Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1910-11-21
SAVING VALLEY FORGE.
Preservation Of That Shrine Of the
Nation.

Nation
\ few years ago Valley Forge was
| one of tie most neglected of the ma
| tiuns shrincs. Visitors saw Wash
| ingtons headquarters. and then wan
dtred around ,aimlessly, regarding
with I, lisapputntqe the rubbish
! choked dltcnes. that We're pointed out
Observation-Disclosures dug by the patriots
| In 1916. \ few vagrant- looking sign
narks We're becoming more and more
| difficult to find
| All this has been changed. The
| trenches have been cleared of rubbish,
| the forts restored monuments erected,
markers placed t. show where the
men Of tie various states had their
| headquarters and the entire camp
fairly bristles with sign posts to guide
| the patriot on his tour Of the en-
campment.
| The most notable work of all is the
| Memorial chapel and Patriots hall,
erected on the spot where Washington
| l<nelt to ask divine aid for his diff
cult. almost hopeless, campaign. The
| first service was held in the partly
| built chapel on Washingtons birth
day, 1905. The Closter OF the colo
MES. which is the most beautiful of
the memorials at Valley Forge, forms
one Of the entrances to the chapel.
| Each of the l3 colonies are to be rep
| resented by a bay. Donors Of bays
and the dates OF dedication so far are:
| New Jersey bay, Miss Sarah r. Shaw,
1905; PENNSYLVANIA bay, T. Broom
| i3eitiold. 1906: Virginia bay, George G.
Thomas. 1890: Maryland bay. James
| y. Mitchell. 1908; Massachusetts bay,
Massachusetts society, Sons of the
| American Revolution, 1909.
Suitable inscriptions describe the
purpose Of til" memorials. The porch
| door leading into the chapel is the Gift
| OF the Colonial Chapter, Daughters of
the Revolution. 1t is one of the hand
soonest memorials in the country. On
the top rail are seven shields with
armorial, bearings. in the center are
the Washington arms and to the right
those Of the United States, Virginia,
and the insignia Of the DAUGHTERS Of
the Revolution. TO the left are those
of tn" Protestant Episcopal church,
the dioceSt Of Virginia and the seal Of
the Washington Memorial chapel. On
the INNER side are the arms of the
Nashingtons. and the English fam-
lies into which they married. Carved
on the door is this Inscription:
To the glory of God, our nations
honor and the memory of George
Washington, this door is given by
Colonial Chapter. Pennsylvania So
clcty, Daughters Of the Revolution,
TO the right, ON entering the chapel.
rs the Washington Sullivan font. Of
Indiana limestone. On each face Of
the octagonai bowl are carved the
Washington arms and on the angles
shields bearing the Crusaders cross.
SNlnbollzIng the warfare of the Chris
ton against the powers of evil The
font was the gift of Mr.. and Mrs. Will
ham NJ. Sullivan. i'll memory of their
son, Ralph. and in commcmoration of
the baptism of Washington.
VALLEY Forge being Il place of long
ana du~tl climbs. unless one is fortu-
nate enough to have q conveyance, the
visitor fingers long in the grateful
coolness of this interesting and pic
tureSque little chapel. Features to be
admired are the "PcWs Of tn,
tatriots,' on the base OF which are
carved either the family arms, the in
slgnia Of 4 patriotic society or the
colonial seal or state arms Memorial
tablets on Che walls are placed in
memory of patriots who fought under
washington. Adjoining the chanel is
y museum Of relics Of patriot DAYS.
Among the most interesting Of the
q
WaShlnSton's marquee or sleeptn2,
tent. 1his tent was stored after the
war III the garnet at Mount Vernon.
II was Willed to the daughter of
1eofse Washington Parke Gusts.
"a6hingtohs adopted son. This
daughter was Mrs. Robert Il. Lee. Her
husband was afterward commander-
lh-chiel Of the confederate army. ANA
when the estates We're seized ira
a&llington relics were placed on az
iiloltlon in the patent office bv order
- secretary Stanton. The appeal Of
MIS- Lee Tor the return Of the relics
"itcf the war was not successful. ana
the tent and other relics was removed
70 the National museum in 1882
President McKinley's administrator
% mem back to the Lee family. !
ito'' W. Herbert Burk, minister in
chafee Of the Washington Memorial
secured the tent, minus one
nan OF the side wall, from Miss Mary
cuStls Lee. daughter of Mrs. Roha,t
Lee paving $500 down and agreeing TO
pay $4,000 more within five years. Miss
Lee devotes the proceeds to the SIM
port OF the old confederate woman's
nome IN Richmond. Miss Lee is tho
president of this home.