USA > Georgia > Chatham County > Savannah > A history of Savannah and South Georgia, Volume I > Part 32
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"S. ELBERT."
The general undoubtedly visited Savannah first "to take a view of" Mulberry Grove, of which place he seems to have taken possession in the latter part of 1785, as the Georgia Gazette of November 3d said: "Last Sunday the Honorable Major General Greene and his lady arrived here from Rhode Island." Of this trip to east Florida in March the following account is preserved.
From the Gazette of the state of Georgia, Savannah. Thursday, April 7, 1785: "On the 10th ult. Gen. Green and Col. Hawkins set out from this town to take a view of the islands and inland navigation of this state, and to visit his Excellency Dou Vineent Emanuel De Zespedes, Governor of East Florida, and returned on Saturday last. They were received at St. Augustine with every mark of politeness and attention,
* Burke's Peerage and Baronetage.
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and every military honour was paid to the General worthy so great a character. A Captain and 50 men were sent to his quarters as his guard, which the General modestly refused accepting as being no longer in a military character. Sentinels were placed at his quarters, and the dif- ferent guards of the garrison paid him the same honours as they do a Lieutenant-General of their own nation. They were entertained during their residence by the Governor in a most splendid and elegant manner. The Commandant, The Treasurer, the Secretary, and every other officer of his Catholiek Majesty in East Florida seemed to vie with each other in those marks of unaffected friendship which so justly characterizes the Spanish nation. The General was escorted to- St. John's by the Colonel Commandant of horse and a party of dragoons; he was received by the Officer commanding at that post with hospitality and politeness, and from thence he was attended by the Colonel Commandant through the inland navigation to the river St. Mary's where the Commo- dore commanding his Catholie Majesty's ships on that station received him with the flag of Spain displayed at his fore top, and saluted by the discharge of 13 eannon. After partaking of an elegant entertainment which the Commodore had provided for the occasion, he was attended by the Commodore in his barge and again saluted by 13 cannon to Cumberland Island in this state, where the Colonel Commandant of horse and the Commodore took their leave of the General and Colonel Hawkins. -Such attention and respect as has been paid by the Governor and Offi- cers at East Florida to a great and beloved General must impress the minds of the Citizens of the United States with like sentiments to every officer of his Catholic Majesty who may come amongst them."
DEATH AND FUNERAL OF GENERAL GREENE
General Greene did not live to enjoy the easy and quiet life which a residence at the beautiful and comfortable home provided for him was calculated to afford him. He was struck down suddenly at the very time when he seemed to be ready and anxious to lay off the cares and troubles of an active military life, after having most successfully fought the battles which so materially aided in the achievement of the independence of this great republic, and when he was probably looking forward to the enjoyment of a long rest in the midst of his growing and happy family, surrounded with all the comforts of life in a home prepared by its former owner for just such pleasure and freedom from worry and anxiety as might be looked for under such conditions .*
Presuming that he took actual possession of Mulberry Grove at the time he brought Mrs. Greene to Savannah, late in October, 1785, his life
* On his arrival at Mulberry Grove he wrote: "We found the house, situation, and out.buildings more convenient and pleasing than we expected. The prospect is delightful, and the house magnificent.
In April, two months before his death, he wrote: "The garden is delightful. The pine trees and flowering shrubs forin a pleasing variety. * . * The mocking birds surround us evening and morning. * We have in the same orchard apples, pears, peaches, apricots, nectarines, plums of different kinds, figs, pomegranates and oranges. And we have strawberries which measure three inches round. All these are clever, but the want of our friends to enjoy them with us renders them less interesting."
