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 Washington, 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:
Washington, 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 Washington 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.