Harvard and its surroundings . Riedesel House (53). 84 HARVARD UNIVERSITY A short distance below, on tlie same side of Brattle Street, is —54. Washingtons Head-quarters, or Longfellows Home, the mostnoteworthy house in Cambridge. It is in f;ict a wooden mansion lined withbrick, and was built in 1759 by Colonel John Vassal. The exterior sim-ply carries one back to the ante-revolutionary period; but the interior gives astrong imjiression of comfort and i-efinement. The surroundings are charm-ingly picturesque. In 1775 Vassal became a fugitive under British protection,and Colonel John Glover, wit
Harvard and its surroundings . Riedesel House (53). 84 HARVARD UNIVERSITY A short distance below, on tlie same side of Brattle Street, is —54. Washingtons Head-quarters, or Longfellows Home, the mostnoteworthy house in Cambridge. It is in f;ict a wooden mansion lined withbrick, and was built in 1759 by Colonel John Vassal. The exterior sim-ply carries one back to the ante-revolutionary period; but the interior gives astrong imjiression of comfort and i-efinement. The surroundings are charm-ingly picturesque. In 1775 Vassal became a fugitive under British protection,and Colonel John Glover, with the Marblehead regiment, took Wash ngton s Head quarters, or Longfellow s Home (54) Washington established his head-quarters here in July, 17 75, and remainedfor eight months. More noted patriots of 1776 entered this house than anyother. Mrs. Washington and her suite arrived at head-quarters in December,1775. We learn that Mrs. Washington held her levees and gave her dinnerparties, while Washington with his staff was deliberating on the operations ofthe army destined to create a free republic. Franklin dined at this housewhen he came to settle the establishment of the colonial army. Washingtonrevisited the house in 1789. After the war the first propi-ietor was Nathaniel Tracy, who had been en- AND ITS SURROUNDINGS. 85 gaged in privateering. He fitted out the first private armed vessel that sailedfrom an American port, and owned the principal share in a number of cruisersthat wrought great damage to the British marine. It is related that after hehad lost some forty ships he was (;[uite despondent, and, while discus
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Keywords: ., bo, bookcentury1800, bookdecade1870, booksubjectharvarduniversity
