1777.] HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY. 311 



The quarters of La Fayette were at the dwelling of Gideon 

 Gilpin, wlio was still living in the same house when La Fayette 

 visited this country in 1825. The procession that accompanied 

 the General to the Brandywine battle-ground, stopped in front 

 of the house while he paid his respects to old Oide(jn, who was 

 then on his death-bed. This property is now owned by Samuel 

 Painter, who has erected a neat mansion near the old house, 

 which yet remains in nearly its former condition. 



A little above the road leading from Dilworth's town to 

 Brandywine, on the descending ground, there stood a small 

 house occupied by a man named Brown at the time of the 

 battle. When Brown discovered that the Americans were re- 

 treating, followed by the British, he ran out of his house, and 

 huzzaed for King George at the top of his voice. An Ameri- 

 can rifleman within hearing, indignant at his treachery, shot 

 Brown just as he re-entered his dwelling, the ball passing 

 through the fleshy part of his arm. 



At the time of the battle, Edward Brinton, Esq., then an 

 aged man, owned and occupied the property of the late Edward 

 B. Darlington, on the road leading from Dilworth's town to the 

 Brandywine. When that division of the American army that 

 met the British at and near Birmingham Meeting-house was 

 retreating, closely followed by the enemy, and before the firing 

 had ceased, a number of British officers stopped at the house of 

 Squire Brinton, set out the dining table, and drank ten or a 

 dozen bottles of wine in a very short space of time ; after 

 which some of them passed into another part of the house 

 where the old gentleman was sitting. One of these officers said 

 to him, " Well, old gentleman, what do you think of these 

 times ?" The Squire replied that he did not approve of all the 

 measures of the Americans, but that he thought the acts of the 

 British Government had been cruel and oppressive. To this the 

 officer replied : "Indeed, old gentleman, I think so too, and had 

 it not been for your declaration of independence, I never would 

 have drawn my sword in America."' 



In the fight at Birmingham Meeting-house, a party of the 

 Americans for a time occupied a position inside of the rear 

 wall of the grave-yard. A number of the British fell here. 

 The killed of both armies who fell in the vicinity <»f the 

 meeting-house, were buried in the grave-yard which partly sur- 

 rounds it; their remains occupying one common grave just in- 

 side of the gate, and on the side of it next to the meeting-house. 



' This anecdote was communicated to me b}' Thomas Dnrlinpton. Esq., now in 

 his 79th year. Mr. Darlington is the grandson of Edward lirinlon. I am indebted 

 to Mr. D. for several facts of local interest connected with the battle of Brandy- 

 wine. and other matters in that neighborhood. 



