Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.) 1889-1918, 1907-02-21


young nation was tried
in bitterness ard defeat. only to coEse
out OF IL steeled for the work that in
that tong, dreadful winter was ripen-
ing FOR it,
Through Il ell Washington, as com
maader-inchbef as soldier, and as an
individual sufferer with his men. was
the colossal figure that emphasizes
this supreme test Of patriotism.
Defeat mt Germantown on Oct. 3,
7T17, had sent Washington in retreat.
Fedt Mifflm and Fort Mercer Ia 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
she British general, Howe, 10 return
10 his comfortable winter quarters in
Philadelphia. There, on Dec. III, Gen.
Washington, with his suffering army
of 1900 men, took up the weary
march TO Valley Forge. a sleepy de-
pression in the hills, % miles from
Philadelphia. On one 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 rs 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 10 house
each squad According TO specifica-
items these huts were IL by 16 feet,
with sides, ends and roots 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
y 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 regiment got
one; the stan Of each brigade shared
another; the stan of each regiment
was assigned one; commissioned on.
GERS for two regiments had one, while
for the non-commissioned officers and
men OF the army IL persons were al
lOteG TO each hut.
The winter of 1777.7S was remark.
able for its severity and its deep
SHOWS, SEd when work was begun at
making camp. nearly 5000 men were
unfit foo duty. British sympsthizers
populated the surrounding country and
food and bedding were hard to get,
even when the soldiers had the de-
precisted 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 man
who would suggest the best substitute
for boards as q roofing material, hay
ing especial reference to cheapness
and celebrity ia building. Then, to the
SQUAD in each regiment which built lis
b,x auickest and in the best manner
he gave a purse of s12. So enconr-
aged. the tattered, emaciated army
was housed late In January.
Twenty-Five miles away was Howes
army OF 1880 men in Philadelphia |
naying British gold and silver for sup /
niles. Washington's starveling army I
had only the continental currency !
worth s25 TO the 500 OF face value.
Even with the spirit OF Toryism Rb-
sent the army at Valley Forge would |
have been handicapped As 1t was
they found farmers defending their
cattle. grain and straw at the musket's
muzzle.
with reference TO these uDcomfort-
Able quarters for the men, II may be
said that Washington shared them
Mn his men until all had been housed
h huts. Then only did he take mp
with the old Quaker
preacher near the mouth Of Valley
creek. Around his headquarters were
stationed the members OF his life
guard.
AIbieence Wzi6o's Diary.
Somewhere in this chilled, starved,
n q fuakad cann was n gpniuq who