Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1903-06-20
HISTORIC CAMP GROUND.
Special Correspondence.

Special Correspondence.
Valley Forge. Pa.,June S--The one hun
dred ana twenty.dfth anniversary OF the
evacuation by the Continental armies OF
the most historic camp ground VI the
Revolution win be celebrated at Che old
house at Valley Forge which served as
General Washngton's headquarters dur
ing that memorable Information on June
~ next President Roosevelt. the COVER
nors Of nearly every state in the Union
and large body OF regular troops. be-
sides delegations from patriotic societies
AL over the United States, viii tGkr part
The governors Of the 70 Orlglna states
have written that nothing snort Of III
ness or death viii Keep them away
An address by President Roosevelt. fol-
lowed by a military parade and review,
VIII occupy the morning ana IN the az
ternoOn Senator Henry Cabot Lodge Of
Massachusetts Will deliver an Grafton
valley Forge, the camp whore the ar.
miles Of General Washington endured
through a long. hard winter priyatious
Of the dlrest sort and where the spirit of
lUB was tried more than IN the hardest
battle or most prolonged campaign, viii
forever be Il hallowed spot Upon the
keeping together Of the patriot forces at
that critical time hung the success Of the
revolution,
The battle OF Brandywlne opened the
way 70 Philadelphia for the British, who
entered that city Sept 1, IN. On the
9TH of December following the American
army went into position at Valley Forge.
There il remained until June ~. l11S
Washlngtons camp was strategicNly
well placed. While distant enough from
Philadelphia TO prevent the army being
surprised by the British. II was near
enough TO protect the country which lay
between. The banks OF the Schuylkll,
bending here tOthe eastward were pre-
clpitous and the Valley creek cutting It's
way through a deep deille at right angles
20 the river, formed a natural boundary
on the west Az the entrance to the de-
lille was Mount Joy, which throws out a
spur which runs parallel to the river for
about "A mile and then turns northwar1
ana meets It's banks The camp was sur
rounded by intrenchments. A rcdoubl on
the east commanded the valley road and
other redopbts covered the approach to
the SChuylkill
There were II .o9S soldiers In the field at
the time this encampment was estab-
llshed, but because OF sickness ana Asstl-
tuition 2NB We're unit for duty. Weeks
ana months Of suffering were spent In
the miserable huts the soldiers erected
for their shelter. Clothing fuel, blankets
and food were sadly wanting Disease
added its terrors to those Of famine and
cold Smallpox Invaded the camp. The
situation became 20 distressing that
Washington wrote to Congress that UNI
less some change In the commissary de-
partment was made his army must starve
or dispense
I'm May l77S. General Wayne. who com.
manded the Pennsylvania troops In the
camp, wrote 10 the secretary Of war.
For Gods sake give US something. "
you can't give us anything else give us
linen that We may be able to rescue the
poor, worthy fellows from the yermn
which are deyouring them Some hun.
dreds we have thought IN to put six feet
under ground who have died Of a dis.
order produced by want OF clothing"
Yet within two months after this with
these Vermin covered troops General
Wayne fought and wen the most brilliant
anair OF the whole war, the capture OF
stony Point.
Toward spring Baron Steuben came TO
Valley Forge bringing money and sup
plies. Shortly atterward Congress au-
thor.zeG Washington to call upon Penn
sylVania, Maryland and Virginia for 5000
men. On TIM 10th OF May news OF tho
alliance with France was received and on
June Is the news that the British had
evacuated Philadelphia and retreated up
on New YORK. On June 10 the Continental
army again took the field.
W0shington's headquarters at Valley
Forge stands today almost as II did
When the tathef OF his country slept I'M
der It's roof. The floors upon which he
walked are stlll there, and even the bolts
and locks which his hands touched are in
their ouginal position The house was
built by'JOhn Potts In 1853 When WASH
ington occupied IL il was owned By Johns
son Isaac, who had q forge on the banks
OF the creek near by. II was from this
forge that the place took lis name The
old Mouse has been preserved by the Val
ley Forge Anniversary association. Which