The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1913-06-20

Ma~e7~ %<&~%s'~
the Observation-Disclosures, some OF
them; others sober veterns, gentle
men of fortune, men of generous and
noble quality-among the rest the boy
ish Lafayette and the distinguished
Steuben.
Baron Won Steuben had won himself
a place on the great Fredericks staff
in the seven years war, and was of
that studious race of soldiers the
world was presently to learn to fear.
Steuben at Valley Forge.
He joined Washington at Valley
Forge and turned the desolate camp
into training-school of arms, teach
ing, what these troops had never
known before. promptness and precis
ion in the manual of arms, in massed
and ordered movement, in the use Of
the bayonet, the drill and mastery of
the charge and OF the open field.
Neither Washington nor any of his
officers had known how to give this
training. The commander-in-chief had
not even had properly organized staff
till this schooIed and thorough Ger
man supplied it, and he was valued in
the camp as he deserved.
Baron Admires Americans.
You say to your soldier, Do this
and he doeth it, he wrote to an old
comrade in Prussia; Il am obliged to
say to mine, This is the reason why
you ought to do that and then he
does it."
But he learned to like and to adj
mire his new comrades soon enough
when he found what spirit and capa-
city there was in them for the field
of action.
The army came out of it's dismal
winter quarters stronger than it had
ever been before, alike in spirit and
discipline; more devoted to it's COM
mander than ever, and more fit to
serve him.
An Efficient Army.
At last the change to a system Of
long enlistments had transformed it
from a levy of militia into an army
steadied by service, unafraid of the
field
The year opened, besides, with
new hope and a new confidence. They
were no longer a body of insurgents
even to the eye of Europe.
News came to the camp late in
the night of the 4th of May (177S) that
France had entered into open alliance
with the United States, and would
send fleets and an army to aid in Sc
curing their independence.
An Alliance of Power.
Such an alliance changed the whole
face of affairs. England would no
longer have the undisputed freedom of
the seas, and the conquest of her col
onies in America might turn out the
least part of her task in the presence
of Europea3 enemies. She now knew
the full significance of Saratoga and
Germantown.
Washington's splendid audacity and
extraordinary command of his re-
victorious antagonist at Germantown
as the closing move of a long retreat
had touched the imagination and won
the confidence Of foreign soldiers and
statesmen hardly less than the taking
OF Burgoyne at Saratoga.
Parliament Awakes.
Parliament at last February, 1879
came to its senses: resolved to re-
nounce the right to tax the colonies,
except for the regulation of trade, and
sent commissioners to America to Of
fer such terms for submission. But
it was too late; neither congress nor
the states would now hear of anything
but independence.
With a French feet about to take
the sea, it was necessary that the
British commanders in America
should concentrate their forces.
Philadelphia, they had at last found
out, was a burden. not prize. 1t
had no strategic advantage of posi-
ton: was hard to defend, and harder
to provision; was too far from the
SSd. anu not lar SuOuSh AAOhA w ooA'
ington's open lines of operation.
General Howe Resigns.
Before the summers campaign be.
gan. Sir William Howe resigned his
command and babe the town good.
bye, amidst elaborate festivities MAY
18TH 1879.
General Clinton. who succeeded him
received orders from England to undo
Howe's work at once abandon Phila.