Perth Amboy evening news., 1903-09-21

the surrender of the Governor. Ihe
indignant protests of Franklin did no
good. The order of the congress was
The governors parole was
given, and the guards took possession
of house and grounds where they re-
manned. In a few days he was taKen
to Burlington and the Kings flag
came down forever from that building
as the emblem of political power in
this State.
1.-THE days grew longer and the ex-
citement more intense. Up in the old
house the colonials had their head
ouarters-these men who did not fear
kings and who were rallying for the
rights of the people. AS some officers
were looking out toward Sandy Hook
on July 2, they were surprised TO see
sail after sail fully spread, come in
from the open sea. Within a close
distance of Staten Island anchor was
dropped. Boats were launched and
the British Red coats climbed into
them, thousands there were OF them
and were rowed to Staten Island.
about this time, or perhaps a few
days before, there came into the city
the commander in chief of the Am
erican forces-George Washington
and fastened to this old colonial
house. The designs of the British
were to cut the American army by
landing here and marching along the
R~aritan, prevent Washington from
reaching Philadelphia, and keep the
troops in Philadelphia from reaching
New York. The general saw the
strategic Importance of the place, and
communicated his desire to Congress
to send troops here at once.
"To this end General Mercer was
assigned to the command and the gov
ernor's mansion became his head
quarters. Hugh Mercer was one OF
the few great generals of that time
and was a soldier who vas implicitly
trusted. He was a Scotchman by
birth, received a university education,
and became a physician. He became
surgeon in the army of Prince Charles
the Pretender in 1745 at twenty-five
years of age, but this cause proved a
failure, he escaped to America and
took up his residence in Franklin
county, Pennsylvania, near to the
present town of Mercersburg, which
derives its name from him. He was
a captain in Braddock's campaign
where he was severely wounded and
for his bravery in this expedition the
city of Philadelphia bestowed a medal
upon him. In 1853 he was a lieutenant
colonel in the army and commanded
the forces in Pittsburg at the time of
the French-Indian war. In ITS he
organized and drilled the militia OF
Virginia and the Minute Men in rs
and he was made q brigadier general
by congress June 5, 1776, only a month
before he took up his residence i'll
this city. He remained here several
months seeing that the town was pro.
perly fortified and stores provided for
the army, for he was also quarter
master general. Then he went out to
the battle of Princeton which he
planned and on that field he fell NOR
tally wounded and died in a nearby
farm house. So popular was he and
so universally mourned that his funer-
al in Philadelphia was attended by
30, 900 people, q great throng, which
meant at that time not only the city's
population, but multitudes from the
surrounding country. The city erect
ed a monument on his grave and his
son was educated at the city's ex-
pense. Is it not high honor to have
had at this momentous tie in our
countrv's history, such a man as a
resident of our city? u.
"Then there came the retreat from
New York and the Revolutionary
army departed. But across from the
island came the British army and the
British flag of st. George was again
raised to the top of the pole in the
grounds at the Westminster. Then
General Howe and Lord Howe, his
brother, and Lord CORVALLIS came
and they made this building their
headquarters. Thus it passed back
and forth between the ~contending
armies.
81 stir up your minds to seek to
have you remember that within these
rooms were once Governor Franklin,
Benjamin Franklin, George Washing
ton, General Mercer, The Howes.
CORVALLIS, and l do not know of any
building which has been kept as an
historic place that can claim such a
splendid panorama of inspiring pic
ture. Morristown and Newburgh
have kept buildings which only claim