Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1924-07-02
WHEN LIBERTY BELL
SOUGHT SANCTUARY
Concealed From the British
After Brandywine.
Thrills in Record of Travel
From Philadelphia to
Allentown.

Allentown.
No relic in America is more revered
than the Liberty bell, and ''its pro-
phetic inscription; it's appeal to the
people to assemble for the redress of
Gheir grievances; it's defiant clangOr
that memorable day of the proclama-
ton of our independence; it's joyous
pealing over the completed work of
The American Revolution, and it's last
tolling over the head OF the nation,
gives its story an abiding interest to
the nation and the world"
Since its birthday in London in 1852,
chaplain Warren Patten Coon tells
the New York Times this famous bell
has Travelled more than halfway
round the globe-across the Atlantic
in fits initial journey, and later, as an
object of veneration, has been taken
from it's home in Philadelphia on ten
different occasions to appear at ex-
positions and other gatherings from
Boston to San Francisco and from
Chicago to New Orleans. But of all
these ten journeys none was of such
first pilgrimage in America, when it
was hauled fifty miles on a farmers
wagon and hidden in the cellar of
church to prevent its capture by the
British
No defeat of the American Revo-
Z hutton was more disastrous than that
eraf the battle of Brandywine, Pennsyl-
Vania, September II, 1777, when 1000
out of Washington's 14,00O men fell.
gYlis catastrophe took place thirty
Give miles-as the crow flies-west
OF Philadelphia, General Howe, the
british commander, having lost 600 of
his $4,000 men, moved on Philadelphia,
causing CONSERVATION. The Cont
mental congress, in session there, hasti-
Ey adjourned on September IS to meet
Ia Lancaster, few miles west of
Brandywine, where for many months
she affairs of the nation were con-
Quoted.
Bell Disappeared.
Meanwhile, in Philadelphia, all was
astlr. An immediate movement of the
Continental army, including the sick
and wounded, was begun northward
Trom French creek and Philadelphia to
Bethlehem and its vicinity. The state
house, or Liberty bell, and other bells,
were taken down and hurried to hid
ing. On September 10, 1777, according
80 the diary of Jacob Hiltzheimer, an
official of the quartermaster's depart
ment, the public money, books and
papers were sent to the home of Abra-
ham Hunt in New Jersey, for tempo
vary safekeeping. From the diary of
the Moravian bishop at Bethlehem we
know that on Monday, September %,
the archives and other papers of con-
greSs arrived there from Trenton by
way of Easton, under a convoy of fifty
troopers and fifty infantrymen. On
Tuesday September %, the heavy bag
gage of the Continental army began
arriving at Bethlehem, sin a continu-
Gus train of 700 wagons, direct from
camp, under escort of 200 men, COM
manded by Col. William Polk of North
Carolina" and went into camp The
liberty bell was on one of these
wagons.
At the time of the Liberty bells dis
was rife that its sacred and patriotic
tvngue had forever been siienced in
vVStery grave in the Delaware. Some
historians have said that congress took
1t To Lancaster and York, making their
deductions, probably, from the fact
that congress and the bell left and re-
turned to Philadelphia, almost stimuli
taneously.
Loaded Onto Wagon.
The fact was that in September.
1777, by order Of the executive council.
Cihs statehouse, or Liberty bell. the
EoeIls of Christ church and St Peters
church, eleven in all, were removed TO
Allentown by way of Bethlehem. To
the victor belongs the spoils. and his
tory furnishes instances where the
Bells of captured cities and towns have
been melted down and recast as can