Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1901-05-23
GEOGRAPHICAL SOCIETY.
National Organization Has Excursion 1
Brandywinc springs. Isl .


israndywine springs.
The National Geogral hical Society Is
held an excursion Saturday at Brandy
wine Springs The party to the num-
Der OF about $50 came on q special train
over the Baltimore " Ohio railroad,
reaching the Springs about l1.30
O'clock, They returned home in tho af-
ternoon.
Cniei Justice Charles b Lore was
one OF the speakers at gathering OF
the society on the historic grounds, Tie
Chief Justice said In part:
"By warrant dated February nth,
1890, uud'r the hand and seal of
William Penn, Henry Hollingsworth.
surveyor, laid of as q portion for
Penn's two youngest children, William
ami l-etitia, 10000 acres OF land in
Chester county, Pa, and New Castle
county, Dol. The entire tract was
known as Staining Manor. When
divided Letitia's half 800 acres WAS
called 'Lotitia Manor The place
where We now stand, Is a part OF this
laud aud probably a rart Of 'Letitia
Manor the lower part Of which was
located on a branch of the Christian
River then known as Red -Clay's
XIII aud was called Southern
Land. The country all around is the
Southern foothills OF the Blue Ridge
Mountains. Here liz early colonial
times the thrifty Quaker and Swede
located homesteads, cleared up the land
aod settled down to lives of rural sim
plicity, irugality and virtue. They and
their descendants have always formed
notable cart OF Delaware 8 best citi-
zens. In this locality crime has always
found it's minimum. They were quiet
and psaceable people, and lived on
terms OF greatest friendship with-the
Delaware Indians, with whom these
hills were favorite hunting ground
Some distance off from the great
avenues Of colonial and national travel
as it was still the neighborhood OF old
, Mill Creek HUNDRED las had a share Of
war, politics, social eminence and of
romance. In September, 1777, the pre-
liminary skirmishes OF the Battle Of
Brandywine took place among these
hills. Sin William Howe's splendid army
of 1900 OF the best soldiers Of
Europe confronted Wasbington's Con :
tinenta army of 11.500, reg ulars and
militia. The British right
wing under Knyphaseun, had sharp
encounter with the American light
troops under Maxwell at Iron Hill,
near Cooohs Bridge, about eight miles
south of this place, where tradition
says the American forces first unfolded
the Stars aud Stripes in battle on
September Sd, 1777. The British Left
wing under CORVALLIS, was in trent
OF Washington and the main body Of
the army somewhere about these hills.
Here with majestic mein and Fabian
policy Washington held at bay with
his half fed, half clothed ana motley
army, the splendidly equipped and
differed British troops. From here
he executed one Of the most mastery
retreats OF the Revolutionary War &c
Chadd's Ford. At night. CORVALLIS
felt that he had outflanked Washin
ton. and had him at his mercy; but,
much to his amazemsnt he walked uI
in the morning TO find that his prey
had gone. We are now gathered under
what is known as Council Oak, &C
named because tradition says it was
under this tree that Washington tool,
council with his officers on that Sep
temher day and decided upon the re-
treat to Chadd's ford. About mile
to the south there are still the remain.
of earthworks thrown up by the
British Et
Manager Crook, in digging for The
beautiful lake at our feet a few years
ago, came across l2-pound British
cannon ball. just in sight on tn,
ancestral land OF the Justis family
Robert O. Justis, cur valued friend
informs me that within the last q
years he has frequently picked up frag
ments of bayonets, Continental Goa
buttons, musket balls and other token
of military occupation.
Henry q. Conrad gave sketch o
the early history of Wilmington.