Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1899-09-16
CHAPTER VIII,

lovers of Liberty can make duteous pill
yrimaee-the place above all others on
the continent where, In grateful, rcveren.
tial remembrance, we can tx the spiritual
altar to the genius Of American lndepen
eence. Its murmuring vale and tempted
hills are rcdolent to heaven Of the incense
Of undying devotion, and Its story VIII
endure while human patriotism Is cner-
lbhed and honored. On no battlefield was
such true hcroism ever displayed as WIS
displayed by those willing martyrs VINO
spent the winter Of 1777-7S ut Valley
Forge. In the fierce conflict Of arms up
on the field Of battle the passions arc
aroused: the flame and the smoke change
men to mere machines Of wrath; while
surrounding carnage and destruction only
serve to harden the hearts Of the living
more and more to human sensibility. But
through this dreary winter ten thousand
Patriots, held to their post by the stern
sense Of duty alone, braved such enemies
as we're not braved before nor thereafter
during the war. Cold, disease and death
were constant companions, and oflcers
and men shared the privations alike. In
that December march from Whitemarsh
to Valley Forge, many Of the troops were
absolutely barefooted and their tracks In
the snow were stained with blood from
bruised and laccrated feet! And yet they
bore up. The prise they sought was Lib
erty, and to the sacred cause their lives
had been pledged.
Noble band Of martyrs; n, from the
celestial abode, they can look down upon
this Centennial year, shall they not feel
that their work has been abundantly
tlessed2
Though the campaign Of 1910 had been
In the main disastrous to the American
cause, yet the year closed with a brilliant
expl0it-the crossing Of the Delaware and
the attack upon the British Mt Trenton,
where the killed and those made prison.
ers Of the enemy, almost equalled In num-
bers Washington's whole fighting force.
Immediately following this signal victory
had come the bold attack upon the eaemy
at Princeton, where again success crown.
ed the American arms. During the sum.
mer and autumn Of lit, Washington's
immediate army gained but little. The
most important battle was that Of Bran
dywine, on Sept. II, where the Ameri.
cans, after fighting all day long, were
forced to retreat. This gave the enemy
entrance to Philadelphia, and on the 28th
OF September Gen. Howe entered with
his army, and occupied that city. Early
In October I'M attack was made upou that
portion Of the British army stationed at
Germantown, where again the Patriots
were rcpulsed with loss.
Rut though the altar fires seemed to
grow dim for season upon tho Della.
ware, they burned brightly and cheering.
u upon the Hudson. The battle Of Ben.
nington on the 10th Of August. and the
two battles Of saltwater, on Sept. II and
Oct. Z, were the occasions Of glorious vic.
tories for the Patriot arms, and on the
18th NJ this same October, at Saratoga.
Gen. Burgoyne surrendered his whole
army. one Of tho finest and best appoint.
ed which had been sent to this country,
into the hands Of the Americans.
And 10 we como to December. 1777,
with the British army under Sir William
Howe, In winter quarters In Philadel.
phia, while Washington, with his band
Of Patriots. had quartered at Valley
Forge. Gen. HOwc's force, In Philadcl.
phia, was full twenty thousand. Wash.
ington had not quite eleven thousand, and
Of those nearly three thousand were unfit
for duty.
Washington's headquarters were at the
house OF Isaac Potts, a Quaker preacher
and mill owner, near the creek. South Of
this, ut short distance, were Quartered
the bodyguard; and still further south
was the brigade Of Gen. Mcintosh, the
main part Of the army being nearly u mile
distant, south and west, upon the slopes
Of the hills. Not far from the quarters
Of Mcintosh were the shots OF Seatou's
cavalry, and near by these latter, to the
westward, were the quarters Of Cant
Henry Lee, with his cavalry, the com.
mander.in-chief having chosen to have
his Lighthouse near to his call.
January had set In cold and chceriess.
with storms Of snow and wind; the huts
for the army had been built; necessary
redOubts thrown up; and such OF the
force as were not ON guard or sick were
either on the hillsidcs gathering wood, or
budding around the campRres.
In the hut appropriated to the commits.
stoned officers Of Seat0n's cavalry, and
which those officers had themselves built,
sat our hero and Roderic Douglas. II
was evening, aud they were alone. The
only light came from the logs that blaxcd
In the wide stone fireplace, for candles
were luxury little known In that valley
For long time the two had been sittinp
In deep thought. Seaton had been think
Ing Of Lillian. He had heard from Pa
thence Angel twice since the British had
occupied Philadelphia. Jacob Eastcour,
had returned to that city, aud his VIII.
was still living, though utterly prostrat
ed. She had seemed to revive during he,
stay In the mountain district, but the IN
tigue Of the return journey had been NOR.
than she could safely bear. She might h,
dead ere this; and what then would b,
Lillian's fateY
Another piece of information which H..
thence had given afforded the lover Zoo,
for narrowing thought. Jacob Eastcour,
was held In high esteem by the British
mud quite number Of the officers, HIGH
In rank and title, had permanent quarter,
beneath his roof. He knew too well thu
character Of not few Of those officers
and he knew the feelings with which they
had set foot upon these shores. He also
knew the character Of Jacob Eastc0urt-
knew his hardness OF heart towards hi,
daughter-knew his ambition and hi,
greed; and, knowing this. no could well
conceive how he might seek to make lii
liam q stepping stone FOR himself to plac,
and power. But-might not LILLIAN hay,
strength to protect herselfY He would a,
soon have thought OF questioning tn,
truth Of heaven itself as to have cues
toned the enduring love aud faith Of
Lillian; but, II her father should pu
forth his authority against her, wha
could she do?
SeatOn tried to shut out the picture, Il
could yield him only aimless unrest, snt
that continually. He closed his eyes
and when he opened them again they
rested upon the hilt of the sword which