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there came to an end in somewhat less than eight months. Business in Savannah on Monday, the 12th of June, 1786, compelled him to leave home, and he took Mrs. Greene with him. In the town they stopped at the home of Maj. Nathaniel Pendleton who had been one of his aids dur- ing the war, and they spent the night there. The Pendleton home was on the south side of Bay street, next to the western corner of Barnard, and to that home General Greene's body was taken on Tuesday, June 20, 1786, the day after his death, and thence escorted to the burial place. On the morning of the 13th, General and Mrs. Greene started back to Mulberry Grove. and stopped at the house of Mr. William Gibbons where they breakfasted, after which the gentlemen of the party went to the rice-field to view Mr. Gibbons's crop. It was observed that the sum was very hot, but at the time no complaint was made of its effect on any of them; but, in the evening, on his was home. the general complained of intense pain in the head, as he did also on Wednesday, the 14th. The pain increased on Thursday, and was very severe over the eyes, the fore- head becoming swollen and inflamed. At that period Major Pendleton arrived on a visit, and becoming alarmed. a physician was sent for, and Doctor Brickel arrived in the morning of Friday, and bled the patient, at the same time giving some medicine ; but the symptoms becoming more alarming, Doctor M'Cloud was called in, when blistering the temples was resorted to, and more blood was taken. All efforts to save the life of the distinguished patient were unavailing, and he sank into a stupor in which he died early in the morning of Monday, the 19th. His neighbor, Gen. Anthony Wayne, hearing of his illness, went to him, and reached his bedside before he died. His account of the scene we will presently quote. The following is copied from the Georgia Gazette of Thursday, June 22, 1786: "On Monday last, the 19th day of June, died, at his seat near Savannah. Nathanael Greene, Esq., late Major-General in the Army of the United States; and on Tuesday morning his remains were brought to town to be interred. The melancholy account of his death was made known by the discharge of minute guns from Fort Wayne ; the shipping in the harbour had their colours half-masted; the shops and stores in the town were shut; and every class of citizens, suspending their ordinary occupations, united in giving testimonies of the deepest sorrow.
"The several military corps of the town. and a great part of the mili- tia of Chatham county, attended the funeral, and moved in the following procession :
"The Corps of Artillery, "The Light Infantry, "The Militia of Chatham County, "Clergy and Physicians, "Band of Music. "The Corpse and Pall Bearers,
"Escorted on each side by a Company of Dragoons, "The Principal Mourners, "The Members of the Cincinnati as Mourners, "The Speaker of the Assembly, "And other Civil Officers of the State, "Citizens and Strangers.
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"About five o'clock the whole proceeded, the Music playing the Dead March in Saul, and the Artillery firing minute guns as it advanced. When the Military reached the vault in which the body was to be en- tombed they opened to the right and left and, resting on reversed arms, let it pass through. The funeral service being performed. and the remains deposited, thirteen discharges from the artillery, and three from the musquetry, closed the scene. The whole was conducted with a solemnity suitable to the occasion.
"With respect to the public character of this great man, it is so well known, by the distinguished services he has rendered his country, that it requires, and indeed can receive no addition from what might be said here. As to his private virtues, they will live in the remembrance of all his fellow citizens.
"'General Greene left behind him a wife and five children, the eldest of whom is about eleven years. The loss of such a man, to such a family, must be truly afflicting !
"''Thy darts, O death : that fly promise'ous round.
In sueli a victim many others wound.'
: "Immediately after the interment of the General the members of the Cincinnati retired to the coffee house, and came to the following reso- lution : 'On motion, That, as a token of the high respect and venera- tion in which this Society hold the memory of their late illustrious Brother, Major-General Greene, deceased, George Washington Greene, his eldest son, be admitted a member of this Society, to take his seat on his arriving at the age of eighteen years:
"'Resolved, therefore, unanimously, That he be admitted a Member of the Cincinnati; and that he may take his seat in the Society on his arriving at the age of eighteen :
" 'That this resolve be published in the Georgia Gazette, and that the secretary transmit a copy of the same to the several state societies, and to the guardian of the said George Washington Greene.' " .
"Regimental Orders, 20th June, 1786 .- The Honorable Major-Gen- eral Greene ( whose memory ought to be sacredly dear to every citizen of America, and respeeted by every lover of the rights of mankind) having departed this life. the Colonel. from a sense sufficient honor can not be paid his remains, but what is in the power of the regiment ought to be donc, requests the regiment to exert themselves on the occasion.
"The regiment will parade in the Church Square, the Infantry equally divided into eight platoons, and marched off with shouldered arms to the front of Major Pendleton's house on the Bay, from whenee the procession will take place: The dragoons and Artillery will proceed in front of the regiment: When the procession begins the Light Infantry will conduct the Corpse, with reversed arms, to the left of the regiment, it being received, they file off to the right and left, and take their former post in front of the battalion: The whole will then march off with reversed arms, the Artillery advancing firing minute guns. till they arrive at the place of interment. The Dragoons will flank the corpse on the right and left: Music playing a solemn dirge. The procession being arrived at the place of burial, the regiment will file off to the
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right and left, faee inwards, and rest on their arms, so as to let the eorpse, pall-bearers, mourners, eitizens, ete., pass through. The corpse being deposited, and funeral rites executed, the regiment will close their files, mareh up on the right of the vault, and give three general discharges, the Artillery at the same time firing thirteen rounds in honor of this truly great and good man. The regiment will then mareh off with trailed arms to the place of parade, shoulder, and be discharged. "BEN FISHBOURN, "Major C. C. M."
