The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1908-12-15
THE NAME
OF The Famous Revolutionary Hotel Of Hedef-
IcksbWg.

Stafford Co., Va, Dee. lOtn.
To The Free Lance.
With due Difference to those who may
differ with me. would consider that the
insignia Uf this hotel was not the "Ris-
ing Sum-" but @ bAld.headed esg'e
mounted upon Its top which fore
shadowed the independence OF the colo
MES and prestige oi the Great American
Republic, and welcomed Gen. Washing
ton and the chiyalry Of the land 70 the
famous initstory ball held there after
the surrender at Yorktown.
In the distress Of the colonies, when
the liberty bell sounded ia Philadelphia
In 1875, q ball-headed eagle few up and
was recognized az the American emblem
OF liberty; and In their triumph it was
meet that Its image should appear upon
the banquet hall selected for the celebra-
tion Of the succt ss Of the Am, rlcan arms,
where the chieftain danced until dawn.
Virginia having repudiated limited
monarchy aud Japan posing az the Great
Sunrise Kingdom, Il would have been To-
consistent aud ioapl roprlate II the em.
blem OF an Oriental empire bad appeared
upon this impoverished temple Of the god
dess OF liberty. The uncompromising senti
ment OF the day would point 70 the con-
clusion that this hotel did not bear en-
emblem OF Imperialism. but OF liberty,
and was known TO thu American soldiers
as the Eagle Tavern, Its Revolutionary
or military name descendlr z through thf
press and by tradition. The age could
not have presented an emblem and q
name that would more Justly have re-.
hscted the patri ltism OF historic Freder-
icksburg, or Of Virginia.
After 1927 It was repaired for pri-
vate residence and the Eagle decayed by
time and la 4 z fulfilled lts mission was
not replaced. About 1929 II b came the
private residence OF Mr.. ii. II. Wallace.
The lot upon which this building
stands YVES In the exte nsion OF the town
OF Frede iLsburg. the property OF War
ner Lewis, Of Gloucester. who In l10l
sold It To Charles Washington. The lat
ter decided 1t the 9th day of October,
1888, to his son, George Augustine
Washington, Of Fairfax, who conveyed
1t the 9th day Of July, 1871, to Lafkin
Smith, OF King and Queen. G. b. Wal
lace, of Fredericksburg. purchased II
from Latkin Smith the 2Sth day Of April,
1892 Ia these conveysncts. as In those
OF the 10th century, there Is no reference
TO the name OF the hotel. The lot Is des-
ignated as lot number 81, and lot rum-
Der SO on Princess Anne street Is convey
ed with 1t. Charles Washington, a
brother OF General Washington, was the
Hevolutona y owner OF Ills tavern,
and probably built II 10 the sixties OF tts
eighteenth century. General George
Weldon is seid to have been its propTle-
tor at the commencement oi the war.
The chivalry OF Virginia performed the
Offices to this hall Of destiny.
An examination Of the letters OF G. b.
Wallace by their custodian fails TO die
cover any reference TO its name. The
names OF five brothers. Lieut.. Col. G. Is.
Wallace. Surgeon James B. Wallace,
Lieut. William B. Wallace, Lieut.. Thos.
4 Wallace aud John Wallace, all appear
upon the Revolutionary records in Rich
mond as having served IN the Continen-
tai Line.
They were raised In Stafford county,
Virginia. within the sound Of the church
bells OF Fredericksburg, were necessarily
familiar with it's history during and at.
ter the Revolution; and several OF them
having owned this property should have
been as well informed iD regard to its
name as any OF their contemporaries, and
more so than any historian unacquaint-
ed with II 10 its glory and dependent
upon others for Information.
Col. G. B. Wallace, who purchased this
property from Larkin Smith. conveyed
II on the 10th day OF April, 1901. to his
brothers, John and Thomas. Thomas
died June 9th, 1918. and John became
bis executor.
From an edition OF the fredericksburg
Virginia Herald dated Saturday, Nov.
7th, 1918, and owned by a gentleman ia
Richmond, the following advertisement
was taken:
VALUABLE PROPERTY FOR SALE
wish to sell the Eagle Tavern and
lot pleasantly situated In the upper part
OF the town OF fredericksburg, now In
the occupancy OF Richard |. Tutt, to-
gether with the tenements occupied by
John Blanton, George Beggott and
Captain Alexander, adjoining the same.
Ii is deemed unnecessary TO be more min
ute in the description OF the above lots,
not doubling but any person disposed to
purchase will first view them.
John Wallace,
ecti.
Stafford county, Nov Z, 1918.
A logical conclusion from this adyer-
tisement Is that 10 1918, thirty-fiye
years after the Revolution, this then
operated hotel was generally known to
the public as the Eagle Tavern. About
ten years alter this date It ceased to be
kept as hotel, which indicates that the
Rising Sun, II 1t existed, was different
building The Oriental name Is per-
chance the delusive offspring oil historic
myth or confused nomenclature. Ii may
have been a smaller or more retired Inn
once standing nearby.
Soon after the date OF the above ad-
yertisement John Wallace conveyed this
proper " to his son. DE-. John Il. Wal
lace, OF Fredericksburg, who was born In
1893, and its last owner as an operated
hotel. DR.. Wallace called IL the Old
Esgle, which implied that the name was
In his day time-honored and long identl-
fed with the building.
The late Gustavus B. Wallace, OF Staf
ford. a son OF John Wallace, was familiar
with its name and traditional history
and stated as an addltionalevidence OF les
being the Eagle Tavern that be recol-
lected when an eagle stood upon it's top
Ii has not been operated as a hotel Tor
three.quafters OF century, and II others
have since been established by the
same name, what does that signify ex-
cspt as an evidence OF its former prestige
| We meet with pleasure upon the
streets OF Fredericksburg those names in
honor OF George Washington and Robt.
Lee, and why should We not see there
the more modern Eagle. as well as the