The Wilmington daily Republican., 1901-09-04
PATRIOTS MARK
BATTLE GROUND

States, gathered to the number of sry-
pral thousands at Cuoch's Bridge yrstcr-
day afternoon to witness the cciemon-
les of unvtiling the monument marking
| the spot where the Stars and Stripes
were first unlurcd over Il bloody battle
field September 3. III. The exercises
took pi;lcr ON the farm Of j. Ninkins
toocl Mll"rc the monument stalniS a,i
II rough estimate places the number Of
people present al about 5000 Their"
| probably was not Il happier man to b.
| found anywher" yesterday that Mr..
| touch.
| Rain threatened to completely mar thy
exercises and did 50 To some extent. Eut
the people brnyed mud and rain to he
present at what will be spoken Of here
after MS one OF Dcllwarr's most notable
days. To the assembled thousands there
was something impressive in the brilliant
=, rays Of the sun, which Shont forth from
| what Il few minutes before had been Il
dark, cloudy sky. as the Rev. Thomas
| 4. Potter pronounced the henrdiction and
th' First Regiment Band played lively
air, ending the ceremonies.
| The only incident of particular note
aSid" from the regular routine of thu
| program occurred when General James
ii. Wilson was speaking. Relating
Mhrr" the Stars and Stripes had been
carried to victory by naval commanders,
General Wilson. after naming IL score of
| naval heroes, continued. And Sampson
! Santiago" This remark brought Kisses
from some persons in the crowd ana
eyclanationS of "Schley" "Schlry"
H.. I
also exclaimed "Schley" "Srhley" in
! Il jocuar spirit but it was plainly evil
dent that sentiment was in favor of
Schley as the hero Of Santiago Bay. An
old farmer who manifested deep interest
in the proceedings and who stood as
near to the stand as he possibly could
get, also added his protest. ''Schiey was
he man." he said, "Schlcy was the man
The exercises were held in stand
b"l"cked with the national colors, erected
several hundred feet west Of the Cooch
residence. Among those seated in the
stand We're Chief Justice Lore. Bishop
Coleman. Governor Hum and staff,
Henry G. Conrad. J. Wilkins coocll. tie
Hon. Walter S. Logan of New York,
president gencrll National Society, Sons
of the American Revolutions General
James II. Wilson, Robert &. Houston,
William L. Smilhrrs. the Rev. Thomas
&. Potter, Mr.. and Mrs. Howard De-
Haven Ross, Dr. j. Y. Valindigham If
Newark. Il. W. Warfcld, president of
the Maryland Society. Sons of the
American Revolution: George w. Todd.
ID. Brninerd Ferris and William h. No
gears of Smyrna.
Soon after 2 o'clock Chief Justice
Lore president of the Historical Society
of Delaware, who presided. called tie
meeting to order Bishop Coleman mHdr
tn" Invocation and then Judge Lore de-.
clarcd the program opened and gave ~
brief account of the history of the move
mrnt which resulted in the erection Of
the monument
Aftcr-a selection by the First Regiment
Band Henry G. Conrad librarian of thr
historical Society of Delaware. de-
livered Il historical address. in part ~
follows:
Historians have given but little ati.n,
tion to the engagement that took place
at Cooch'S Bridge, September 3. III. due
largely to the fact that the important
engagement at Rrandywinc occurred only
Il week later. and the participants in thu
engagement in this place either failed t,
record in detail th" occurrences of the
day or else such recorded occulranc's
have been lost or misluid and mp to this
time do not seem to have seen the light
of day.
'I"hn Mnrsllrll. who at his time WAS
in WaShingtOn'S army. and who :ft,r.
wards hccamc the distinguished rhi,f
justice of the United States. gives tho
following account of the battle of Coorn's
Bridge in his life of General Washington
'Morgan'S regiment of rtirmrn.
which had been found particularly useful
during the incursinn into Jersey. had !
been detached to the Northern army
a corps Of light infantry Was formed ul |
nine officers, eight srrgeants, 100 rank |
and file for each brigade, the command |
of which was given to General Maxwell,
who in the course Of the last winter had |
acquired som" reputation as II partisan.
The corps was advanced TO Iron Hill |
about three miles in front Of White Clay |
Greek, and extending toward Aitkr.,s
Tavern. The calvary, consisting Of four
regiments amounting to about 300 men
including PERSONS OF ryrry descriptions.
w"r" employed principally on the lines
i'll watching the enemy. gaining intrlli
gcncc and picking up stI;l=glrrs.
"Thc movement intended to be made ny
General Howe on the 3ll of September.
was discovered from his previous rr-
and it was recommended
by the coilmAnlrr-in-chitl to General
to post choice body of men III
III" night, on an advantageous part OF the
road in order to annoy HIM On his march.
III the morning of tho 3rd General Grant
bcing left with six baitalonS 1T he head
nf Elk. to guard the baggage and pre-
serve n communication with the ship |
ping, the two divisions under Lord Coln- ,
wallis and General kniphuyscn moved
forward and formed II junction about
l'rncadpr or Aitktns Tavern. whru.
ley cncainped with the right at Pen
.Htrr. and the left extending across the
hriStiana toward Newark. In their way
he column under Lord tornwalliS fell
n with and attacked Maxwell, who
made a short resistance, then rrtrca'ed
,v"r White Clay Creek with n loss of
about forty killed and wounded. The
oss sustained hy the British MS stated
II the oili"ial letter of Sir William Howe.
VA" only three killed and nineteen
The opinion of thr Americans,
by accounts from the collll-
ry people, ;tscribrd tc their arms in this
kirmish. muclt more effect.
General William Maxwell the hero Of
he battle Of Coochs Bridge dong live
lis memory, has been in his grave for
'vcr II century. Born of sturdy Irish /
'urrntugc, he came with his parents
when lad. and settled in our neighhor-
ng State of New Jersey. He was forty
olr years of age when he made tn"
ally on the British ines at this Place
had hoped 10 find that he had l"ft
'"hinG han an account in detail Of this