Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1874-08-19
gle RepnbHrau.
Drive to Valley Forge.

l am resting mere, thirty miles west
of Philadelphia. Fourteen miles down
the Threat Valley" toward the city,
il Valley Forge, of revolutionary.war
fame. A friend and l drove over
yesterday A small mountain rises in
the distance, cene-like in shape and
densely covered with trees. There is
house pointed out as the headquarters
of DeKalb 1t is two story stone
building, and glitters in whitewash.
The road reaches the eastern front of
the hill by a gentle ascent. We tied our
horses to the fence, clambered toward
the summit through the underbrush
for couple of rods and stood before
the earthworksiof Valley Forge.
Imagine huge bank of earth heap
ed along the four sides of shallow
pit, and one or two banks across max
ing triangular divisions, and you have
some idea of the famous fertilization.
All along the outside is ditch, form
ed, | supposed, by the removal of the
ground for the parapet. But the
washing of rains and falling of leaves
season after season have seusibly low
cred the banks and filled tie ditch.
My companion stepped one side of the
works, and made it about 100 feet. 4
large hole in one place looks as if it
might have answered for a magazine.
Tall forest trees have grown up all
over tho redoubt. And this is all of
Valley Forge, where brave men SHY.
cred IN the cold Of HITS. Brandy
wine had been lost, aud the British
were reveling in Philadelphia. Let US
now get into the buggy and drive
dowa the hill on the north side. What
a glorious view Of the great valley of
Chester county, so widely knowa to
every tourist in the Eastern part of
Pennsylvania. The eye fairly feasts
on the white cottages and trim fields.
the woodlands and the blue hills.
The country is SO thickly settled that
you seem to be looking down on vast
village surrounded by gardens and
enhowerse in groves. Below is the
Sehuvlkill, its placid waters suggesting
tie Arno at Florence. At the foot of
the hill the road turns to the north and
we are gazing at one of the historic
mansions of the world, Washingtou's
headquarters.
The house is two stories high,
door and two windows below and three
windows above, with an addition also
fronting the street, built of the blush
gray limeston so common in this region
1t stands within stones throw of the
station known as VALLEY Forge" on
the Philadelphia and Reading Rail-
road, and yet doubtless not one traveller
In hundred is aware that tie has but
to look out of the window to behold
this venerable edifee. Some houses
and mills are near Valley creek runs
in front, and not far off is Phenixvill,
the feat OF the heavy iron and bridge
works. In returning We followed the
the road around the base of the noun
tain. The declivity is everywhere
steep and rocky, and in case the Brit
ISL had attempted to storm the heights
our. grandfathers would have had the
advantage of position in driving them
back
An anecdote of General Wayne was
told me on the way. A farmer lost
some sheep while the American army
was in the neighborhood, and COM
planned to the General. ''Hcw many
did you loose ?" inquired the General
"Fcurtean," replied the farmer. w as
that all you had Z" oh, no. was the
answer. Then my men didn't do it,
for they would have stolen the Woe
deuced lot" exclaimed the blunt old
soldier. Wayne didn't say aeuced
but disapprove Of repeating wicked
words even in print. Everything here
reminds you of early times.
Stone houses in town and country all
over a hundred years old. The first
dwelling IN this place in 1928. The
turnpike bridge bears the date 1901,
and Swan Inn, 1867 can be read on
aweather beaten sign. Ten miles be-
low Dowingtoun the battle Of Brandy
wine was fought, and eleven miles
east, near the Pennsylvania Central,
"Paoli Massacre occurred. General
Grey made midnight attack on
on Wayne's camp, September Goth,
1777 and ordered his troops to give
40 quarter. Ooe hundred and fifty
Americans were killed in cold blood
A white marble pyramid rises on the
mound covering the bodies Of these
early martyrs. | take a kind of sad
pleasure IN visiting these scenes Ct
heroic days. aud putting myself for a
while IN communion with the "spirits
of the other world Cor. Chicago
Journal