The Washington times., 1902-06-22
CELEBRATION HELD
AT HISTORIC SPOT

On the slope at Taylorville, from which
Washington made the night dash across
the Delaware to victory at Trenton,
the Philadelphia Society of the Sons of
the Revolution recently celebrated the
anniversary OF two historic events-the
adoption of the national flag by Con-
gress and the British evacuation of
Philadelphia. these incidents of patri-
otlc interest occurring on June II, 1777
and 1878, the Stars and Stripes having
been the national emblem a year when
the kings troops marched away from
| this city.
Surroundings rich in association with
Revolutionary history added to the i'm
pressiveness Of the simple services by
which patriotic achievements were COM
memorated. The society was welcomed
on the historic ground by committee
of the Bucks County Historical Society,
consisting of Gen. ". w. H. Davis,
Judge Yerkes. Thomas C. Knowles, Capt.
William Wynkoop. Richard R. Parry,
and John S. Williams.
Old Colors Carried.
Headed by band playing patriotic
airs, the members marched across the
old bridge from the Jersey landing place
to position on the Pennsylvania de-
cline near the monument marking the
spot from which the patriot general di-
rected the crossing of the troops. Flags
and banners, fac similes of the various
revolutionary standards, made a brill
liant splotch OF color on the green
where the society halted to listen to an
address by General Davis.
The general. who is eighty-two years
old and a veteran of the Mexican and
civil wars. reviewed the history of the
night passage of the river and the cap
ture of Colonel Raal's Hessians. Gen
eral Davis. by relating incidents that
came to him in his boyhood days direct
from participants in the Revolutionary
strife, added a touch of realism to his
story. The point at which Washington
crossed the Delaware, he declared, was
a central spot from which many of the
most important backgrounds of the
Revolutionary war might also be seem
The historic ground, he argued. was
worthy of being set apart as national
park from the Importance that centered
in the Continental operations at this
point
A Historic Spot.
Here" he said washington met the
crisis of the struggle and the blows
given the enemy at Trenton and Prince
ton dispelled the gloom and gave hope
to the cause. These victories gained the
sympathy of the civilized world. and it
was no longer n serious question how the
war would terminate. The day star of
liberty was plainly seen. The campaign
at Yorktown was the inevitable result of
Trenton and Princeton. the first blows
delivered. after Washington abandoned
his Fabian policy. The operations in
this vicinity were the hinge upon which
subsequent movements of the war
turned.
This immediate locality by common
consent should be made national tryst-
ing place for all lovers Of their country,
and here the Congress of the United
States should establish a national park
TO which all descendants of those who
braved the times that tried mems souls
could make pilgrimage as to q Mecca OF
their hope for the perpetuity OF repub-
lican liberty. 1t would have a greater
tendency to weld into 4 solid mass the
patriotic sentiment of the country than
could be done in any other way"