The Morris County chronicle., 1910-02-15
WASHINGTON AT
MORRISTOWN
Sons Of the American Revolt
ton Commemorate Wash,
ington in Morristown.
SUFFERED MANY PRIyATIONS

One Of the most brilliant gatherings
ever assembled under the banners OF
the New jersey Society, Sons of the
American Revolution, participated in
the program which was presented at
the Woman's club, in East Orange,
Friday night, in memory of Washing
ton and the men who suffered with
him during the encampment at Nor
ristown in the winter OF 1777. Fol-
lowing banquet, which was served
in the handsomely decorated chamber
meeting of the club, there were adj
dresses by officers of the State and Ma
tional societies, Judge Edward S. At
water, of Elizabeth, president OF the
New Jersey Society, acting as toast
master.
With G Fort Nonsense" as his topic,
the Rev. William Force Whitaker, d.
d. Of the First Presbyterian church,
Elizabeth, delivered the most striking
address Of the evening. Other speak
ers were Morris B. Beardsley, presi-
dent-general Of the National Society,
s. A. r. the Rev. w. Warren Giles,
who took the place of Governor Fort,
the Executive being unable to attend
@. A. Pugsley, president of the EN-
pire State society. and George Curtis
Sterling, founder and president Of
Montclair Chapter.
President Atwater, spoke Of our
debt to Washington.
" AS we recall the circumstances in
which Washington and his little army
were placed during that winter we
may well consider the debt of grati-
tude we owe to them.
son the night of Christmas, De-
cember, l776, General Washington and
the little Continental Army crossed
the Delaware through the ice, work
that required great skill and endur-
ance and surprised the Hessians at
Trenton and took 1000 prisoners, thus
bringing renown to the Continental
Army and cheer to the patriots. Lord
George Germain, the colonial Secre-
tary of State, wrote OF this battle
All our hopes were blasted by that
unhappy affair at Trenton You see
it all depends on the point of view.
History records how, a few days later,
Washington outwitted the enemy and
proceeded to Princeton, where the bat-
tie of Princeton was fought In which
the British were worsted and COM
PEELED to retreat Washington had
turned what seemed certain defeat in
to glorious victory and had dealt
telling blow to the hopes of the Brit
ish, but his army was reduced and
worn out.
Washington determined to go into
winter quarters at Morristown and ar
rived there on January 6, 1777. Here
Washington and his troops spent
months of privation and suffering.
The troops we're poorly equipped, poor
ly fed, poorly clothed and poorly shell
tered, many suffering from disease.
Washington himself was i'll. The sit
uation is truly described as deplorable.
The enemy, though defeated, still had
a large and well-equipped army. But
the fortitude and faith of General
Washington never faltered.
" Firm in his belief in the righteous
ness of his cause and trusting in AL
mighty God, he determined to go on
with the struggle, which it was to be
his to bring to victorious consum-
nation"
Rev. DR.. Whitaker said in part -
We meet in Essex, but our
thoughts must go back at once to
Morristown where Washington and
his force of tattered heroes struggled
through the terrible winter of III.
Gathering as we do in beautiful
building, erected through the efforts
of patriotic women, it is difficult to
picture those men who stood ready to
lay down their lives on the altar of
freedom, but as Jerseymen we must
not forget that our state was theatre
of activity throughout the strife and
that at all times we should have
thought for the haggard warriors who
built Fort Nonsense
When Washington gathered his
soldiers at Morristown for the second
encampment it was known that there
was no need for fort at that point,
but one was erected, and it has taken
many years for the full significance of
that plan to sink into the minds of
Americans. The men needed clothing
and shoes their feet left red tracks in
the snow as they went about their
labor. Food was scarce and shelter
poor. These men were not fit for the
arduous work of building fort, but
Washington saw that their minds
must be occupied if they were to pre-
sent brave front in the campaign Of
the next spring. While he had the
advantages of better quarters his
Thoughts we're with the men of the
rank and Fort Nonsense was erected,
not because it was needed, but because
Washington knew that even the
stanchest of his warriors must not be
allowed time to dwell on the awful
conditions under which they kept body