River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1907-02-21

EE#SAk HMGskN would nave Deen IOT-
SsI ] W. gotten incident. 1t was
va kkfAAsIgEyS3s at Valley Forge that the
Sa2Szkszg 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
mander-in-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 sent Washington in retreat.
Fort Mifflin and Fort Mercer in quick
succession had been abandoned by the
continental army At Whitemarsh
Washington had made 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. II, Gen.
Washington, with his suffering army
OF 1900 men, took up the weary
march to Valley Forge, sleepy de-
preston 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 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-
tions 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 man
who would suggest the best substitute
for boards as a roofing material, hav-
ing especial reference to cheapness
squad in each regiment which built it's
hut quickest aud in the best manner
he gave 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
paying British gold and silver for sup
plies. Washington's starveling army
had only the continental currency
worth S25 to the 500 of face value.
Even with the spirit of Toryism alb
sent the army at Valley Forge would
have been handicapped. AS it was
they found farmers defending their
cattle, grain and straw at the musket's
muzZle.
With reference to these uncomfort-
able quarters for the men, it may be
said that Washington shared them
with his men until all had been housed
in huts. Then only did he take up
headquarters with the old Quaker
preacher near the mouth of Valley
creek Around his headquarters were
stationed the members of his life
guard.
Albigence Waldo's Diary.
Somewhere in this chiIle1, starved.
half-naked camp was a genius who
may have added mirth to its cherries
gloom. His nama was Albigence
Waldo. surgeon, and in addition to
his official duties he kept a diary,
which, after hundred years, is
strangely interesting. This diary
came to light in 1861 in the old Penn
Eylvania Magazine, and read through
from the first entry on Nov. rs it in
dictates, as nothing else could, the
wearing effect of the times and cir.
cumstances. On Dec. IL the hardshipa
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