04 Jul Feux de Joie
Here is a festive report about one of the early historical records of a Fourth of July celebration, as recounted in the Virginia Gazette on July 18, 1777:
Yesterday the 4th of July, being the Anniversary of the Independence of the United States of America, was celebrated in this city with demonstration of joy and festivity. About noon all the armed ships and gallies in the river were drawn up before the city, dressed in the gayest manner, with the colours of the United States and streamers displayed. At one o’clock, the yards being properly manned, they began the celebration of the day by a discharge of thirteen cannon from each of the ships, and one from each of the thirteen gallies, in honour of the Thirteen United States. In the afternoon an elegant dinner was prepared for Congress, to which were invited the President and Supreme Executive Council, and Speaker of the Assembly of this State, the General Officers and Colonels of the army, and strangers of eminence, and the members of the several Continental Boards in town. The Hessian band of music taken in Trenton the 26th of December last, attended and heightened the festivity with some fine performances suited to the joyous occasion, while a corps of British deserters, taken into the service of the continent by the State of Georgia, being drawn up before the door, filled up the intervals with feux de joie. After dinner a number of toasts were drank, all breaking independence, and a generous love of liberty, and commemorating the memories of those brave and worthy patriots who gallantly exposed their lives, and fell gloriously in defence [sic] of freedom and the righteous cause of their country. Each toasts was followed by a discharge of artillery and small arms, and a suitable piece of music by the Hessian band. The glorious fourth of July was reiterated three times accompanied with triple discharges of cannon and small arms, and loud huzzas that resounded from street to street through the city. Towards evening several troops of horse, a corps of artillery, and a brigade of North Carolina forces, which was in town on its way to join the grand army, were drawn up in Second street and reviewed by Congress and the General Officers. The evening was closed with the ringing of bells, and at night there was a grand exhibition of fireworks, which began and concluded with thirteen rockets on the commons, and the city was beautifully illuminated. Every thing was conducted with the greatest order and decorum, and the face of joy and gladness was universal. Thus may the 4th of July, that glorious and ever memorable day, be celebrated through America, by the sons of freedom, from age to age till time shall be no more. Amen, and amen
Hope you have a wonderful Fourth of July! I trust your hometown will toast Independence Day with appropriate festivities, including cannon discharge, Hessian bands, loud huzzas, and feux de joie (fire of joy).
Here in Santa Barbara we have a big celebration at the beach near downtown on the order described here, but I stay home with the dog and cat who get a bit freaked out over all the firecrackers. And the Dodgers are playing right now, with Vin Scully announcing: it doesn’t get much better than that!
Please, no dressing in the gayest manner.
Last night, in london, as I served up a deep south barbeque to wide eyed English (they’d never seen such a large piece of meat cooked on a grill) I thought that I could possibly be celebrating the most politically incorrect holiday to celebrate in the UK. They began to call it Good Riddance Day, but it didn’t stop them from eating the BBQ. If I’d only had some fireworks for over the thames…
While I found the fireworks in Texas pleasant, the accompanying horde of mosquitoes, a product of the unending rains of the summer, made me look like a smallpox victim.
When I was a little boy in Irving, Texas in the early 1960s I recall little jeep-like vehicles going drown the streets in the spring/summer on a regular basis spraying what was probably DDT to reduce the mosquito population. There’s talk of using it again in African countries, so I suppose if it’s good enough for them….
DDT suggested dosage has been greatly reduced since the age of Silent Spring, and it remains a remarkably effective insecticide. I personally would welcome the return of such to these shores, if only to jump start the usage in Africa, where Malaria remains a major killer.