Although no statement was made of the preeise spot where the body of General Greene was buried, it is now known that, as the estate of Lieutenant-Governor John Graham was confiscated and given as a present to General Greene, the family vault belonging to that man, in the Savannah cemetery, was considered a part of said estate, and there the general's remains were deposited. In later years. when the subject of building a monument to his memory was diseussed. efforts were made to find the body which resulted in a complete failure and the mystery connected with the locating of the same remained unsolved for a long period of years to be finally settled in 1901, when, on the 4th of March it was found just where it had been interred nearly one hundred and fifteen years before. We leave the subjeet here, but will return to it again.
WAYNE'S GEORGIA RESIDENCE ALSO SHORT
It is a singular faet that the residenee in Georgia of Gen. Anthony Wayne, like that of General Greene, was of short duration, and it is also singular that writers heretofore have been sc uneertain as to the time of his taking possession of his plantation as well as to the time of his departure. Unlike Greene, he lived some time after the grant was signed, but he sold out his possessions in Georgia and lived elsewhere.
In "The Life of Major General James Jackson," by Thomas U. P. Charlton, the statement is made (page 119 of the reprint by James F. Meegan) "like General Greene he [Gen. Anthony, Wayne] was led to make Georgia his home. The precise time of his coming I have no means of fixing, but it was certainly later than the year 1787, for we find him in the last months of that year still a citizen of Pennsylvania, and serving as a delegate in her convention called to ratify the new Federal Constitution." Notwithstanding that assertion, the same author shows that General Wayne was residing at the plantation given him by the state of Georgia, near that of General Greene, in June, 1786, and that he witnessed the death of the latter as shown in the same volume, page 134, where Wayne's letter to JJackson is given in these words: "My dear Sir :- I have often wrote you, but never on so distressing an occasion. My dear friend General Greene is no more. He departed this morning, six o'clock A. M. He was great as a soldier, greater as a eitizen,-immaculate as a friend. His corpse will be at Major Pendle- ton's this night; the funeral from thence in the evening. The honors- the greatest honors of war are due his remains. You, as a soldier, will
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take the proper order on this melancholy affair. Pardon this scrawl, my feelings are but too much affected, because I have seen a great and good man die." If this is not conclusive evidence of the fact that General Wayne was living in Georgia on the 19th of June, 1786, when General Greene died, surely no one will deny that fact on learning that the Georgia Gazette, on Thursday, April 20, 1786, mentioned the drowning on the 17th of a white man, "groom to General Wayne."
By deeds dated April 1 and 2, 1791, Anthony Wayne transferred all of his property in Georgia, both real and personal, including a num- `ber of slaves, to John Penman.
CHAPTER XXI
AS A CHARTERED CORPORATION
REGULAR MUNICIPAL ADMINISTRATION-SAMUEL ELBERT AND JONATHAN BRYAN-OLDEST ARTILLERY COMPANY IN GEORGIA-WASHINGTON'S VISIT TO SAVANNAH-WASHINGTON'S ACCOUNT OF HIS SOUTHERN TOUR-MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENT CONTINUED-DISASTROUS FIRE OF 1796-CHATHAM ACADEMY-THE GEORGIA HUSSARS-THE OLD EX- CHANGE-MUNICIPAL AFFAIRS, 1797-1802-VISIT OF AARON BURR- TERRIFIC STORM OF 1804-PREPARATIONS FOR THE WAR OF 1812.
Having brought our readers to that point where Savannah was finally set free from the government which had been set up under Ogle- thorpe's administration and kept up as the capital of the British eolony and provinee under its peculiar form, we will now relate the circum- stances under which it became a eity, governed like other eities by a regular municipal administration known as mayor and aldermen.
