Durango semi-weekly herald., 1903-04-20

himself. And now | can say what |
have always said: All's we'll George
Washington Is sure to beat the British
-sure,"
His prophecy came true. Long to-
wards spring money and supplies were
brought to camp by Baron Steuben.
Shortly afterward congress authorized
Washington to call upon Pennsylvania
Maryland and Virginia for 5000 men.
On May 10 formal tidings were receiy-
ed of the alliance with France and
on June IS news was received that
the British had evacuated Philadelphia
anu re reLted upon New York.
Six brigldes were Immediately in
motion. The day after the rest of the
army prepared to follow. By this time
the heat was almost as intolerable as
the cold had been few months be-
fore. But Washington closely follow
ed in the British tracks, attacking
them at Monmouth on the oath and
fighting them with advantage. al
though without gaining a decided vic
| tory.
| ley Forge appears today almost pre.
cisely as it did when the Father of
His Country was domiciled within it
From cellar to attic, it is in a good
state of preservation.
The doors, with bolts and locks, are
the very same his hands moved The
floors are those over which the great
chieftain walked in many dreary
hour. The window glass and sash are
unchanged since the days when his
anxious eyes looked through them al
the soldiers huts upon the hills.
All this has been made possible
through the Valley Forge Anniversary
association, under whose auspices the
great celebration of June 18th will
take place and who, through their
persistent efforts, have saved the his
toric old spot, fitting national mon
ument of the scenes it commentaries
| The association has been ably sec
Dnded in all its movements by the
| Daughters of the American Reyolu-
| ton. who look after and care for the
private apartments OF Mrs. Washing
ron at Valley Forge, having fitted up
her sleeping room on the same plan as
| The one she occupied at Mount Yer
| lOn.
Valley Forge lies twenty-six miles
sntside OF Philadelphia. The sight
seer, as he steps off the car. recogniz-
es that the influence of modern prog.
ress has been but little felt here. At
least her influence for harm has been
spared. and Valley Forge. almost alone
of all the historic places of America, re
mains in essentials the Valley Forge
of Washington day.
| The old forge itself, Which ives built
in 1857, and destroyed by the British
in 1771, from which the valley took its
name, was burned down few years
ago for the second time. Nearly all
the other landmarks remain.
Indeed, nc one VINO has not visited
Valley Forge has tie slightest idea Of
the extent OF the relics and reminders
of the Revolution which still exist
there. The earthworks, as they
stand today. are six and eight feet in
height and several miles in length,
while the old forts known as ForL
| Washington and Fort Huntington are
still plainly marked out. as well as
the headquarters OF Lafayette, Knox
and Wayne.
Valley Forge was to the Revolution
what Gettysburg was to our Civil war.
True, no battle was fought at Valley
Forge, but it was the crucial test of
the power OF the colonists to maintain
their war for independence. as Get
tysburg was the crucial test of the
| ,f h., hn
itary power OF rebellion, and both
should be preserved as shrines for the
worshipers of freedom from every
state in the union and from every
country in the world.