Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1913-06-17
Will UnveiI Monument Tomor'
row Dedicated to Sufferers
of Revolutionary Days.

Three thousand invitations have
| been issued to officials and promi-
nent residents OF New Jersey to at
| tend the unveiling and dedication of
| a monument tomorrow afternoon on
the site occupied by the New Jersey
brigade infantry line of the Continen-
tai army at Valley Forge, during
the memorable winter of 1777-177S.
Miss Margaret Wilson, eldest
daughter of President Woodrow Will
son, will unveil the handsome monu-
ment, which is New jerseys tribute
to her sons who fought and suffered
in the Revolutionary War. The Presi-
dent himself was expected to attend
but sent a letter of regret to the Val
ley Forge Revolutionary Encamp-
ment Commission of New Jersey,
stating that his presence is required
at the session of Congress in Wash
ington.
The commission in charge of the
dedication chose June IS as the date
for unwilling the statue because it
was on that date in ITS that George
Washington sent the New Jersey
troops from Valley Forge to head off
the British army, which had evaeu-
ated Philadelphia. The New Jersey
brigade was then under the command
of General William Maxwell.
Upon the arrival of the special
trains at Valley Forge tomorrow
bearing the New Jersey delegation
those who will take part in the dedi-
cation will assemble at Washington's
headquarters. They will then pro-
coed in a body to the site where the
monument has been erected. The ap-
pearance of Governor James F.
Fielder will be heralded by a mill
tary salute of thirteen guns.
Miss Wilson to Pull string.
The invoca ton will be delivered by
the Rev. Otis A. Glazebrook, of Eliza
beth, who was formerly an officer in
the Confederate army during the
Civil War. Miss Margaret Wilson
will then pull the strings which will
cause the American flag covering the
monument to drop to the ground, ex-
posing the handsome bronze figure TO
the public gaze.
The base and shaft of the monu
ment has been built of granite At
the top is a heroic figure in bronze
of a Continental soldier, wrapped in
an army blanket and carrying a gun
while doing sentry duty. The entire
structure is thirty eight feet IN
height and to make the soldier ap-
pear life-size at that distance the
bronze figure was made ten feet tall.
John II. Fort, president of the
monument commission, in a brief ad-
dress will present the monument to
Governor Fielder. The latter will
then deliver a speech of acceptance,
and on behalf of the people of New
Jersey will turn the monument over
to Governor John K. Tener. of Penn
sylvania Governor Tener will in
turn present the statue TO the Valley
Forge Park Commission of the State
of Pennsylvania, which has charge
of the historic camp site.
DIR. William Demarest, president of
Rutgers College, New Brunswick,
will then deliver the principal adj
dress of the exercises. In addition to
the Governor the members of the
New Jersey Legislature State jul
dietary and military delegation from
the State under the command of
Adjutant- General Sadler will be pres
ent. Secretary of War Lindley NJ.
Garrison has also been invited.
The Legislature of 1911 appropri-
ated $4,000 for the erection of this
monument and passed a bill appoint
ing the Valley Forge Revolutionary
Encampment of New Jersey. After
the bill had been signed by the then
Governor Wilson he appointed the
follo=ing members of the commission,
who have served to the present day;
John H. Fort, of Camden, president;
James L. Pennypacker, of Haddon-
field; Abraham J. Demarest. of Ho-
boken; General ]. Madison Drake, of
Elizabeth. and David r. milford, of
Bridgeton.
The Valley Forge Park Commission
Of Pennsylvania will not allow any
State to spend more than $1,000 for a
monument on this site. and because
of this restriction the Legislature was
compelled to keep within that sum
in making the appropriation.
Through the care which has been
taken of the historic camping site
by the park commission. Valley Forge
Park is one of the most beautiful
of its kind in the country. 1t covers
an area of forty seven square miles
and overlooks the Gulph road. It
was over this road that the Conti-
mental army marched to Valley Forge
to camp.
1t was at Valley Forge that history
tells the altar of liberty was erected
The terrible hardships endured by
the Revolutionary heroes during the
winter of 1777-177S spent in the val
ley are well known by every school
boy and girl, In this vale. on the
banks Of the Schuylkill river the