The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1901-05-10

anu lOf WHICH TcllC uulCeIS OieI tCIAPC-
ing amounts, is the same which sum-
moned Wirt's attendants to the door.
Among the British, a Colonel Wood,
who was afterward knighted, was par
ticularly appreciative of kindness,
making handsome provision lor black
smith who found him wounded upon
the field and wiped the blood from his
face. Wien convalescent he mingled
freely with the townspeople, and be-
came intimate at the house of Christie
pher Lowndes, a native of England,
who married daughter of Governor
Tasker of Maryland and was the first
of his name to settle in Bladensburg.
Mr. Lowndes was extensively engaged
in foreign commerce, by which he
amassed fortune, aud Bostock, which
be built in l746, and which contains,
in addition to several broad halls, II
spacious apartments, is a splendid
structure. OF the apartments, that
known as the banqueting hall requires
100 yards Of carpet to cover it; among
its features being a carved mantel
seven feet high, and fireplace before
which an OK might be roasted. After
the battle of Yorktown, when Lafay-
cite passed through Bladensburg he
was entertained at Bostock at a bril-
liant ball, and the supper was served
in this room.
Blenheim, a seat near Bostock, was
the home of Mr.. Lowndes' grandson,
Benjamin Ogle Lowndes; and at his
death, which occurred three years ago,
he bequeathed it to the Domestic and
Foreign Missionary Society of the
Episcopal Church. A servant was
established in the rear building to pro-
tect it, but fire originated in defec-
tive fue and it was burned to the
ground.
The estate of Lord Baltimore, once
known as Riverdale, and now the Riv-
erdale Park Company, has passed out
of the hands of his descendants,
although one of them, Charles Balti-
more Calvert, still lives on tract of
land adjoining the place. 1t is now
owned by New York corporation and
has been subdivided into building lots,
upon which neat dwellings have been
erected, and the electric car which
passes through it is the finest rnnning
out of Washington.
GEORGE wAsHINGToN's HOUSE.
The most interesting of the historic
buildings, however, is the "George
Washington House." an ancient inn,
whose swinging signboard bears a
weather beaten representation of the
Father of His Country, and whose
front is elnblazoned with two Ameri-
can eagles. Here Washington stopped;
and here those who were to meet upon
the "field of honor" spent what often
proved their last night upon earth.
The spot, selected as accessible to the
Capital and yet beyond the jurisdiction
of the District, lies between two hills.
The apple trees flanking it are Of sub
sequent planting, but the field itself
hat never been brought under cultiva-
tion and is clad in its native verdure.
OF the fifty odd duels fought upon it,
that between Gen. Armistead Mason
and Col. John McCarty of Virginia,
said to have been instigated by Andrew
Jackson, was the first to attract gen.
eral attention. They met on the 9th
of February, 1919, Mason wearing an
overcoat, while McCarty appeared in
his shirt sleeves, with arms barred to the
shoulders. A binding snowstorm was
falling, and as they faced each other
the muzzles of their long muskets
almost touched. At the word "fire!"
both fell, Mason with the life blown
out of him, while McCarty was terribly
mangled. He recovered and lived for
a number of years aftcrward, but he
was always a prey to remorse.
Gen. Robert Williams of Washing
ton fought a duel at BIadepsburg with
Lieut.. David Bell, "the affair ending"
as his wife (nee Addie Cults and after
ward Mrs. Stephen A. Douglas) once
said, "as all such affairs should end
without bloodshed.'
DECATUR BARRON DUEL.
The most famous duel which ever oc-
Cured there however, was that between
Stephen Decatur and James Bar
ron. The achievements of the former
during the war with Barbary, involv-
ing the interests of the whole civilized
world made him the most brilliant and
conspicuous figure in the American
Navy, and eulogiz-d at home and
abroad, he was the idol Of the hour.
The two officers had been warm friends,
the difficulty between them arising
from the position which Decatur as
sumed in regard to neglect of duty
on Barron's part, resulting in his sus-
pension from the service. Their meet
ing occurred on the 22nd of March.