The post. [volume] (Middleburg, Snyder County, Pa.) 1864-1883, 1876-10-26
Nj 1 - q q l 1 Il II q O us
VALLEY FORGE.

Nalley fOrBe was selected 1Or the
winter cncampment because from it
Washington could best protect the
interior of the State from tho incur
sions of the enemy quartered in
Philadelphia. The army left White
marsh on the l1th of December and
reached Valley Forge on the 10th.
The soldiers, many of them bare-
footed and in rags had marched thi-
ther, leaving their bloody testimoni-
ais on nearly every foot of ground
they had traversed. The day before,
on the borders OF the dreary region
where they were to pass the long
winter, was spent in religious servi-
ces. Congress had directed it to be
observed as a day of thanksgiving
and praise. The ragged, suffering
army, weary with their march over
the frozen grounds, were required
on this bleak day, with a prospect
full Of gloom before them, to send up
their voice of thanksgiving and
praise. For what ! There seemed
need enough for fasting and prayer,
for Heaven looking frowningly down
upon them. They could ask-oh,
how fervently-to be delivered from
suffering and destruction, and the
gloomy, remorsely winter before
them, but to be thankful for them,
who was equal to that Still, Wash.
ington ordered the brigades to be
assembled, with their chaplains, and
religious services to be performed
But. alas. three thousand of them,
or more than quarter of the whole
army, were either sick or too shoe
loss aud ragged to appear on parade.
These, in the wagons that stretched
over the fields, lay suffering and
shivering in the straw, thinking that,
to them at least, thanksgiving was a
mocery. Their enemies were fed
and housed in the city near by, while
the bleak hillside must be their home.
Indeed, there was more earnest
prayer, that day than thanksgiving,
but the patriotic chaplains who were
to share with the soldiers the priva-
tions and suffering of the coming
winter r-beseeching, earnest prayer
to Him who alone could help and
pour light on the acknowledging
darkness.
1t was solemn, not joyful day,
and when it ended, the army of elev.
en- thousand strong, marched on the
frozen hills whore they were to spend
= the next three months, and scenes
and trials never to be forgotten
while single page in history is left
for the record OF true patriotism. In
the orders issued by Washington,
directing the work to be done, he
told the soldiers he would share all
the privations. The whole army was
divided into groups of twelve, who
were to build hut or pen for them
selves. Each one was to be sixteen
by fourteen feet, filed in with clay,
with log fireplace lined with clay q
foot and half thick. The height
was to be six feet and half Thus
1t will be seen that they were mere
novels, barely high enough to stand
mp in, and, with the fireplace &C.
coutrements, &C., would be barely
room sufficient for the twelve men
to lie down in, packed closely side by
side. 70 stimulate the disheartened
soldiers to activity, Washington Of.
fered twelve dollars reward for the
first hut built in each regiment. aud
q hundred dollars to him who would
discover the best substitute for
boards (Which were not to be had)
for the roofs. Split oak slabs wore
selected, whose irregular surface
could furnish only partial protection
from the snow and rain. Il was q
cold, dreary day when the muskets
were stacked, the knapsacks thrown
aside, and those eleven thousand
men such ~ could work, broke into
hundred groups and scattered
themselves through the woods.
Soon the rapid blows Of nearly ton
thousands axss and the incsssant
crash of falling trees echoed on
every aide for miles around. From
early dawn TIL the wintry nights rot
y, Tie work want on, and then the