An old-fashioned 4th: Eating, drinking, and fighting" - Staunton, Va. 1859

[Shockoe Hill Cats]

In light of the occasion, I thought I'd share an article written for the Staunton The News Leader by contributing writer, Charles Culbertson, on July 1, 2006.

I can't seem to find it online anymore but I'll summarize here:

One of the most colorful and best documented Independence Days for Staunton, Va. was on July 4, 1859. Activities were so celebratory that two editions of the Staunton Vindicator were published to provide a full account.

"Last Monday was a stirring day in Staunton. What with all the beating of drums, the waving of plumes, the flashing of bayonets, and the flying of colors, the good old town became so bewildered and unsettled that we verily believe it will take at least a month for it to regain its original natural and dignified appearance."

The day commenced with a military parade at 10 o'clock. The Monticello Guard of Charlottesville, the West Augusta Guard of Staunton and the Continental Morgan Guard of Winchester were among the militia units showcased and who would later serve during the American Civil War. Similarly present was Staunton's own Mountain Saxhorn Band, better known as the Stonewall Brigade Band, "whose excellent music added greatly to the attractions of the day".

But onto the main focus: Following a rather boring and drawn-out reading of the Declaration of Independence, citizens of the town moved into the yard of Professor Henry Jarrett Gray of the Institute for the Deaf, Dumb, and Blind. Gray's generosity to host the community picnic generated into mayhem:

“From all we could see and hear, what with the eating, drinking, fighting, shouting, speechifying, and playing the devil generally, the day passed off to the excessive delight and satisfaction of all concerned, except [for] some few poor devils with bunged eyes and skinned faces, who, we must confess, seemed prepared to 'pitch into' the first fellow who... might wish him 'many returns of the same happy day."

The drunken bash coincided with thirteen rampant toasts -- to Independence Day, to Gen. George Washington, to ancestors of the Revolution, to its survivors, to the Constitution, to the President, to the Senate, to the people, to the Union, to the volunteer citizen army, to the army and navy, to the state of Virginia, and "God bless them" -- the ladies.

In retrospect, it was the ninth toast that proved to be the most ironic, if not bittersweet:

"May the bonds which make our nation of states one of the greatest of governments never be weakened by an internal feud."