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.