The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1878-06-26
Celebrates or the Evacuation OF Val
ley Forge.

The centennial anniversary celebra-
ton Of the evacuation of this place
by the Continental army was cele-
brated to-day under circumstances Of
unusual display. Excursion trains
began t arrive at an early hour, and
by 10 O'Clock at least 80, 900 people
had arrived by this means and in
private conveyances. The various
committees had their headquarters
and with u well disciplined cOnssabu
larry force, the best order prevailed
At daylight we're fired anC
bells were ruDg throughout the
Sehuylkill Valley, of which this form;
a part At sunrise there was a salute
of thirteen guns fired, and at half
past s O'Clock Governor Hartranfl
and Adjutant General Larta, accom-.
panied by General Winfield S. Han
cock and other distinguished gentle
men arrived, and were received al
the depot by a delegation CT military
An appropriate salute was fired by
the Grifin Battery, Of Ph9nixville,
and they proceeded to the military
headquarters, receiving loud cheers
on their way. At 9 O'Clock there
was a memorial service, in which
large numbers took part. A process
sion was formed at the military head.
quarters, consisting of military, bands
Of music, civic societies and ladies
dressed in white. The graves Of
Continental and Federal soldiers
were decorated, appropriate services
were held. and the procession moved
over the intrenchments, which have
remained since the occupation Of the
place by tee Continental army. and
over the historic ground, which was
strewn with l)wers by the ladies.
A grand chorus of three hundred
voices rendered an anthem, and at
nalf-past 10 o'clock q review of the
military was held, in which there
were about two thousand soldiers;
all the towns in Schuylkill Valley
being represented, and companies
present from Philadelphia and Will
mington Delaware. The troops dis
played fac drilling, and were under
command of Generals Gregg and
Reeder, and were reviewed by Gen
eral Hancock aud Governor Hart
rant.
At noon a salute of thirty-eight
guns was fired, and at | O'Clock the
services of the day began in q large
tent holding $4,000 persons. Gov
ernor Hartranft, the presiding officer,
was introduced, and was received
with tremendous cheers. He spoke
in substance as follows:
We have come to commemorate
the darkest hours Of the Revolution !;
hours which were those Of triumph
to the American cause, for it was at
Valley Forge where the brightest
honors were won by the Continental
army. 1t was here 10 rude tents,
and amid q winter of the greatest
severity that the brightest records of
the war were made. 1t is upon this
spot. hallowed by hunger and cold,
that we meet to commemorate a
steadfastness Of cause Unprecedented
in the annals of history.
A poem was then read by Rev. F.
G. Walker, of Philadelphia, and after
the singing of THE American Hymn"
Colonel I. W. Bean, of NOrristown.
read extracts from an historical pa.
per which he had prepared for the
occasion, and a poem by Mrs. NJ. E.
Thropp Cone was also read. The
orator of the day, Henry Armitt
Brown. of Philadelphia, was next in
trodaced, and created great enthusi-
asm by his eloquent Grafton. He
reviewed at length the history and
suffering Of the Continental army, de-
6nins the Importance OF the cam
paign with which the name Of Valley
Forge is connected, and extolling
the excellent generslship and the un-
pr%ecedented courage and steadfast-
ness which crowned our ancestors
with victory. He also paid an elo-
quent tribute to the foreign officers 10
the American camp. Lafayette, Steu-
ben aud Pulaski. His apostrophe to
Washington had o thrilling effect, the
immense audience rising and en-
Enthusiastically applauding, as the ora
tor continued Behold him 10 yon-
der cottage, his lamp burning steadi-
ly through half the winter night, his
brain never ut rest. A
soldier, subordiDating the military to
the civil power a dictator. as mind
ful of the rights of the Tories as OF
the wrongs of the Wings; a states
man commanding a revolutionary
army {; a patriot. torgetful of nothing
but himself-this is he whose extra
ordinary virtues only kept the army
from disbanding and saved his coun
cause. The tide Of battle never
ebbed and flowed upon these banks.
These hills never trembled beneath
the tread Of charging squadrons nor
echoed the thunders of %c)ntendiDg
The blood that stained this
ground did not rush forth in the joy
Gus frenzy OF the fight. 1t fell drop
by drop from the heart Of a suffering
They who once encamped
here in the snow, fought not for con-
quest, not for power, not for glory,
not for their country only, not for
themselves alone. They suffered here
Tor posterity, they suffered here for
the human race, they bore here the
of all the people, they died here
that freedom might be the heritage
Of all. = + + The tims was al
ready come when from these shores
Inc light Of a new civilization should
fash across the sea, and from this
place a voice of triumph make The
Old World tremble, when, from her p,
chosen refuge in the West, the spirit !
IF liberty should go forth to meet the !.
rising sun and set the people free."
The orators peroration besough; the =,
of to-day to remember that ,
he inheritance OF liberty and civiliza-
ion cannot be kept safe without ex-
and that o country is benefit :
I'd by great actions only so long as
her children are able to repeat them. !.
The exercises closed, with q bene- :
at 4 O'Clock, the affair hav- !
ng proved a grand success, notwith- !,
'tanding that the heat was iatense :
nd travelling over the hills exceed !
y tiresom.. Beyond the giving way ,