6 minute read
Oxford Map and History
Oxford is one of the oldest towns in Maryland. Although already settled for perhaps 20 years, Oxford marks the year 1683 The Strand Tilghman as its official founding, for in that year Oxford was first named by the Maryland General Assembly as a seaport and was laid out as a town. In 1694, Oxford and a new town called Anne Arundel (now Annapolis) were selected the only ports of entry for the entire Maryland province. Until the American Revolution, Oxford enjoyed prominence as an international shipping center surrounded by wealthy tobacco plantations. Today, Oxford is a charming tree-lined and waterbound village with a population of just over 700 and is still important in boat building and yachting. It has a protected harbor for watermen who harvest oysters, crabs, clams and fish, and for sailors from all over the Bay.
For a walking tour and more history visit https://tidewatertimes. com/travel-tourism/oxford-maryland/.
St. Market St. High St. East
St. Division St.
Benoni Ave. Pleasant St. Robes Hbr. Ct. South Morris Street Bachelor Point Road Pier St. E. Pier St. Oxford Road
W. Division St. Caroline St.West St. Tred Avon Ave. First Street Jack’s Pt. Rd. Third Street Bonfield Ave. 2nd St.
Ave. Myrtle
Stewart Ave. Norton St. Mill St. Wilson St. Banks St.Factory St.Morris St. Oxford Park South Street Jefferson St. Sinclair St. Richardson St. Town Creek Rd.
Oxford Community Center
Oxford Bellevue Ferry
T r e d
R i v e r
n o A v
Town
Creek
Oxford
16 15 13 11 10 9
8
3 2 1
7 333 To Easton
17 14 18 19
12 4 6 5 © John Norton
Pride Goeth Before and approved loyal subjects of the good and gracious king, our best and embarked,” not mentioning that firmest friend, the majesty of Engthey lingered in port as repairs to land, his royal highness’ sincerely Graves’s ships dragged on. Alas, beloved father…. ” Clinton was distracted, entertain- Back in Virginia, besieged troops ing His Royal Highness Prince couldn’t forage for rations and the William Henry, who landed in New artillery barrage continued. LieuYork on September 24. The future tenant James’s diary reported “men King William IV was greeted with a lying nearly everywhere who were 21-gun salute and then entertained mortally wounded.” Despairing of with parades, sumptuous dinners relief, Cornwallis recognized his and concerts. A Loyalist newspaper hopeless position, sending a redreported: coated drummer boy atop a parapet
“It is impossible to express the to beat the signal requesting “parsatisfaction felt (by persons of all ley.” Silence fell and a British officer ranks) from the ease, affability, and joined the boy, waving a white handcondescension shown by this most kerchief, to be blindfolded and taken pleasing, manly youth, when he ap- inside American lines to negotiate. pears abroad amongst the happy Differences arose over ceremo-
202 Morris St., Oxford 410-226-0010
BOOKSELLERS 31 Years in Business We Know Books!
Friday to Monday 10 to 3
Find the perfect book or gift for Dad or Granddad
*Listen Fri. mornings on WCEI 96.7fm *20% off your book clubs’ books *Books of all kinds & Gifts for Book Lovers *Special orders *Online ordering & e-newsletter @ www. mysterylovescompany.com
nial “honors of war,” symbolic of having fought the good fight, traditionally including rights to march out, flags flying, to a national tune. These honors had been denied Americans under General Benjamin Lincoln after they gallantly stood the British off for six weeks at Charleston. When Cornwallis’s time came September 19, he absented himself, claiming illness, unwilling to surrender to “Mister” Washington and “the boy,” Lafayette. Brigadier General Charles O’Hara attempted surrendering Cornwallis’s sword to Rochambeau, but the Frenchman smilingly indicated Washington, mounted tall in the saddle in his buff and blue uniform. Washington directed O’Hara to General Lincoln.
French and Americans lined either side of the road to Williamsburg as British troops marched out, their band playing a martial tune but flags furled as ordered. The redcoats’ eyes were turned to the French. The British “appeared
S. Hanks Interior Design
Suzanne Hanks Litty Oxford, Maryland
shanksinteriordesign@gmail.com 410-310-4151
much in liquor,” having drunk their commissary dry rather than surrender the stock. Lafayette caught their attention, having the Allies’ band strike up “Yankee Doodle.”
Admiral de Grasse, stricken with asthma, missed the ceremony he had made possible. When Clinton’s reinforcements arrived weeks later, there was no need to engage them. Clinton had boarded ship the day the drummer sounded “parley," and had cleared New York harbor as the band played “Yankee Doodle.” The official treaty ending the war was two years off, but learning of Cornwallis’s loss, British Prime Minister Lord North is quoted as saying, “Oh, God. It’s all over.” * * *
Banastre Tarleton (“Bloody Ban, The Butcher”) asked to be excused from the ceremony, fearing reprisal from colonial militia. Safely back in Britain, he served as a Member of Parliament from Liverpool, the port from which his family fortune was made in trans-Atlantic slavetrading.
Benedict Arnold left Virginia for New York before the surrender. The previous year, when proof of betrayal was discovered in British hands, a courier had taken the documents to George Washington, who was scheduled to dine with the Arnolds. Aides found the general in Arnold’s study, tears in his
Tidewater Residential Designs since 1989
TIMOTHY B. KEARNS
TBKEARNSDESIGN.COM · 410.226.5100
eyes, holding a diagram suggesting how best to attack West Point, plus secret war counsel minutes. When Cornwallis surrendered, Arnold sailed to London to urge King George to continue the war. Since Arnold had served both sides as a general, British officers viewed him with suspicion, despite his resourceful and energetic service to them. Denied a military future, he led a contentious life of trade, land speculation and privateering before dying in London of dropsy at the age of 60.
Marquis de Lafayette lost the father he never knew, killed by cannon fire in the Seven Years’ War. Orphaned at fourteen, he inherited one of France’s great fortunes when his mother died. At nineteen, he defied royal orders, sailing for America in a ship he purchased and renamed La Victoire.
A two-faced Benedict Arnold effigy is set ablaze every year in New London, Connecticut.
The Treasure Chest
A Gift Shop Featuring Locally Made Artisan Crafts & Artwork
Jewelry by Joan’s Gems Local Artwork Handmade Pottery and Mosaics Port of Oxford Merchandise T-shirts & More! Furniture Painting Classes Available, Register Online
Wed. ~ Mon. 10 AM to 5 PM, closed Tues. · treasurechestofoxford@gmail.com
Pride Goeth Before pursuit of happiness.” Evolved into an abolitionist, he pressed He idolized George Washington George Washington and James as a surrogate father and devel- Madison to emancipate those oped into a valuable member of they enslaved. The Virginians exhis officer corps. A former slave- pressed sympathy with the theory holder, Lafayette internalized the but felt America wasn’t yet ready. concept that “all men are created He named his first son Georges equal” and are endowed with God- Washington Lafayette. given rights to “life, liberty, and
Forty-some years ago, A.M. Foley swapped the Washington, D.C., business scene for a writing life on Elliott Island, Maryland. Tidewater Times has kindly published portions of one upcoming work, Chesapeake Bay Island Hopping, along with other regional musings. Foley’s published works are described at www.HollandIslandBook.com.
Open for Dinner Wednesday through Saturday, Lunch Wednesday through Saturday, Brunch Sunday & Breakfast seven days. THE ROBERT MORRIS INN 1710 OXFORD MD
314 NORTH MORRIS STREET ٠ OXFORD ٠ 410 226 5111 WWW.ROBERTMORRISINN.COM 108
