Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1860-09-01

20 entering thHttncient apartment, with lie
low ceilings and deep embrasuses one almost
imagnes, on turning round, TO mark the
tall figure OF Washington, stsnding amid the
relics which are SO complsta S4sh tis hssocia-
! tions the very receptacle, esranged by him.
self as q depository for private papers, is
there shown, and we tremble with feelings Of
involuntary awe, on gazing reverentially upon
those memories OF the by.gona time
Carrying out the directions u their CON.
mander, little dwellings OF rude construction
we're hastily erected and disposed in regular
order giving to the camp, the, appearance Of
military town such soldiersas were suffi.
ciently clothed to resist the keen air, worked
actively upon the buildings htwiug logs and
lifting them together 10 firm but inurtistic
manner Many, who were too imperfectly
clad to'brave the seasons iuciemency, urged
their more fortunate companions to change
situations fora time, and lending them the
clothing with which they Sfre provided,
permit an Opportunity OF displaying the zeal
aud interest rhich all sc. .unhcsitaptingly be.
slowed. This was the spirit that actuated
the men of Valley Forge, and such were the
sentiments which bore Us vict6fiossly through
the Revolution During this period, Wssh.
ington superintended the building operations
in person, sharing the fatgues Of bis men
end at night reposing in a a,fcheerless mar.
quees rsfusing to occupy biz headquarters
until the patriots. whom he nsmmanded had
been safely end comfortably housed.
E = The dimensions Of these nuts we're to 10
sixteen fsSfsby fourteen with log walls, par
tally plastered with clay aud split logs,
rosghe5 fhewn, to serve as q reofing. Twelve
IRriyatss Esre allowed singh house, while
! general officer occupied lona< alone; other
! othcerss according 10 their rank were assigned
respective buildings, sometimes six residing
together, while at others, asmaller number.
The soldiers were arranged aSording TO the
states from whence they haile3 and the entire
village was encompassed eutrencbments,
excepting on the river side, where their place
was supplied by a bridge, ere&ed to continue
communication for the purppse of procuring
supplies with the country 60 the opposite
shores. Here 1000 men we're posted, Of
whom however nearly 5000 were utterly unfit
for duty, being without this mos. trhing
srticle Of dress, aud only a few blankets
.wherewith to cover their uaks1ness, and this
too, IN the midst OF gloomy aud rigorous
winter. oh !sshow can we Cease to eulogse
the brave men who 90 suffered for their coup.
trys aggrandisement at the fearful expense
OF their own
The commissarint department had been en-
trusted to the care Of those 5tterly disouali.
fed to manage its Important interests, aud
now we find the troops without even provis.
ions, and no means Of gratifying their suffer.
ing desire. The conductsof. many members
OF Congress and Of the Pennsylvsnia Legis.
lature, during this terrible period, was
characterised by the most shameful disregard
for our faithful soldiers' condition; they,
resting in comfort at homo. provided with all
that ~cogld render life wIrt 2 siovipg. while
gazing over their weil,iufnlsneaN apartments
aud into the glowing depths Of their flaming
hearth stones, refused to believe that the
army was furnishing in log hnts in the midst
of wilderness, surrounded by an unfriendly
population, and without the most trivial me-
cessities life. These sapient legislators had
the temerty to impugn the motives of Wash
ington in thus taking up winter quarters,
expressing their opinion that he should have
remained on the "open field" The sugges-
tion was most disgraceful one. and drew
from the great commander q letter in reply,
which will ever remain as q lasting evidence
Of their dsreputable and unmaniy insinua-
tion.
There was famine in the camp, and
Washington feared, each day, the breaking
on. Of mutny among his starving troops
Dire necessty-and that alore- finally CON-
PEELED him to use the power accorded by
him to require all farmers wiihin 20 miles of
the encampment to tbresh cut their grain, |
moiety by the first Of February, the remain |
der not until the succeeding month, "under /
the penalty OF having the whole seized as
straw" Numerous residents 81 that vicinity. |
Tories, and Others dsafiected to the Ameri- I
can cause, demurrsd at th, proclamation, |
issued to that effect by Washington, and |
refused to accede to these pst and proper |
acquisitions. OF course sb such supplies |
we're to be literally paid for, yet even
knowledge Of this was withoI Influence.
So passed slowly along thism disastrous
winter, whose occurrences form the darkest !
and yet the brightest phases q the American
revolution. The apparent animoly is readily |
explained. Gloomy and repilsive from the |
agonies undergone by those ,ho deserved O
better reward joyous and ezsilaratiug from
the high and glorious asperatips which these
suferings evoked. Here % discern the
character of Washington, in d its grand, yet
unpretendipg supremacy; foe in the legisa-
tive hail. foes in the coencil bes in the field,
surrounded by the storms Of inter; almost
deprived Of even hope ho1 nobly did he
withstand the successive msfftunes OF that
harrsssipg period. Unimpshd in his firm
reliance upon Divine assist3ce, be moved
among his toil.worn troops. uirking crushed
expectations in the squalor ind disease Of
every famishing company, yetagain discove-
ring hopes OF renewed promiseu those bright
sntcipations, whose rafectts would even
| startle the tired private fromIis repose aud
lend q vivid yet evsnescent lustre to the
weary soldiers eye. HIsToRIA.
REMARKABLE ATTACK ny BHs.-At Antrim,
says the Detroit Tribune, similar occurrence
took place few days ago. Awarm of bees,
belonging to Mr. Decker. came tt of the hive in