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XVI. Peggy Chew, Major André, and the Mischianza, May 18, 1778

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Benjamin Chew, 1722-1810
This chapter is in the book Benjamin Chew, 1722-1810
XVI PEGGY CHEW, MAJOR ANDRÉ, AND THE MISCHIANZA May 18, 1778 THE gay social life of Philadelphia during the winter of 1777-78 and the following spring came to elaborate climax on May 18, in a farewell arranged by the offi-cers of General Howe to their greatly beloved commander, dis-placed by General Clinton and about to sail for home. A great deal of their emotion and desire to give it elaborate expression was due to their sorrow for his humiliation and a purpose to show their loyalty to him before all the world.1 The event seems to have taken a form suggested partly by a fête champêtre of Lord Derby's at "The Oaks" on June 9, 1774, on the occasion of Lord Stanley's marriage to the Duke of Ham-ilton's daughter; and an aquatic pageant on the Thames on June 23, 1775, the first in England and consequently much admired. And because it was a mixture of both and more besides—a sort of medley—it was given the name Mischianza or Misquianza or Meschianza, the first of which was preferred by Major John André, whose talents both artistic and poetic caused him to be its chief designer and best describen2 1 Major André, in a letter of May 23, 1778, published in the Gentleman's Magazine, of that year (p. 353), says: "That our sentiments might be the more uni-versally and unequivocally known, it was resolved amongst us, that we should give him as splendid an entertainment, as the shortness of the time, and our present situation, would allow us." It may be recalled, too, that it was his successor, Gen-eral Clinton, who had to give up Philadelphia and was chased across New Jersey. It may be added also, that the British army, wherever located, was much given to amateur theatricals; and they kept the old South Street Theatre supplied with their plays. 2 Major André has left at least three accounts of the event: 1. a manuscript pamphlet written June 2, 1778, about two weeks after, for Peggy Chew, which was [175]
© 2016 University of Pennsylvania Press, 3905 Spruce Street Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104-4112

XVI PEGGY CHEW, MAJOR ANDRÉ, AND THE MISCHIANZA May 18, 1778 THE gay social life of Philadelphia during the winter of 1777-78 and the following spring came to elaborate climax on May 18, in a farewell arranged by the offi-cers of General Howe to their greatly beloved commander, dis-placed by General Clinton and about to sail for home. A great deal of their emotion and desire to give it elaborate expression was due to their sorrow for his humiliation and a purpose to show their loyalty to him before all the world.1 The event seems to have taken a form suggested partly by a fête champêtre of Lord Derby's at "The Oaks" on June 9, 1774, on the occasion of Lord Stanley's marriage to the Duke of Ham-ilton's daughter; and an aquatic pageant on the Thames on June 23, 1775, the first in England and consequently much admired. And because it was a mixture of both and more besides—a sort of medley—it was given the name Mischianza or Misquianza or Meschianza, the first of which was preferred by Major John André, whose talents both artistic and poetic caused him to be its chief designer and best describen2 1 Major André, in a letter of May 23, 1778, published in the Gentleman's Magazine, of that year (p. 353), says: "That our sentiments might be the more uni-versally and unequivocally known, it was resolved amongst us, that we should give him as splendid an entertainment, as the shortness of the time, and our present situation, would allow us." It may be recalled, too, that it was his successor, Gen-eral Clinton, who had to give up Philadelphia and was chased across New Jersey. It may be added also, that the British army, wherever located, was much given to amateur theatricals; and they kept the old South Street Theatre supplied with their plays. 2 Major André has left at least three accounts of the event: 1. a manuscript pamphlet written June 2, 1778, about two weeks after, for Peggy Chew, which was [175]
© 2016 University of Pennsylvania Press, 3905 Spruce Street Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104-4112

