Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1897-02-18

fnent that had no head, and was con-
stantly menaced or interfered with by
"a congress, many members of which
were secretly, if not openly hostile To
him. The several states, too, were in q
perpetual state of fault-fnding, and
their governors and legislatures seemed
never 50 happy as when they could
throw obstacles in his path.
A man naturally of high temper.
as was shown in his rebuke of Lee at
Monmouth, and in his righteous rage
mt the cowardice of the recruits at
Kipp's Bay, in New York. he held his
passion in complete subsection. calmly
dignitiedly and silently disregarding the
adverse criticism of the carping, i'm
PEELED by lofty patriotism, which sub
ordinated self To country. At no time
in all the period of the war did he have
the hearty, unanimous support of con-
gress and of the states, but his lofty
courage, high sense of duty and in
vincible purpose to make America free
raised him to height from whence lie
could look down with indifference upon
the factionists beneath.
Perhaps at no time in all the contest
did his great soul undergo greater
travail than at Valley Forge. in the
winter of 1777-177s. At this historic
point, but 20 miles from Philadelphia,
on the picturesque Schuyikill, his
hungry and exhausted army Of II 900
Ilen arrived on bitter cold day in
December, and hiyouacled that night in
the open air upon the hard and frozen
ground
Two thousand of these men were alb
suIutely shoeless, and left drops of
their blood along the paths trod by
their lacerated feet. An equal mum
Der were in tatters, the naked flesh be-
ing exposed in many places 10 the bit
ing wind from the north. OF al the
commandkthere was scarcely single
company that presented u respectable
appearance, or one man who was com
fortably clad The army. indeed, was
Il horde of ragamuflins, held together,
first by their unfaltering devotion 70
Washington, and. secondly, by their
patriotism. When Baron Steuben saw
these poor fellows he cried aloud sn
establishment and declared that
no person upon earth save Washington
could hold together such motley band
OF sufferers
he privations of these men were in
tense. True. within short time they
had built for themselves huts of logs
and earth, but spch was the intensity of
the cold TINT many nights they burst
n"t lie down, being compelled TO sit
close by roaring blazes 70 keep from
freezing TO death.
During many weeks there was not an
ounce u meat in camp, " hlle the bread
that WAS supplied the brave fellows
was totally inadequate to their neces-
sites. Their bodies wasted and their
depleted physical condition made them
more keenly susceptible 10 the dread
influences % the inclemcnt weather.
he great sympathetic heart Of the
chief was moved as by storm Of trou-
ble. Earnestly he turned to congress
and besought that body 10 relieve the
wants OF the heroes who were defend
ing the country. lie asked nothing for
himself. did not refer ~ his own prlva-
tions or the agony that was picrcir Z
his soul aS a knife that is sharpencd e
lyecnest edge aud driven into tht, body
by the hand of a puiatiye dear friend
Knowing that congress eouid afford
succor if il would and realizing in all
its bitterness the ingrutiude OF that
power towards those under hun. he
rcprcssed, nevertheless, every sugges
tion Of reproaeh in his communication
contenting himself with clearly and
graphically portraying the dire need
for helpful action and expressing bis
lively and profound sympathy for tht
humble, heroic martyrs under his com
uand How pathetic his ooncludiae
words That his grief was intensified Il
shat Witnessing the agony and bieedA
sweat Of those under him he yctwas nm
able To afford them amy suecor
The clouds had indeed gathered thicl
in his sky. with not a single thread s
silver in their lining Retrospeetin.
he saw three years of war with Ian
barren victory or TIVE for tile eonti
nentais, while the ista revealed his os,i
hosts fleeing again and again before Til
common encny ard nearly an the i'm