The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1910-12-11
TODAY, IN HISTORY
wsshlneton's Army at Valley Forae.
SUNDAY. DECEMBER II,


General Howe. having sailed forth
from Philadelphia where he had estab-
lished his headquarters. several times
during ,he early part Of December 10
give battle to General Washington, but
hnding the latter's forces were too for
uldable. Howe finally decided to go into
winter quarters In Philadelphia on De-
cember .. and Washington seeing that
the campaign on the part Of Howe would
hardly be resumed before spring, and not
having an army formidable enough for
attack; decided TO go into winter quar-
ters himself. He selected Valley Forge.
about thirty miles northwest OF Phiia l.
delphia. Washington and his army ar
rived there on December H. l777 and
AT once began the erection OF huts. They
were arranged in streets. giving the place
the appearance OF q city. IL was the
nrst OF the year before they were occu-
pied, and previous to that the suffering
Of the army had become ~reat
Although the winter was intensely cold
the men were obliged TO work AT the
buildings. with nothing to support llse
but -four mixed with water, which they
baked into cakes at the open fires The
horses died OF starvation by the hun
dreds. and .hc men were obliged to haul
their own provisions and firewood Sick
ness spread rapidly. The unfortunate
were In want OF everything; they had
neither coats. hats. shirts. nor shoes
their feet and their legs froze until they
became black, and amputation was fire.
quently necessary
Congress seemed to be woefully ineff-
cient 10 render assistance. The sufierlngs
and the shameful neglect spurred Wash
ington to write to congress: "Since the
month of July we have had no assistance
from the OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES The
soap. vinegar. and other articles allowed
by congress we see none of. nor have
we seen them. / believe since the battle
OF Brandywine. The first we have in
deed now little occasion for. as few men
now have more than one shirt. many
at all. In addition to which, as proof
OF the :ittle benefit received from
clothier-general, and as further proof
OF the inability OF an army. under the
common duties Of soldiers. we have, by
feld-return this day made no less than
two thousand eight hundred and ninety
eight men now in camp unfit for duty.
because they are barefooted and other.
wise naked.
Although these men; who, have. been
chs charged Tth Tnr. cdring for the soldiers
naked and distressed condition. / feel
superabundantly for them. and from my
soul: pity those miseries, which IT is
vent II adds not a little TO my other
difficulties and distress to find that
much more is expected OF me than is
possible to be performed. and that upon
Obliged to conceal the true state OF the
army from public view. and thereby eX-
pose myself to detraction and cal
umDy."
1t was when the army at Valley
Forge was at It's worst condition that
Baron Steuben, an accomplished Prus-
Sian officer. arrived in this country and
went to the camp. He found conditions
as to the ill-fed and ill-clothed troons
quite as bad as Washington had made
them. and worse than that. he found
the entire army system wrong, from the
viewpoint OF man who knew thoroughly
the organization OF an army from eXpe-
rie1ce in his own country.
Baron Steuben set TO work and as fast
as possible brought order out OF chaos
William North. in an article on the sub
ject, says: Certainly II was brave
attempt. Without unds rstanding
word OF the English language 10 think
OF bringing men, born free and Joined
together TO preserve their freedom into
strict subsection. II was brave at
tempt. which nothing but virtue. or high
raised hopes OF glory. could have sup
ported
Washington remained at Vallev Forge
until June IS, i77s and when he broke
camp and marched away he had a thor
oughly organized army. practically we'll
equipped as WIS demonstrated in the ef-
fective work that followed. Valley Forge
Is today q state park. well marked as
to things connected with the encampmcpt