REGULAR MUNICIPAL ADMINISTRATION
Not until more than three years after the treaty of Paris had been ratified by the congress of the United States did the legislature of Georgia take action in the matter of changing the old for the new plan, and on the 19th of February, 1787, by an aet it divided the town into seven wards, adding to the six already existing ( Anson, Decker, Derby, Heathcote, Percival and Reynolds) another to be ealled Oglethorpe, and constituting the hamlets of Yamaeraw and Ewensburg. The seeond seetion declared "that on the first Monday in March annually, and every year, the proprietors of lots or houses within the said wards, who shall be of the age of twenty-one years and upwards, shall meet at the court house of the said town, and under the direction of two or more magistrates proceed to ballot for a warden for each ward, who shall also be a proprietor of a house or lot within the limits of the town or hamlets as aforesaid; and the wardens so chosen, or a majority of them, shall meet on the Monday next following, and choose by ballot out of their own body a person to aet as president of the board, and they shall also appoint a elerk and such other officers as may be deemed necessary to carry this act into execution." It is needless to say anything here about the other provisions of that act. Under its authority the town
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was governed until December 23, 1789, when a charter was granted, which, after the preamble, reads as follows: "Now be it enaeted, That the said town of Savannah shall be hereafter known and ealled by the style and name of the City of Savannah; and that on the first Monday in March, one thousand seven hundred and ninety, and thereafter annually, the owner or ocupiers of any lot or house in the said City or hamlets shall, under the direction of any two or more justices in the said City elect an alderman for each ward mentioned in the said aet [of Feb. 19, 1787] from among the said eitizens generally, who shall, on the Monday following after the election of such aldermen, choose from their own body a mayor; and that from and after the election of said aldermen and mayor their style shall be the Mayor and Aldermen of the City of Savannah and the trustees thereof; and are hereby empow- ered to carry into execution the power intended by the said aet [of Feb. 19, 1787], and shall be a body politie and corporate, to have and to use a common seal, with power to sue and to be sued, plead or be impleaded, and may require, have, hold and enjoy real and personal property for the use and benefits of the said city and hamlets.
"And be it further enacted, That so much of the said reeited aet as is repugnant to the principles of this act be, and the same is hereby repealed."
It is remarkable that the legislature was so late in granting a eharter to the eity of Savannah, when it is reealled that the matter had been previously considered. Indeed, as early as October 6, 1785, the grand jurors of the October term of the superior court of Chatham county, in their general presentments made this special presentment in that matter : "We present, as a grievance, that the town of Savannah is not incor- porated, and most seriously ask for the attention of the Legislature to this very important matter. To show that we are pointed in presenting this as a grievance, we beg to offer, by way of observation, that the shattered and dirty situation of the town, and the neglected condition of our publie buildings make the most unhappy impression on foreign- ers, and injure materially the eredit and consequence of this country."
The impression seemed to have been made on the minds of some per- sons that Savannah was not to be considered a place designed to grow, on account of its unhealthy situation. A correspondent of the Georgia Gazette, to correct that impression, wrote thus to that journal in its columns of Thursday, June 14, 1787 :
"Mr. Johnston: The general although illfounded prejudiee against the healthiness of the lower part of the state of Georgia indneed a eitizen of Savannah to take the following account of the inhabitants now living in the town, and within ten miles thereof, being the first settlement of Georgia 54 years ago, wherein there is perhaps as great a proportion of aged persons as in any other country. There are now living 10 persons between 80 and 90-33 between 70 and 80-69 between 60 and 70-80 between 60 and 50; and. from the best information that can be had, the whole number of residents in the above district amounts to 2,290. It is well known that within the last two years several persons have died in Georgia from 90 to 100 years of age."
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SAMUEL ELBERT AND JONATHAN BRYAN
On the 1st of November, 1788, oeeurred the death of a man who, as a good eitizen, faithful offieer with a proud record of service well per- formed in both civil and military life, was highly esteemed by the people of Savannah and the state of Georgia. That man was Samuel Elbert. One of the two brigadier-generals in the continental line from Georgia, his eonduct during the War of the Revolution honorable and fearless; as governor of the state from January 14. 1785, to January 9, 1786, he was a chief executive of ability and sound judgment; and as sheriff of Chatham eounty in the discharge of the duties pertaining to said offiee at the time of his death, his record was elean and marked with the strietest integrity. Besides the last mentioned office he held at the last moment of his life the offices of major-general of the state militia and viee-president of the Georgia Society of the Cincinnati. His funeral was attended by the military of Savannah and the Cincinnati Society, together with the Masonie lodges. A funeral sermon was preached by the Rev. Mr. Benjamin Lindsay, reetor of Christ church, and minute guns were fired by the artillery. He was buried at Rae's Hall, about three miles above the city on the Savannah river.