Chapters in this book

  1. Frontmatter I
  2. Preface IX
  3. Contents XIII
  4. List of Illustrations XV
  5. I. Character and Antecedents 1
  6. II. Childhood and Education in Maryland, 1722 10
  7. III. His Great Preceptor, Andrew Hamilton, about 1736 17
  8. IV. With His Father, Chief Justice Samuel Chew, in Dover, 1741 30
  9. V. In the Middle Temple, 1743 38
  10. VI. A Delaware Lawyer and Statesman, 1744 50
  11. VII. A Delaware Lawyer and Statesman (Continued), 1750 57
  12. VIII. Proprietary and Personal Leader in Both Pennsylvania and Delaware, 1755 65
  13. IX. Proprietary and Personal Leader in Pennsylvania, 1757 81
  14. X. Benjamin Chew, the Leading Lawyer in Pennsylvania, 1759 90
  15. XI. Leading the Council in Wise Resistance to the Crown, 1762 98
  16. XII. Register-General of Pennsylvania and Delaware and Resignation from the Attorney-Generalship, 1765 111
  17. XIII. Chief Justice Benjamin Chew of Pennsylvania, 1774 133
  18. XIV. Congressional Prisoner as Crown Official, July 31, 1777 145
  19. XV. The Fall of Philadelphia and the Conflict at Cliveden, October 4, 1777 164
  20. XVI. Peggy Chew, Major André, and the Mischianza, May 18, 1778 175
  21. XVII. Ex-Chief Justice Chew and a Decade of Reorganization, 1779 191
  22. XVIII. President of The High Court of Errors and Appeals of Pennsylvania, 1791 212
  23. XIX. President of The High Court of Errors and Appeals (Continued), 1791 225
  24. XX. President of The High Court of Errors and Appeals (Continued), 1793 243
  25. XXI. President of The High Court of Errors and Appeals (Continued), 1794 255
  26. XXII. President Chew Returns to Cliveden, 1797 263
  27. XXIII. President Chew and the Closing Years of The High Court of Errors and Appeals, 1800 271
  28. XXIV. Evening, Saturday, January 20, 1810 285
  29. XXV. President Chew as seen by Dennie's Port Folio, the Leading American Literary Periodical, February, 1811 290
  30. Index 307
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https://doi.org/10.9783/9781512803457-018

Chapters in this book

  1. Frontmatter I
  2. Preface IX
  3. Contents XIII
  4. List of Illustrations XV
  5. I. Character and Antecedents 1
  6. II. Childhood and Education in Maryland, 1722 10
  7. III. His Great Preceptor, Andrew Hamilton, about 1736 17
  8. IV. With His Father, Chief Justice Samuel Chew, in Dover, 1741 30
  9. V. In the Middle Temple, 1743 38
  10. VI. A Delaware Lawyer and Statesman, 1744 50
  11. VII. A Delaware Lawyer and Statesman (Continued), 1750 57
  12. VIII. Proprietary and Personal Leader in Both Pennsylvania and Delaware, 1755 65
  13. IX. Proprietary and Personal Leader in Pennsylvania, 1757 81
  14. X. Benjamin Chew, the Leading Lawyer in Pennsylvania, 1759 90
  15. XI. Leading the Council in Wise Resistance to the Crown, 1762 98
  16. XII. Register-General of Pennsylvania and Delaware and Resignation from the Attorney-Generalship, 1765 111
  17. XIII. Chief Justice Benjamin Chew of Pennsylvania, 1774 133
  18. XIV. Congressional Prisoner as Crown Official, July 31, 1777 145
  19. XV. The Fall of Philadelphia and the Conflict at Cliveden, October 4, 1777 164
  20. XVI. Peggy Chew, Major André, and the Mischianza, May 18, 1778 175
  21. XVII. Ex-Chief Justice Chew and a Decade of Reorganization, 1779 191
  22. XVIII. President of The High Court of Errors and Appeals of Pennsylvania, 1791 212
  23. XIX. President of The High Court of Errors and Appeals (Continued), 1791 225
  24. XX. President of The High Court of Errors and Appeals (Continued), 1793 243
  25. XXI. President of The High Court of Errors and Appeals (Continued), 1794 255
  26. XXII. President Chew Returns to Cliveden, 1797 263
  27. XXIII. President Chew and the Closing Years of The High Court of Errors and Appeals, 1800 271
  28. XXIV. Evening, Saturday, January 20, 1810 285
  29. XXV. President Chew as seen by Dennie's Port Folio, the Leading American Literary Periodical, February, 1811 290
  30. Index 307
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