Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-12-22
City Was Nations Host to LAFAYETTE

on the Heights of Dorchester in August. ITS"
Regarding the tents generally. Mr.. Gusts also
says
The headquarters were under canvas during
the siege and after the surrender of Yorktown.
The marques of the commander in-chief were
pitched In the rear of the grand battery, Just
out of the range of the enemy's Shells There
were two marques attached to the headuuar-
tiers during all the campaigns The larger or
banqueting tent, would contain from 40 to SO
persons; the smaller, sleeping tent had an
inner chamber, where, on a hard cot-bed, the
chief TepoSed. There Is a most interesting
Renaissance attached to the sleeping tent. The
headquarters, even during the Summer season,
were located, in great majority of instances,
in private dwellings, the sleeping tent being
pitched in the yard very near at hand.
Within its venerable folds Washington was in
the habit of seeking privacy and seclusion,
where he could commune with himself and
where he wrote the most memorable of his dis
patches in the Revolutionary War. He would
remain in the retirement of the sleeping tent
sometimes for hours, giving orders to the officers
of his guard that he should on no account be
disturbed save on the arrival of an important
express. The objects of his seclusion being ac-
complished, the chief would appear at the can
vas door of the marquee with dispatches in his
hand, giving which to his secretary to COPY and
transmit, he would either mount his charger
Tor tour OF inspection or return to the head
quarters and enjoy social converse with his
officers"
T>EE visit of Lafayette to the District of CO.
lumbia was looked forward to with keen in
terest and pleasure as may be judged from what
the Intelligencer tells us in its issue of October
H. the day he was escorted into the city
Let this day." it says, ION which we are to
receive in the Capitol the guest of the American
N har
universal pleasure. Never was there on any
occasion more emphatically spontaneous
popular movement than that which the visit of
Gen. Lafayette has produced. There is nothing
IN history which can compare with it. All
neartS are moved by the same impulse there is
but one mind among people of 100000
1T is needless for US to offer to the welcome
guest the expression of feelings on this
occasion. They are in full accord with those of
the whole country"
The country had its poets then just as 1t has
today, except that since the country is now
about IL times as large it almost necessarily
follows that we have now fully IL times as many
poets as we had In 1924, when Grenville Mellon
wrote 1O-verse poem dedicated to the visitor
the first verse of which ran:
Chief of the mighty heart, all hail.
How are thou waited on?
Loud Freedom laundering on the gale
A Nations choral song!
Oh! 1t Is well to such as thee
Our world should bend its iron knee,
To whom its thanks belong:
What nobler homage hath it known
Than when 1t bows to worth alone"
Continuing the Intelligencer says:
The arrangements for the reception of Gen.
Lafayette remain unchanged. He arrived at
Rossburg last night from Baltimore and passed
the night there. He will pass the District line
about 10 O'Clock and will reach the Capitol we
presume, between i ftarh no.
ing there received with due honor by the CITY
authorities he will be conducted by them to the
residence OF the President from whom his re-
cept1on viii be as cordial that which he has
received from any of his fellow citizens" -,ts
REGARDING his arrival in this city we ara
told:
Gen. Lafayette arrived in the city of WASH
tngton, according to previous arrangements
sbout O'Clock on Tuesday. He left Baltimore
on the afternoon of Monday, with his son and
secretary, accompanied by part of the Balti-
more committee of arrangements, Col Dicker-
son and Col. Lloyd, the aides of the Governor of
Maryland, and escorted by Capt Hollingsworth's
handsome cavalry company of grays from Elk
Ridge. Fourteen or fifteen miles from Balti-
more. at o'clock in the evening, they were
met by the first Bladensburg troop of cav
airy, commanded by Capt. Sprigg Clate governor
of the State of Maryland), and the general and
suite were escorted by this fine COMPANY tthe
Elk Ridge troop having taken leave) to Ross
burg, which place they reached about 10 O'Clock
at night, having been joined at Evansville bv
Capt. Snowdon's company of riflemen mounted
The general lodged at Rossburg Hotel where
preparations had been made for his comfortable
accommodation.
About o'clock on Tuesday morning the
general and suite left Rossburg, escorted as be-
fore with the addition of Capt. Clarks company
IF ri ole