Evening journal., 1901-10-21


been unveiled and the Daughters of they
Revolution are perfectly happy over theiil
success of the unveiling ceremonies TIM
special train from Broad Street Station ,
conveyed between 400 and 800 people to-;
the historic ground, and many others I
from the surrounding country had as-.
scmhed by the time the train arrived.
The day turned out an ideal one and the
view up the Schuylkill valley was lovely.
On one side OF the railroad track, and
sometimes so close to it that one might
throw a stone across IT,, lay the Schuyl5
kill glnting in the sunshine and rejecting
the greens and yellows of the wooded
| hills. On the other side were hills. too, sd
close that it seemed the train would crash
into their jagged, stony sides, aud rolling
away in the distance. The train sped on
and strange as it may seem. the soft
chatter of those women could bo heard
distinctly above the clang and clatter o.
the iron wheels and the ratting of thd
brakes.
In an incredibly short time Valleyl
Forge was reached-yet not Valley Forgel
iproper. but Belzwood. otherwise known
as Port Kennedy, where hacks wercI
taken for the monument SITE, the dis.
tance being something like mile and al
half. There was general rush for the
hacks, hut everybody was So pleasant
and polite. as Daughters should be- that
everybody squeezed themselves into az
small a space as possible in order To make
room for one more. Those who could not
| get hack room walked the distance, and
, right mcrrly they trudgcd along TO the
4 | sprghtly airs played 10y the Phoenil
l. Band which headed the procession. Ther
came q small company OF the l.. ~ G..
resplcndent IN dress uniform. What il
lacked in numbers was made up In mag
niiccncc, and the young commanding Of
r iiccr visibly swellcd with pride as n,
j. marched at its head. Next came IN,
T. hacks and vehicles of most every sort
J then the pedestrians, and. in q very shori
time considering the entire route was uI
HILL the monument site was reached
There. towering against the sky was The
TAN shaft. swathcd in drnpings OF buf
s and blue. the coors OF the Daughters
b. Near it stood "A small canvas tent crecte,
o for the ceremonies. 1t was adorned witt
the colors of the society and small blu
various states. Delawarcans were con
spcuous by their absence. there bcin
only small handful there. including Mr.
and Mrs. Howard ID. Ross ana Mr.. Sup
N plee. Mrs. George w. Raymond, O
N Smyrna, is the state regent of the chap
= ters in this State, but did not attend tn
unyeling owing 10 the recent death o
her husband. Not more than half th
J people could gain admission TO the tent
but as il was constructed only with tO
and no sides. the others grouped them
selves around and really seemed TO enj0
the exercises, even if they did have 1
stand for two solid hours. IL you wer
Hnf n Daughter, nor the husband nor tn
invited guest Of a Daughter, you wer
Is not allowed 10 seat yourself within ia
~ charmed circle. A blue-coated custOdia
"a Of law and order stood ready 10 proven
~ could yOu not answer in the afiirmativ
when he asked il you were Daughter.
The scene was a mighty inspiring on
SO and picturesque. Ones heart beat hig
" with patriotism and love OF country wit
5, the thought that upon those very hill
iu and i'm the valley encamped one Of th
a hrnvest bodies of men the world ev,
'd knew. who remained unfalteringly lOyi
IN to their leader throughout the rigors of
IN particularly severe winter and the ra
ages of smallpox i'm the dreadful wint'
ne of '77-'7S. Perhaps upon the very sp
ne one stood. there mingled the dust of son
re brave patriot According 20 traditi6
e. about 600 men who died in the hosnit
IL during the winter were buried i'm the tiel
be A few years ago. a trench was dug acroi
lg It in order to verify the story, but no We
Id tge of clothing or bones was found. Tn
rs. is explained by the fact that the de'
ng were buried with almost no protecti'
nd from the earth because of the scarcity
he clothing and blankets i'm the camp.
ed all the dead buried in this tract. only OF
grave was marked. The rough sto
le bears the letters of J. w. and the dat
Iot 177S. Although i'm the midst Of a till
re Geld. the grave has been carefully pi
ms served. the farmer guiding his plou
around it, and wire screen has be
.ht placed about Il. Archives Of the Revol
ffi- tion reveal the fact that the name of {
vo soldier whose grave is so marked. W
so Major John Waterman, commissary
il the Rhode Island Brigade. who died
April %, 177s.
About year ago Major I. Hest
Todd presented the tract of land to I
Daughters of the Revolution who decid
a. 10 erect monument TO the memory
1u0 ~ the Rhode Island hero. The foundati
~ stone was laid on September 25, and
'eN Saturday. October 10. the 12Oth anniV
loe sary of the British surrender at Noi
az town. the shaft was unveiled.
Is The grand old hills formed a fifth
hes background for the living picture form
ds' OF handsome women, beautifully gownt
escorted by we'll dressed men. vario
swell tunouts scattered about. a
S riders ON spirited horses. The ba
started the exercises, and the Rev. Flo