...That we should not wear our Swords. The Day before their meeting (Monday) I had been inform’d that the lower Class of Townspeople took umbrage at our wearing them, and therefore represented to the sub-Committee that we had been permited at Philadelphia to wear them as soon as we had given our Paroles, and that I suppos’d the permission general as well as our Paroles, & both equally binding, & therefore requested we might not be insulted by being oblig’d to surrender them here, merely to gratify the Populace; I also inform’d them it was customary for Officers (& Volunteers, being Gentlemen,) on their Paroles to be allow’d to wear their Swords...You can read how Major Christopher French got himself into this situation here.
Thursday, September 18, 2008