Perth Amboy evening news., 1912-08-05
MONUMENT AT
VALLEY FORGE
Five Bids Submitted for the
New Jersey Shaft.
tFrom the NEWS Correspondent.)

Trenton, Aug. 5:-Bids for the
monument to be erected on the Rev.
dictionary camp ground at Valley
Forge, Pennsylvania, In memory OF
the New Jersey troops quartered
there under General Washington,
were opened at the State House Fri
day afternoon by the Valley Forge
Revolutionary Encampment Commits
sion. Five bids were submitted and
all Of them were within the $4,000
appropriated by the last legislature
for the erection of the monument.
The contract was not awarded, how
ever, as the commissioners wish to
give the bids further consideration.
The awarding Of the contract was
laid over for a meeting to be held
within the next two weeks at the
call Of the President.
The commission decided to lay the
corner stone of the monument on
Friday, October 4, the anniversary
of the battle of Germantown, in
which the New Jersey Continentals
took a leading part. Also, it was de-
cided that the monument should be
unveiled and dedicated with fitting
ceremonies on June 10, 1913, the
135th anniversary Of the evacuation
of the Valley Forge Camp by the
New Jersey soldiers. 1t is expected
that the President Of the United
States, the governors of New Jersey
and Pennsylvania and other notables
will take part in the dedication ex-
e~rcises.
Designs for the monument were
submitted with the bids. One de-
sign which found considerable favor
with the commission showed a gran
tie BASE on which stood a Continental
soldier in a characteristic attitude.
The members of the commission
are: John H. Fort, of Camden, presi-
dent; James L.. Pennypacker, of
Haddonfield, secretary; A. ]. Dem
Arrest, of Hoboken, treasurer; Gener-
al j. Madison Drake, of Elizabeth, of
brakes Zouaves" fame, and David
P. milford, of Bridgeton.
The New Jersey Continental troops
for whom the monument will be a
memorial was Maxwell's Brigade,
which Is referred to in several his
torical works as the Jersey Line"
The brigade distinguished itself at
the battle of Germantown October 4,
1777, and went into winter head
quarters dL NdlleJ WI sc VIII VIZ
rest of Washington's army on Decem-
Der II, 1777. Speaking of this event
Fiske, in his work, The American
Revolution" says: CAS- the poor
soldiers marched to their winter
quarters their route could be traced
on the snow by the blood thai oozed
from bare, frost-bitten feet. Inc
terrible privations endured by the
soldiers at Valley Forge, and which
the monument erected will bear tes-
timony to as far as the New Jersey
unfit for duty because they are fare
General Washington in which he
troops are concerned, Is shown by the
communication sent to Congress by
stated that he had in camp 1888 men
foot and otherwise naked" This con-
dition continued throughout all the
winter, which was bitterly cold.
Many of the New Jersey Cont
nentaIswill be a special memorial for
these. On the evacuation of Ph1la-
delphta by the British, June Is, 1878,
MaxwelI's Brigade was detached
from the main army and was tent out
to harass and impede General Clin-
toms forces through the Jerseys, on
the way towards New York.
Following all they had endured at
Valley Forge, the Jersey soldiers
crossed the Delaware in advance OF
Washington's main army and, after
annoying the British troops all they
could, participated In the battle OF
Monmouth, June 28, 1878.