Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1901-09-04

And so help us all, we pray Thee.
by our industry and fidelity to trans
NIT unimpaired to future generat1bns
the goodly heritage which we have re-
ceived from our fathers, that all the
nations of the earth may know assur-
edly that we acknowledge Thee as our
Savior and Mighty Deliyerer, and our
Supreme Ruler for evermore.
All this we beg. and whatsoever else
may be needful and convenient for US,
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
WOMAN ORIGINATED THE MONUMENT
When the strains of the Boys In
Blue as played by the First Regiment
Band were dying out, Chief Justice
Lore spoke of the many historic mem
Ories clustering about the spot where
the assemblage was gathered. He re-
ferred to the idea of marking the spot
originating first in the mind of a wo-
man, who mentioned the matter to
Howard DeHaven Ross, President of
the Delaware Society, Sons of the Amer
lean Revolution. He told of the
growth of the movement until the un-
yelling of the monument marking the
spot was made possible.
SPEECH OF HENRY c. CONRAD
The opening address was delivered
by the Hon. Henry c. Conrad, librarian
of the Historical Society of Delaware.
Mr.. Conrad described the movements
of the American troops. Washington
had learned before August p Of the
British in the Chesapeake, the Ameri-
can army at that time being encamp-
ed in Bucks county, Pa. On August %
the army was ordered to march south
and come through Philadelphia.
wAsHlNoToNs FIRST FIGHT
Washington had given express or
lders that the men should be drawn out
lin long array to impress the populace
with its size and Importance On the
might of August % the army encamped
at Germantown; on August "a at
Darby, and on the next day it reached
Wilmington, Washington taking up
J. his headquarters on Quaker Hill, in a
house which for many years afterward
n stood on the west side of West street.
between Third and Fourth streets. The
iarmy encamped on the high ground OF
j
'nue. Washington continued his head
quarters in Wilmington until Septem-
iber 9. the army in the meantime hav-
ling gone to the north side OF White
! Clay creek and on the east side of
Red Clay creek, in the immediate vicin-
.lity Of Stanton and Kiamensie, with
lpickets out as far as the Christiana
} bridge.
b Mr.. Conrad then read Washington
+, .etteT to the President OF Congress, ol
September 3, the day of the skirmish al
lCooch's Bridge.
The records tell us that when Wash
ngton marched his army through Phil
adelphia the bands were playing and
the flags were flying. Undoubtedly
I those flags had been made after the
pattern set forth in the resolve of Con
tgress of June IA. 1777, there having
/, been ample time for the making OF the
|. flag after the approved pattern, and
the first thought would have been Il
furnish them as speedily as possible Il
the main army of Washington as il
i, marched South to meet the invading
foe" continued Mr.. Conrad. ITO my
lder to the eastward beyond the quie
- flowing waters of the Christiana, with
d. in sight of the spot upon which
stand there was borne aloft by tn
:, American column under the brave Max
well the flag of the thirteen Unite,
:, States. with thirteen stars and thirteel
), stripes, and there, fer the first time. ap
peared in the smoke and blood of bat
tie. and to commemorate that fact. W
i unveil this monument today.
Thus have l given you in detail tn
particulars of the engagement tina
took place on this ground one hundre
y and twenty-four years ago today. a
the same have come down to us in tn
record of the historian. and in tn
N chronicles of the participants and {
sf the neighborhood.
lel Our mission today is twofold: Firs
ito commemorate the only battle fougf
!, ION Delaware soil and to celebrate tn
il baptism of the first American flag z
ID It was borne proudly forth in the for,
le front OF a battle. True it is that Z
Id the extreme southeastern corner of tn
IN State there was a battle in the war {
al 1912. when a wanton attack was mad
Id by the British upon the quaint ol
settlement at Lewes. but that was
OF naval engagement wherein
cel
It's The commander and all his men
n, Shot a dog and killed hen.
IS "But here by the banks of the plac
headwaters Of the Christiana a verit
ed lble battle was fought and while its il
nd lportance has been overshadowed
ng the magnitude of the battle of Branr
nd wine. which followed so closely afte
IL ward. yet here was contest that d
serves to be remembered and which !
rst are justified in preserving for our ch
lal dren's children"
iL "a. UNWILLING OF THE BOULDER
~ ~ At the conclusion of Mr.. Conral
VA speech the memorial was unveils
a- ~ amid an outburst Of applause a
~ cheers. by Howard DeHaven Ross, ag
no. us months. and Francis Allyn Coo
"a aged is months.
tba William Bell Megear, Jr., the you