Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1897-02-25

Germantown. Then the gloomy winter
quarters at Valley Forge, which tried
the souls Of patriot men and proved
the great soul of George Washington.
Who but he could have held that de-
feated, freezing, starving army to-
gether in that terrible winter? And
at the same time the country was filled
with the praise of Gates, who had con-
quered Burgoyne at Saratoga.
In the Darkest Hours.
In this dark hour. too, Washington
was beset with cabals and conspiracies,
In congress and in the army, to de-
pose him from the command which was
to be given to the successful Gates.
When in the early summer OF 177S
the British commander evacuated
Philadelphia, and Washington follow
ed him with his little army to give
him battle, on the field OF Monmouth
he met one Of these detractors and
conspirators, Gen. Lee, his second in
command, disobeylng his orders and
in shameful and unnecessary retreat.
It was here that Washington Is said
to have lost his temper. It 10 pretty
we'll demonstrated that he did, and II
Gen. Lee received upon his miserable
head that day an explosion OF titanic
wrath 1t was surely no more than he
deserved. Despite this untoward disar-
rangement of his plans Washington
here won a partial success. The bat
| tie of Monmouth was his last engage
| ment until the browning victory OF
Yorktown, three years later. In the
meantime the war was going on in
other parts of the great field Of opera
tlons, battles and skirmishes were be-
ing fought and subordinate command
ers, like Greene and Wayne and Nor
gan, were winning some laurels. But
the central army was not Immediately
engaged. It was holding the ground
and perfecting its alliance with the
French forces, on land and water,
which had now come to our assistance.
When all was ready came that sudden
and rapid march from the Hudson to
Virginia and the great final victory at
Yorktown.
Had No Personal Ambition.
Even from this briefest outline OF
Washington's career In the revolution,
1t will be seen that he had little OPP
portunity for personal distinction as
commander. He was an unlucky
general fortune did not seem to
smile upon him and he had more de-
feats than victories. Long Island,
White Plains, Brandywine, German
town-all these were defeats; some Of
them disastrous. Monmouth was little
more than a drawn battle, while to
Offset these, Trenton and Princeton,
while brilliant in conception and exc
cutlon and great in effect, were so
small in the numbers engaged that they
amounted to little more than success
full skirmishes. And besides they
were with Hessians and not with Brit
ish regulars. Yorktown was, indeed
great and browning success, but It
was won with superior numbers and
the honors had to be divided with the
French.
Greatest Figure In History.
Hardly better instance does his
tory afford of patience under provoca-
ton, of logged determination under
difficulties, of unconquerable will and
courage, holding on so long and COM
ing out triumphant at last over such
mighty opposition. These great quail
ties, as we have already seen, belonged
to the man more than to the soldier.
It was indeed the great man behind the
soldier. the man with the great pa
triotic heart, with the wise head, and
the lofty, mistaken soul, that brought
us through that long and tremendous
struggle and gave us our glorious place
and opportunity among the nations.
No other man on this continent but
he could have done 1t. Greene,
among the generals Of the revolution,
would have come nearest to it, but he
would have failed.
But in looking over the whole field
and record, in the light Of all the facts
and history, it will be seen that Wash
ington made no military mistakes, that
he improved all his opportunities, taat
his generalship will stand the test of
criticism. He struck whenever he had
the chance, his plans were good. and
when compelled, his retreats were
mastery.