“The Wilmington Militia, with Dr. Billy Ware as orderly sergeant in front, stretching the abbreviated limbs to keep the regulation step, was a conspicuous part.  The parade took place in what was hen called ‘Oregon.’  It was about the time that the Oregon boundary question was up, and the politicians shouted for ‘phifty-four phorty or phight,’ and afterwards fell back to ‘phorty-nine.’  In ‘Oregon’–that was about where the Chestnut Street Presbyterian Church now stands, or a little north of it.”

Reference Data:

Chronicles of the Cape Fear River, by James Sprunt, 1916, page 194