Monday 4th. This being the Anniversary of American Independence and being kindly requested to do it, I agreed to halt here this day and partake of the entertainment which was preparing for the celebration of it. In the fore noon I walked about1 the town. At half passed 2 oclock I received, and answered an address from the Corporation and2 the complimts. of the Clergy of different denominations. Dined between 3 & 4 Oclock. Drank Tea with Mrs. Hand about
“This morning before day the cannon was fired, the drums beat and fifes played” (
, 222). The address from the inhabitants of Lancaster is in DLC:GW, and GW’s answer is in PHi: William Smith Papers. A copy of the reply can also be found in DLC:GW. The dinner was held in the Lancaster County courthouse. The tea given by Catharine Ewing Hand (d. 1805) was apparently attended by a number of the town’s ladies ( , 222).With this entry GW’s account of his southern tour ends. He returned to Philadelphia on 6 July 1791, his approach being announced as it had been so often during the past weeks “by the firing of cannon, and the ringing of bells” (Dunlap’s American Daily Adv. [Philadelphia], 7 July 1791).
1. “about” substituted for “down.”
2. “received” deleted.