The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1902-01-12

have said elsewhere, the negro u1usL DS
taught lessons Of manners, morals and
obedience.
THE DEAln Or ucNEaAL MERCER
AS to-day is the anniversary Of the
death Of General Hugh Mercer, one OF
the most picturesque characters OF the
Revolutionary war, and whose descend
ants are still living in Virginia, the FOL
lowing clever sketch Of his career, by
our friend Colonel L. S. Marye, makes
timely and interesting reading. me
sketch follows:
The papers announce that a bill was
few days since introduced in Con-
gress for an appropriation to erect at
Fredericksburg, a monument to General
Hugh Mercer, who fell mortally wound
ed at the battle Of Princeton, the Sd of
January, It'll. On the Sth of April. l178,
Congress adopted a resolution that a
monument should be erected to ms
memory at Fredericks burg, Va, his home
and that his youngest son should be edu-
Gated at the expense of the Governmen
This Youngest son was educated from
early boyhood until his graduation az
William and Mary College, at the ex-
pense of the Governme nt- But the mon
ument thus ordered by Congress, a hun
bred and twenty-four years ago, has
never been erected; and surely this plous
and patriotic duty ought not longer to
be postponed.
The Revolutionary war did not pro-
duce q more chivalrous, patriotic ana
picturesque figure than General Mercer,
and he richly merited this tribute from
Congress and the country He was an
intimate personal friend of Washing
ton and a gentleman of exalted charac-
ter, of scholarly accomplishments and Of
urbane. engaging manners. A narrative
of his life reads like a romance-like
sketch Of one of the Palladins of Charlie
magne or a knight of King Arthur ana
the Round Table. A native of Scotland,
Immediately after receiving his diploma
as physician from the University of Edln-
burgh in 1746, he espoused the cause Of
Charles Edward, the younger pretender
to the English throne, and was an as
sistant surgeon at the battle of Culloden,
the 18th of April 1l76, so disastrous 20
the Stuart pretension. What school boy
does not know where.
A field Of the dead rushes red on the
sight,
And the clans of Culloden are scattered
in flight. . s's7sa
Being among the refugees from that
fatal field, he made his way to America,
going first to q village in Pennsylvania.
and from thence to Philadelphia, which
city he reached on the.,50th Of Septem-
Der, TAG. The one hundred and flfticth
anniversary Of this event was Oh the
Goth Of September, 1887, celebrated at
Princeton with every circumstance or
pomp and parade, civic and military.
Your fellow-citizen, Judge Beverly X.
Wexford, delivered on the occasion
most interesting historical biography and
memoir Of General Mercer. A tablet was
at the same time erected to the memory
Of the illustrious patriot, on the spot
where he fell, in the vicinity of Prince
ton, by the Mercer Engine Company
an organization named for the hero, the
day being the 5oth anniversary Of the
said company. Judge Wexford was
reared to manhood in fredericksburg,
and is thoroughly saturated with the in
terestinS facts and traditions of that
historic town that relate to General
Mercer and his descendants, and no more
appropriate selection could have been
made=to deliver the address on this an
niversary.
After spending few months in Phila-
de1phia General Mercer removed to Fred
ericksburg, Va. and there took up his
permanent residence. He soon became
the leading physician in all thar section.
He was twenty-five years of age when
ten years older than the younger
George Washington, who lived just
across the river from the town. An
intimacy at once sprung up between the
two which continued and increased until
Mercer gave his life for his adopted
country thirty years afterwards. AS
captain, he accompanied Washington in
the French and Indian wars of 1755 and
was at the disastrous affair of Braddocks
defeat. On tie breaking out of the
Revolutionary war he raised a regiment
and was made colonel of it. Soon after
wards, at the request Of Washington, he
was made by Congress a brigadier-gen-
eral and commanded a brigade of three
regiments at thu battle Of Princeton,
where he fell His remains were taken
to Philadelphia and buried in Christ
Church; but in 1s40 his Scotch country
men of the st. Andrew and the Thistle
Societies removed the body to Laurel
Hill Cemetery, near Philadelphia, and
erected over it a, handsome marble monu-
merit.
The youngest SON. of General Mercer.
referred to above, was the Colonel Hugh
Mercer who became a prominent and
highly respected citizen of Fredericks-
burg, and who died in that town in 1853.
Many OF the older citizens remember
we'll the dignified and imposing figure Of
the old gentleman. He occupied many
pests OF. trust and honor, and was for
forty years president OF the principal
bank Of the place. He was survived by
several, children. only two of whom, a
son and daughter, left descendants.
Two OF the descendants Of this daughter,
Mrs. Page Morris and Mrs Kate Lang