the next move you hear of me will be that I have thrashed the Spanlards before brea kfast" |" That he kept his word and thereafter prov cd himself as merciful as he Is brave And be 1t further
 Resolved, That our state director, Mrs. Cuthbert Harrison Slocomb, through the medium of our president of the national society, urges all the Children of tue Amer ican Revolution throughout the country to unite with Connecticut's children in this commemorative act for our Dewey and our brave navy.
 And, furthermore, that a copy of the reso- lutions with the verses Yankee Dewey be forwarded to Admiral Dewey and his gal aant officers as speedily as possible (Signed) Mrs. William 1olthrope And the officers of the Belton Allyn Society
 Mrs. O. H. Slocomb
 s. D. C., C.. A. R. Fort Decatur, on Allyn's Mountain, over the sivery Thames, May II, 1898. The state director presented q Mother Bailey souvenir to the society. Address. War of 1872; Its Causes and Re- suits"
 Rev. J. B. Aekley. Short prayer and benedictiOn
 Rev. MT. Newell of Montville.