Another venerable and most highly respected eitizen died on the 9th of March, 1788, of whom we have already given some words of praise, too feeble, however, to do one-half the honor due the memory of the man who shall now be mentioned. Let the following, therefore, taken from the Georgia Gazette of Thursday, March 13, 1788, suffiee at this time :
"On Sunday last died at his plantation near Savannah, in the 80th year of his age, the Hon. Jonathan Bryan, Esq., who had been for nearly 50 years an inhabitant of this State, during which time, both under the former and present governments, he filled several very important stations. The many virtues which this gentleman possessed, both of a social and private nature, will not readily be forgotten. Having at an early day removed into this State, he aequired an aeenrate and thorough knowledge of the country. This enabled him, and his benevolent heart always inelined him, to render that aid to new settlers that he may justly be styled one of the principal Founders and Fathers of Georgia. Zealous in the eanse of Christianity, he considered modes of worship but as secondary, whilst a great first principle with him in all true religion was universal charity. Being in the late war taken prisoner. he was made to undergo a series of persecution and hardship scareely to be paralleled, and never to be justified : but the strength of his constitution and the unshaken firmness of his mind, even at the advaneed period of 70 years, rose superior to all difficulties and at length brought him to die in the arms of peace."
OLDEST ARTILLERY COMPANY IN GEORGIA 1
Turning backward just for the space of about two years. we will take this opportunity to mention briefly the facts connected with the organ- ization of the oldest artillery company in the state of Georgia-a eom- Vol. 1-17
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pany with a reeord that should be preserved reverentially and with pride. On the 1st of May, 1786, through the efforts of Edward Lloyd, an offieer of the Revolution, the Chatham Artillery became a regularly officered and equipped military force, beginning its distinguished eareer which has lasted unbroken down to this day, with a parade as escort of honor on an occasion of the most solemn and imposing character. Before the close of two full months of its history, with its chief organizer in command, the eorps made its first public appearance at the funeral of Maj .- Gen. Nathanael Greene on the 20th of June, 1786.
Under the terms of the charter the aldermen elected in 1790 were John Houstoun, Joseph Habersham, Samuel Stirk, Matthew McAllister, Edward Lloyd, Joseph Clay, Jr., and Justus H. Schcuber. and they chose the first named as mayor. The following year. 1791. Mr. Seheuber was the only member of the board of aldermen who was re-elected, the others being Thomas Gibbons, who was the choice of the body for mayor, with associates Jaeob Waldburgh, Wm. Lewden, Richard Wayne, John Berrien and Joseph Welscher.
WASHINGTON'S VISIT TO SAVANNAH
Early in this year Gen. George Washington, president of the United States, began his southern tour, reaching Savannah on the 12th of May, on which day, anticipating his arrival, the Georgia Gazette said: "The President of the United States. it is expected, will honor the eity of Savannah with his presence this afternoon. A boat elegantly fitted out, set off yesterday forenoon, having on board five of the principal gentlemen of this place who are to receive him at Purysburgh, from whence he is to be rowed by nine captains of vessels, neatly dressed in blue silk jackets and round hats. with blaek ribbon, having the words 'Long Live the President' wrought in gold. The Mayor and Aldermen have requested the citizens to illuminate their houses, and every prepa- ration is making to welcome this truly illustrious character to the metropolis of Georgia."
That morning he arrived at Purysburgh to which point he had been eseorted by Gen. William Moultrie and others from Charleston, Sonth Carolina. There a committee of citizens of Savannah met him and eon- ducted him to this city by boat leaving Purysburgh between 10 and 11 o'clock. Nine American eaptains rowed the boat. Those men were Captains Putnam. Courter, Riee. Fisher, Huntington, Kershaw, Swain, MeIntire, and Morrison. Ten miles np the river a number of gentlemen in boats, accompanied with a band of music, met the party, the band playing "He Comes. the Hero Comes." in which song many voices united. We quote the following at this point :
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