Part 24 (2/2)

George's Episcopal church.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Entrance to National Cemetery, erected on Willis's Hill, a portion of the Marye Heights. (See page 190)]

[Ill.u.s.tration: The Superintendent's Lodge at the National Cemetery, constructed of the stone taken from the famous ”stone wall.” (See page 191)]

On the following morning, with the same mounted escort, with music and the booming of cannon, he departed for the Potomac river, on his way to the city of Was.h.i.+ngton, with the best wishes and earnest prayers of all the good people of Fredericksburg.

At the reception at the town hall were Mr. Lafayette Johnston and his good wife, Mrs. Eliza Johnston. Mr. Johnston was named for Lafayette, and having a son born to them during Lafayette's visit in this country, concluded to add a further honor to the General by naming their son for him, which they did and notified the General of it. Lafayette responded with the following letter, which is now framed and in possession of Mr. H.

Stuart Johnston, a great-grandson:

WAs.h.i.+NGTON, _January 6, 1825_.

DEAR SIR--I am much obliged to the remembrance of my brother soldier when he gave you my name, and am now to thank you for an act of kindness of the same nature conferred upon me by his son. I beg your consort and yourself to accept my acknowledgement to you, my blessing upon the boy, and my good wishes to the family.

Most truly, yours, LAFAYETTE.

_To Fayette Johnston, Esq._

GEN. ANDREW JACKSON'S VISIT.

The next hero to visit the town, that we mention, was the ”Hero of New Orleans,” Andrew Jackson, President of the United States, who, with most of his cabinet, came on the 7th of May, 1833. The occasion was the laying of the corner-stone of the Mary Was.h.i.+ngton monument, which Mr. Silas Burrows proposed to erect to her memory. The civic and military display was very imposing and the crowd was well up into the thousands.

Military companies from Was.h.i.+ngton, Alexandria, Fauquier county, and United States marines, and our own military companies, were in line, under the command of Col. John Bankhead, of White Plains, chief marshal. Col.

John B. Hill was chief architect of the monument. It was a great day in Fredericksburg.

DEDICATION OF MARY WAs.h.i.+NGTON MONUMENT.

The next occasion was the dedication of the Mary Was.h.i.+ngton monument, erected by the Ladies' Mary Was.h.i.+ngton Monument a.s.sociations, national and local, on the 10th of May, 1894, sixty-one years and three days after the laying of the corner-stone of the Burrows monument. A more beautiful day could not have dawned upon the city, and everything had been well planned and faithfully executed for the grand event of the day.

The streets and houses were beautifully decorated all along the route of the march, and the private residences were adorned and made gay with national and State flags. It was a general holiday for town and country, and it appeared that everybody was present and intent upon seeing the dignitaries who were to be here and hearing the addresses and ceremonies.

Besides hundreds of invited guests from different parts of the United States, distinguished men and ladies, President Cleveland and nearly the entire cabinet and their wives, Vice-President Stevenson and Mrs.

Stevenson, United States Senators, Representatives in Congress, Governor O'Ferrall and his staff, two members of the Supreme Court of the United States--Chief Justice Fuller and Justice Harlan--were present. The crowd was so immense that the ground seemed to tremble under their tread. It was the biggest day Fredericksburg ever had in the memory of man.

FREDERICKSBURGERS EVERYWHERE.

Fredericksburg has one peculiarity that tradition gives her, which is worthy of a place in this sketch, and that is, that in every city of any size in the civilized world a native of Fredericksburg, or some one who has lived in Fredericksburg, can be found. This is said to have been an old saying of tourists, sailors, marines and naval officers, who candidly declared that they were always able to find a Fredericksburger in every place of any size they had visited.

Capt. George Minor, who was born and raised in Fredericksburg, and who was a captain in the United States navy, and afterwards in the Confederate navy, often related this curious fact, and stated that it was positively true as to him in all his travels both by land and sea. In connection with this singular fact he related this incident: Before the Civil war he sailed into the harbor of the city of Honolulu, on the Hawaii islands, which have recently become a part of the United States. He thought of this peculiarity of his old home town, but felt confident that no Fredericksburger could be found in Honolulu, situated as it was away out in the Pacific ocean. He made his way to the city, and, after some delay, procured a guide to conduct him about the place, who could speak English.

As they progressed on their rounds from place to place, the guide pointing out places of note, giving an interesting history of the place and people, their customs, habits and peculiarities, he found himself very much interested in his guide and his narratives, and wished to know something of his history. So he asked him: ”Are you a native of Honolulu!” ”No, sir,” was the response of the guide. ”Well,” continued the Captain, ”where are you from?” ”I am from Fredericksburg, Virginia,” answered the guide.

”I learned my trade of printer under Timothy Green, in the Virginia Herald office.” ”I am from Fredericksburg, too, and know Mr. Green well,” said Capt. Minor, and the two Fredericksburgers had a real love feast. After that experience Capt. Minor said he never expected to land anywhere that he did not find a Fredericksburg man.

THE SOCIETY OF THE ARMY OF THE POTOMAC ENTERS TOWN.

<script>