The Caucasian., 1903-06-14

wAsMINGToN'S HEADQUARTERS AT VALLEY
FORGE
ertlors Of the thirteen original states
have written that nothing short of III.
ness or death will keep them away
An address by President Roosevelt.
followed by military parade and re.
view, will occupy the morning. and In
the afternoon Senator Henry Cabot
Lodge of Massachusetts, will deliver an
Grafton.
Valley Forge, the camp where the ar.
mics of General Washington endured
| through long, hard winter privations
of the direst sort and where the spirit
of 1T78 was tried more than In the
hardest battle or most prolonged cam
paign, will forever be hallowed spot
Upon the keeping together of the pa
triot forces at that critical time hung
the success Of the Revolution.
The battle of Brandywine opened the
way to Philadelphia for the British.
who entered that city Sept. 90, 1TT1
On the 9th of December following the
American army went into position al
Valley Forge. There 1t remained until
June 10, TITS.
Washington's camp was strategically
well placed. While distant enough from
Philadelphia TO prevent the army be.
ing surprised by the British, 1t WIS
-, tH.s
which lay between. The banks OF the
Schuylkill, bending here to the cast
ward, were precipitous, and the Valley
creek, cutting its way through deep
defile at right angles to the river
formed a natural boundary on the
west. At the entrance to the defile was
Mount Joy, which throws out a spur
which runs parallel to the river fo,
about mile and then turns northw,ire
and meets its banks. The camp WI
surrounded by intrenchments. A re
doubt on the east commanded the val
ley road, and other redoubts covered
the approach to the Scbuylkill
There were 11,09S soldiers In tlr
field at the time this encampment was
established, but because of sickness.
and destitution 1888 were unfit 70!
duty. Weeks and months OF sufferin.
were spent In the miserable huts til
soldiers erected for their shelter. Cloth
Ing, fuel, blankets and food were sadly
wanting. Disease added Its terrors il
those of famine and cold. Smallpox In
vaded the camp. The situation became
so distressing that Washington wrote
to congress that unless some change IN
the eonmissary department was maef
his army must starye or dispense.
In May, IT'S. General Wayne. VIII
commanded the Pennsylvania troops Ii,
the camp, wrote to the secretary Of
war: For Gods sake give US some
thing. Ii you can't give us anythint
else give us linen that we may be abb!
to rescue the poor, worthy fellows from
the vermfn which are devouring them.
Some hundreds we have thought fit IL,
put six feet under ground who have
died of disorder produced by want Of
clothing"
Yet within two months after this
with these yerInin covered troops Gen.
eral Wayne fought and won the most
brilliant affair of the whole war, the |
capture Of Stony Point
Toward spring Baron Steuben came .
to Valley Forge, bringing money and /
supplies. Shortly afterward congress |
authorized Washington to call upon
Pennsylvania, Maryland and Virginia
for 5000 men. On the 10th of May
news of the alliance with France was
received and on June Is the news that
the British had evacuated Philadelphia
and retreated upon New York. On
June 10 the Continental army again
took the field.
Washington's headquarters at Valley
Forge stands today almost as 1t did
when the Father OF His Country slept
Under its roof. The floors upon which
ne walked are still there, and even the
bolts and locks which his hands
louched are In their original position.
The house was built by John Potts In
II59. When Washington occupied it
{ was owned by Johns son Isaac, who
1ad forge on the banks OF the creek
lear by. It was from this forge that
ne place took It's name The old house
las been preserved by the Valley
Forge Anniversary association. which
las charge Of the coming celebration.
CARROLL WALLACE ROSS.
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