Evening journal., 1902-01-24
WHEN THE PEOPLE OF WILMINGTON
WELCOMED GENERAL LAFAYETTE

the corner Of Third. At the City Hall
he alighted from the barouche, passed
under small arches to the upper room
of the hall. where an address was made
by Chief Burgess Jacob Brobson and
by Joshua G. Brinckle.t to which Lafay-
cite responded in a brief speech Ad-
dresses were also made by Governor
Shulze. of Pennsylvania, and Mr.. Nc
Lane. They all then partOOk CT a ban
quet in the hall prepared by General
James Wolfe. On that day the women
of the city were dressed in white and
their hair ornamented with flowers
The welcome they gave General Bafay-
cite was heartily appreciated I'M
mediately after dinner Lafayette paid
"a visit to Mrs. Connell whose husband
was noted for his generous attention
to the French soldiers after their de-
feat in Russia and while on their flight
to France. He was then waited on by
Ia committee of young men
of the town. and Samuel Harker, edi-
tor of the Delaware Gazette, addressed
him in their behalf In his response
Lafayette spoke of some of the scenes
and incidents of the War of the Revo-
luton in the vicinity of Wilmington.
In the afternoon of the same day,
General Lafayette and his suite, in
company with his son and Mr.. McIane,
proceeded to New Castle. There he at
tended the wedding of Charles /. Du-
Pont. son of Colonel Victor Dupont,
and Miss Dorcas Montgomery Van
Dyke daughter Of the Hon. Nicholas
Van Dyke. AT 10 o'clock that night he
started from New Castle for French
town. At the Maryland line
he left the barouche in which he
rode from Philadelphia, took a seat
in the carriage with General Freeman,
and attended by the Governor of Mary
land and his aids bade Delaware an
affectiOnate adieu and proceeded to
Frenchtown. where he took a boat for
Baltimore Later he visited Washing
ton. Mt. Vernon and Bunker Hill, and
Just previous to his departure for
France on September 8. 1925, he spent
a few days as the guest OF the Du-
Points with whom he viewed the battle
grounds at Chadd's Ford. A public
dinner was given in his honor on the
site of the battle. After returning to
the home of the DuPonts he wrote the
following in the album of Miss Eu-
genia DUPONT:
After having seen, nearly half a
century ago. the banks of the Brandy
wine a scene of bloody fighting. l am
happy now to find upon them the
seat of industry beauty and mutual
friendship"
General Lafayette died in France,
May 20, 1884 at the age OF n years.
On July % following, the citizens Of
Wilmington honored and reverenced
the memory of the distinguished pa
triot
solemn funeral was formed and
passed through the principal streets Of
the city in the following order The
governor of the State. the mayor
clergymen. members of the bar, large
white horse dressed in deep mourning
led by a groom; Masons, Odd Fellows,
white charger led by a groom, with
chhpeau; Cardwainer's Society Benev-
olent Society, Brandywine Coopers'
Association. young men between six
teen and twenty-one years, one hundred
BOYS dressed in white pantaloOns,
headed by a white banner with we
Mourn Our Loss" military companies
and citizens. one thousand persons in
all
All the bells in the city were tolled
as the procession passed through the
streets and minute guns were fired
from the revenue cutter in the Chris
tiana. After the procession the Rev.
Isaac Pardee delivered an impressive
discourse in Hanover Presbyterian
! Church.
| General Lafayette had made the peo-
ple of Wilmington his friends and they
honored his name in death. 1t Is re-
vered here even until this day.