The Tupelo journal., 1907-02-22

hurSE1gAAE SaNA1ng or the Pllgrlms
EssS8Al would have been a for
EHSM HEsI gotten incident. 1t was
ENM2 ISA$AlSNAQVs at Valley Forge that the
&&2AGS21D young nation was tried
In bitterness and defeat, only to come
out of it steeled for the work that in
that long, dreadful winter was ripen'
ing for it.
Through it all Washington, as com
manderin-chief, as soldier, and as an
individual sufferer with his men, was
the colossal figure that emphasizes
this supreme test of patriotism.
Defeat at Germantown on Oct. 3,
1777, had SEN Washington in retreat.
Fort Miflin and Fort Mercer in quick
succession had been abandoned by the
continental army. At Whitemarsh
Washington had made a stand so I'm.
expected and determined as to cause
the British general, Howe, to return
to his comfortable winter quarters in
Philadelphia. There, on Dec. IL, Gen.
Washington, with his suffering army
of 1900 men, took up the weary
march to Valley Forge, a sleepy de-
preston in the hills, % miles from
Philadelphia. On n side was the
Schuylkill river and on the north was
Valley creek.
Snow lay deep on the ground when,
on Dec. 10, the patriot army reached
the site of the winter camp. Tents
were stretched for as many as could
be housed, hundreds slept in the snow,
already Redeemed by their bleeding
bare feet. At once Gen. Washington
directed that work begin on log huts,
previously designed. To do this, men
were divided into squads of IL, fur.
nished with rude tools, and directed
to build huts large enough to house
each squad. According to specifica-
lions these huts were IA by 16 feet,
with sides, ends and roofs made of
logs. The roofs were made water
tight with bark, split slabs, or other
material. The cracks in the sides
were filed with clay. In the rear of
each hut was a fireplace made of
wood, protected by clay. The door
was in the end next to the camp
street and was made of oak slabs.
In the rear of each line of huts for
troops were the huts for officers. Each
general officer got a hut to himself;
each field officer Of a regiment got
one; the staff of each brigade shared
another; the staff of each regiment
was assigned one; commissioned Off
GERS for two regiments had one, while
for the non-commissioned officers and
men of the army IL persons were al
loted to each hut.
The winter of 1777-7S was remark.
able for it's severity and it's deep
SHOWS, and when work was begun at
making camp, nearly 5000 men were
unfit for duty. British sympathizers
populated the surrounding country and
food and bedding were hard to get,
even when the soldiers had the de-
preciated currency of the country to
offer in exchange. AS an incentive to
hut-building, Gen. Washington offered
a purse of $500 to the officer or mar
who would suggest the best substitute
for boards as a roofing material, hav-
ing especial reference to cheapness
and CELEBRITY in building. Then, to the
souad in each regiment which built it's
hit quickest and in the best n
be pave a purse of $12. So encour-
aged. the tattered, emaciated army
was housed late in January.
Twenty-Five miles away was Howe's
army of 1880 men in Philadelphia
having British gold and silver for sup
niles. W%ashington's ~starveling army
had only the continental currency
worth s25 to the 500 of face value.
Even with the spirit of Toryism abb
sent the army at Valley Forge would
have been handicapped. AS it was
thew found farmers defending their
cattle, grain and straw at the musket's
muzzle.
With reference to these uncomfort-
able quarters for the men, 1t may be
said thai Washington shared them
with his men until all had been housed
In huts. Then only did he take up
headquarters with the old Quaker
DrGdCQ6r u6dT Iuc nOutn VI tdiity
creek. Around his headquarters were
stationed the members Of his life
guard.
AIbigence WaIdo's Diary.
Somewhere in this chilled, starved,
half-naked camp was a genius who
may have added mirth to Its cherries
gloom. His name was Albigence
Waldo, a surgeon. and in addition to
his official duties he kept a diary.
which,. after a hundred years, Is
strangely interesting. This diary
came to light in 1861 in the old Penn
sylyania Magazine, and read through
from the fiat entry on Nov. 10 it in
dicates, as nothing else could. the
wearing effect of the times and cir
c~umstances. On Dec. IL the hardships
of Valley Forge have begun to tell on
this surgeon to the continental army.
He writes:
Il am prodigious sick and cannot get
anything comfortable. What in the