Smyrna times., 1903-09-09
PEACEFUL ARMY INVAOES
OELAWARE'S BATTLEFIELD
ONE HUNDRED AND TWENTY SIXTH ANN.
VERSARY BATTLE OF COOcHs BRIDGE
Last Thursday Gala Day at This Historic
Spot, in Which United States Troops Par
ticipate- Eloquent OratiOns.

spot 10 which United States Troops Par.
ticipate- Eloquent OratiOns.
1t was peaceful army vet not de-
void Of martial pomp that invaded
Cooch's Bridge Thursday and trooped
over the very ground on which lust
one hundred and twenty-six wears ago
the trained British troops clasbed with
the Colonial soldiers in battle that
mas come down in history as the first
IN which the Stars and Stripes were
hrst unfurled. 1t was to celebrate
TINS proud and historic event that
about twenty-five hundred persons.
including state officials. soldiers and
patriotic citizens assembled under the
auspices OF the Caesar Rodney Chapter
Daughters of the American Revoln-
ton, to hear recounted in eloouent
oratlons the achievements of the
sturdy forefathers of Revolutionary
days who perpetuated for posteritv
the national emblems that there was
hrst baptized with blood and bullet
While large delegations of visitors
came from Wilmington by way of the
Pennsylvania railroad. which kindly
gave special rate for the occasion
hundreds of folks journeyed from all
over the county in carriages and con.
veyances of all sorts. Convenient
hltchlng places were provided for the |
teams, and scarcely was there a con-
gestlon of traffic as the stream of car
rlsges and horses poured over Coocb's
Bridge.
Possibly for the first time at anv
CIVIC celebration in Delaware. a de-
tachment of United States troops was
detailed to participate, the command
being the Forty fifth COMPANY of
Coast Artillery from Fort dupont
under command of Lieutenant Woods
which acted as a guard of honor for
the monument at COoch's Bridge to
marx the spot where the Stars and
otrlpes were first unfurled in battle
1ne hatty artillerymen were assisted :
py Company E, CT the First Delaware
1nIantry, commanded by Captain To.
Seph H. HOssinger, and to add
further touch of color to the military
picture Governor John HUM was ac-
'ompanled by the members of his
stan IN full regimentals. and here and
mere pages attired in the garb of the N
minute men of 1916 doled out pro.
Fammes to the merry throng of Wis
aors.
- e.etiOn of General Adna r L L
VIII fee''>~solasander of the depart. d"
aent OF the East, the coast artilIerv- ID
len proceeded from Delaware Citv 70 "
'ooch's Bridge by train in the morn y
1g' and when Governor HUM. ac- 70
by his staff and field and 70
ne officers of the First Delaware Tn. Ia
lntry arrived at Cooch's, the artillery. W. W,
zen were drawn up In company front =
receive them. At Newark the Mimi -
pal Band and Company E of the -
eIaWare Infantry boarded the train II IL
ID when they alighted at Coocb,s
aUon procession was formed with :,
le Oand leading, playing "The Star :"
'angled Banner" followed bv the "
past Artillery and Company E. with 'n'
overnOr Hum and members of +bo va
an bringing up the rear, MARCHING Or
iuer the Governors colors. a blne -
amoDd emblazoned on a field of Oe'
llte. When the bridge at Coocb,s wa
% reached the troops drew up in ."
mpany formations and stood Of
esent arms as Governor Hmm and rec
military retinue marched bv. After 'nd
'rlef rest, with their wicked lookiro ser
aS Jorgesen rifles deftly stacked in MI
,nt OF them, the artillery and pot
htla again formed and marched ano
oss the lawn of the J. Wilkins ooC
ocn mansion to the flagstaff. There anu ~
artillery buglers sounded .seoIors L
while the Stars an d Stripes were Tue
nS run slowly to the ton of tho MOI
Il the troops went through the i'm an
sSiVe ceremony of saluting the en
ors' while the throng gatberad u1aI
reaoouts stood with uncovered anu
DIS. After that the soldiers wero orld
missed and enjoyed themselves as DER
pleased for the greater part Of purs
afternoon. Some went to an ad- Will
ing field to play base ball wbiIo stree
5rs fingered about the lawn 70
IN to the patriotic addresses.
+. ITS swarm of women, in briobt -,
9 with the men in their sombre IL
e. and the color of the miIitorn 10
orms, the lawn presented mic. noun
OF animation. The speakers, uurll
d. festOoned with the nationoI orlde
rs was erected exactly on tbe ward
s-covered foundations of the an at Tn
Cooch's mill that did servico ~ CITY
pulmonary days. Chief Justico oent
les b. Lore, president of tbe ana
ware Historical Society," presided
the celebration exercises 81