The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1902-03-14
THE ARNOLD tavern.


York, as the first president of the
United States on April &c. 1889 was
brought from the alter of St. John s
Lodge of New York City, for that
purpose. Washington loved the Order
of Masonry and met his brother ma
sons at the Lodge as frequent as cir
cumstances would permit. Whilst
Washington and the other army
officers were domicile at the Arnold
Tavern, grand ball was given by
them. and the General was the lar
gest subscriber towards defraying the
expenses. 1t was high priced affair,
each ticket cost $500 in Continental
money. which had become much de-
preciated at that time. The ball was
held in the balloon Of the ''Arnold
Tavern, and caused considerable
comment Tradition informs us that
the patriotic elders of the Presbyter-
ian Church, shocked by the painful
contrast between the bare
footed and starving soldiers and the
festivities of the dancing assembly,
demonstrated with the commander in
chief. for the apparent inconsistency.
They were, however, silenced by
being ted that the ball was grave
strategical move, intended to dec
Give the British General, as to the
true situation of the American Army
for it was argued that the Roy
alists wonld say, if the rebels can be
SO gay, and at such expense, how can
they boon the verge of starving. and
suffering as has been reported to us.
II Extract.
The elders might have ceased
criticising but it is not to be believed
that they were satisfied for the con-
trast between the poor suffering pri-
Yates and the gay dancers, who
thronged the famous ball was too
great to be overlooked. It must not,
however, be forgotten that the
officers shared with the men in their
privations. and in the loss and misery
occasioned by the depreciation of the
paper currency issued by Congress.
A remark made by writer of the
time, fully exhibited the miserable
state of the officers. He said Many
of the officers look like beggars in
their faded and worn out uniforms. ;,
Thatcher in his military Journal,
writes thus in memorial address to
New Jersey Legislature by the officers
Of the line of that State: -Four
months pay Of soldier would not
procure for his family single bushel
of wheat. The pay of a colonel would
not purchase the oats for his horse to
feed on. Common Iaborers or an ex-
press rider receive four times as much
in reality as do the American
officers The influence Of Washing
ton was constantly exerted to prevent
disastrous results to the cause of
American liberty threatened to ar
rive, on account Of the need and suffer-
ing all the officers experienced. We
can but wonder continually at Wash
ington's courage and serenity, in the
midst of such overwhelming difficult
ties. He had hardly settled himself
in his winter quarters, when the
death Of Col. Jacob Ford, Jr. was an
nouncedkto him. This loss, great as
it was to the public service, was pc
cnliarly severe to Washington. Col.
Ford was citizen of Morristown,
high in the esteem of all, a brave,
efficient officer, and of the greatest aid
to Washington, in dealing with any
question in which the relations be-
tween the inhabitants of Morris
County were involved. He was a
valued friend and a trusted adviser of
the Commander in Chief, who sincere
ly mourned his death. The deceased
by the express order Of his chief, was
buried with the honors of war, the
description OF these, and Of the fun
eral cortege, is one Of the most pictur-
esque of traditional history. Then
came that dreadful soourge, the small
pox which SO alarmed the people, and
carried off SO many Of the soldiery.
The science of that day seemed UNI
able to cope with the terrible disease
and hundreds of brave men fell be-
meath the dreadful plague. The two
churches, the Presbyterian and Bap-
fist, were utilized as hospitals. a
large trench was dug in the rear of
the Baptist Church, where many
bodies were buried. Within recent
years, in the course of the improve
ment and grading of THESE grounds,
the trench was opened and the bones
found there, were carried to the new
cemetery and reverently placed in the
earth consecrated BY this patriotic
deposit. On the same day Of Col.
Ford's funeral Washington was taken
ill, SO siys tradition, with quinsey
sore throat, malady to which the
General was subject, and of which he
finally died 1t was greatly feared
that he would not survive. Mrs.
Washington was seut for, and arrived
March 10Th and remained with him
until his recovery, Bakers itineraryl
When the disease was at its worst, and
a fatal termination was feared, he was