Evening journal., 1913-01-30
NEW NEWS OF YESTERDAY
How an Interesting RevO-
lutlOnary Document Was
Recovered
BY Holland.

In 1886 there came to my notice
an editorial published in the Philadel-
phia Gazette stating that gentleman
had recently come into possession Of
a part of a journal purporting to have
been kept by General Samuel B. Webb
in 1776-
This statement was made by the late
General James Watson Webb TO his
children about the year 1876 General
Webb was for half a century one of
the most prominent citizens of the
United States. He was very iniu
ential as an editor His political
relation with the great leaders of the
Whig party. especially William Fl.
Seward were very intimate. He was
a very close personal friend Of Lewis
Cass, Democratic candidate for Presi-
dent in 1S4S. and he befriended Louis
Napoleon when the future emperor Of
France was trying to earn a living in
New York during a period of exile
General Webb was the son of Gem
eral Samuel b. Webb, who was aide
de-camp to General Washington dur
ing the Revolution. While thus serv-
ing in the Continental army under
Washington, General Samuel B. Webb
wrote every day a journal descriptive
of the more important events as these
came under his own eye, and especi-
ally of the part General Washington
bore in all of the important under
talxings carried on by him during the
War OF the Revolution. These jour
nails and records were destroyed, Gen
eral James Watson Webb told his chill
dren, because he and his brothers and
sisters when they were small chill
dren were allowed by a governess to
ransack these chests which contained
these journals and make playthings
Of them.
Having made this explanation to his
children, General Webb went on to
say:
'When I read this editorial in the
Philadelphia Gazette I of course be-
came greatly interested. I was certain
that the journal referred to was the
only one of the great number kept by
my father, which was not destroyed
OF course. l wrote to the editor o
the Philadelphia Gazette. COlone
Reed, and said ] was a son OF Genera
] Samuel B. Webb and for that reason
/ l would be very glad If he would for
ward the journal to me-
1T was a singular coincidence tina
brought Colonel Reed and myself to
gether in this way, for Colonel Reef
was a grandson of Colonel Josepl
Reed who was an aide-de-camp o
Washington at the very time m.
father was serving Washington in
similar capacity.
MIR. Reed Immediately wrote to M
a letter which ! have preserved 10
my children. In that letter he SAT-
that my fathers journal was a perfec
historical gem. He said. however
that while he would lend the journa
to me he could not say that he woul
absolutely part with it because he wa
not certain that he had a right to par
win it, He asked me to write a lei
ter to him stating that ! would retur
the journal TO him at any time the dc
mand might be made.
81 did send him a note containin
that promise. But no demand was eve
made to me for the journal, and ! no'
have It among my effects. ! trust
will be carefully kept This jouI
nal shows that the other journals an
documents with which ! and my brC
theirs and sisters played and which W
destroyed contained references to col
respondenco with Washington, ia.
Hamilton and other notables
"That reminded me that when "
were children we used occasionally [
take from the chests various letter
and to give them to our schoolfellowi
In that way letters of Washington
Hamilton Jay and probably ever