The Watertown weekly leader. [volume] (Watertown, Jefferson County, Wis.) 1912-1917, 1914-06-30

the fam1shing soldiers who called at the house
for food.
Every week vegetables poultry mutton etc.
were brought to Valley Forge by the generate
own people, either from his farm eight miles
from Morr1stown, N. j.. from the Livingston
manor house, for our heroes of the Revolution
mad to supply their own rations and this one in
particular, who raised a regiment and equipped
IL at MS own expense, was never repaid for food
OF services, by an ungrateful country.
DAILY Lady Kitty would sally to the camp with
a basket filled with goodies On her arm followed
by a servant laden with clothing for the soldiers
1t was long, cold walk from her home to the
camp, but the young girl braved 1t in spite Of
snow and storm. The doors of hut after hut
would be gently knocked at and the inmates ,ques-
toned as to their most pressing needs No one
can imagine what blessing these visits were to
the suffering men. There was hardly one who
was not afflicted with frostbites and for these
Lady Kitty had sovereign cure learned from the
old squaw. This, with other remedies drawn
from the handy ret1cule, were lavishly given with
many CHEEKY word laugh at the travelling
drug shop The baskets containing deicaces for
the very sick were emptied and besides
many mans heart made glad by the gift
of warm worsted comforter for his neck or a
pair of knitted stockings mittens Then there
were underclothes made from the fleece of the
sheep raised on the Jersey hills, the wool having
been spun in tenants houses and woven on the
looms that groaned and creaked increasingly.
This was the work Of the women who stayed at
home while the folk struggled with the
horrors Of army life.
The fingers Of the women of the day were
never idle. We are told page AIT of Mr..
Irving's Life Of General Washington" that his
wife, set example to lady visitors by diligent-
ly plying her needles knitting stockings for poor
destitute soldiers" And indeed women's busy
needles clicked far into the night, even when
frugal housewives only permitted the blaze of
the fire to light the rooms, for candles luxu-
ries In those days, although they were home
made and these sef-sacrifcing women denied
themselves every comfort they could in hopes Of
being able to relieve the needs of the soldiers,
and many candle that had been made in the
family kitchen, and perhaps from bayberries
picked by delicate fingers, found its way to the
huts OF the men. Most of these illiterate
fellows who had obeyed the call to arms leaving
their families in distant parts of the country.
Lady Comforter" she was called by the men,
would ask each one about his life, and suggest
that she would write letters to his home-bound
family friends. Pen, ink and paper would be
whipped from the great reticule hanging by her
side, and dctation taken down, which must
have given pleasure and hope at many desolate
6reside. The ladies cheered in their beneyo-
lent work In the camp by the concentrations OF
the commander-in-chief, who could not be suf1-
ciently grateful for these ministrations
The young aide6e-camp James Monroe (who
recruiting his strength after severe wound
received during late battle) detailed to
accompany the young lady on her daily rounds,
to report officially the condition Of the
This duty was not uncongenial to the young Vir-
ginian and the bright spot in the dark days
OF suffering for the men in camp was watching
the courtship of their future president and his
engagement to Miss Nanny Browne was soon
duly announced and hurried arrangements made
for wedding. in the spring at the home of her
aunt, Mrs. Van Horne She could not have asked