Notable Incidents

VISITS OF PRESIDENTS OF THE UNITED STATES
TO WILMINGTON BEFORE THE WAR.

“Wilmington,” said Iredell Meares, E
Sq., In an interest
pamphlet, “has been honored by the witha ey five of the Presi
dents of the United States—Washington, Monroe, Polk, Fill-

more, and Taft.”” We may now add the name of Wilson. who
as stated elsewhere, once lived in Wilmington.

GreneraL Wasuinerton, in 1791, made a tour of the South-
ern States. One of his biographers relates that “no royal prog-
ress In any country ever equaled this tour in its demonstrations
of veneration and respect.” His visit to Wilmington was pre-
served in the traditions of the people for many years. The old
folks used to tell of its incidents, and the ladies of “ye olden
times” of an elaborate ball given in his honor. In the posses-
sion of Mr. Clayton Giles, of this city, is a letter in excellent
state of preservation giving some account of this interesting in-
cident. It was written by Mrs. Jane Anna Simpson to her
sister on the day of the reception, and is dated the “25th April
1791.” The letter, among other things, says: —

“Great doings this day. General Washington arrived yester-
day. The Light Horse went to meet him. The artillery were
ready to receive him with a round from the batteries rte ns
This day he dines with the Gentlemen of the town: in the came
on a - ~ and illumination; tomorrow abein his leave. I

1eve i }
venga s . "en Se are to escort him a day’s journey on

“Half-past four—just going to dinner—cannons firing;
Chrissy and the children all gone to see the procession. I don’t

go to the ball this evening, as Mary can not accompany me

She desires me to ask if you have many beaux at the Marsh.

Adieu. I must get the candles.
“Mrs. Quince has given up her

on ee P it house to the General and she
The place at which the Light Horse met General Washington

was at the Rouse House, about fifteen miles out on the New

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Notable Incidents 209

Bern Road. Here was fought, during the Revolutionary War
a small battle between the Patriots and the English forces under
the command of Major Craig. It is described as a massacre by

the historian Caruthers, for Craig gave no quarter and killed
every one of the Patriots, who were overwhelmed by numbers,

save one boy, who escaped.
It is a tradition handed down by the old folks that upon the

occasion of General Washington’s visit to the residence of
General Smith, at his plantation Belvidere, which is situated
across the river in Brunswick County, he was met at the river
landing by a group of thirteen young ladies, all dressed in white
and representing the thirteen colonies, who preceded him up
the avenue of old trees leading from the river to the brick resi-
dence, bestrewing his path with flowers as he approached.

The ball which was given to him by the people of Wilming-
ton was held in what was then known as the Assembly Hall, also
called “Old 776,” because of having been built in 1776. In
time it was used as a sailor boarding-house, and was subse-
quently taken down in 1876 to make way for the present build-
ing. It stood on Front Street, east side, between Orange and
Ann Streets, where now stands a two-story brick tenement house.

“Wilmington,” wrote President Washington in his diary,
“has some good houses, pretty compactly built—the whole
under a hill, which is formed entirely of sand. The number
of souls in it amount by enumeration to about 1,000.

“Wilmington, unfortunately for it, has a mud bank—miles
below, over which not more than ten feet of water can be
brought at common tides. Yet it is said vessels of 250 tons
have come up. The quantity of shipping which loads here an-
nually amounts to about 12,000 tons. Exports are Naval stores
and lumber; some tobacco, corn, rice, and flax seed and pork.”

“Monday, 25th. Dined with the citizens of the place—went
to a Ball in the evening at which there were 62 ladies—illumi-

nations, bonfires, &&.”

James Monros, the fifth President of the United States,

visited Wilmington on the 12th day of April, 1819.
In an old copy of the Raleigh Minerva, bearing date April
23, 1819, we find a letter from Wilmington, giving an account

of the visit of President Monroe and his suite:
“The Presidential cortege was met about twelve miles from

town, on the old New Bern Road, somewhere near Scott’s Hill,

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