New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1922-07-02
Fort Washington
Thank God forThose Who Fell
in Thy Hard-F ought Defense
To the Editor of Tho Tribune

10 the Editor OF The Tribune.
Sir: Tablets and monuments com
memorate the movements of our troops
from Long Island to Washington
Heights, even though the sites are
covered by asphalt streets and city
buildings. Fort Washington will,
naturally, be no exception. Barnard
College stands upon the site of the
Bloody "buckwheat field" and tablet is
placed on the opposite wall Of uni
versity building. The three lines Of
defense Of Fort Washington are marked
by a monument on Broadway at 147th
Street. and two tablets in Trinity
Cemetery. Fort Washington is marked
by two monuments besides the park
which commentaries the locality.
We cannot appreciate the courage
and suffering of Washington and his
men who fought the Trenton Princeton
campaign unless we know the low ebb
OF the countrys fortunes, as was we'll
told by President Harding in his re-
cent address at the unwilling of the
monument at Princeton
In the light Of the defeats and dis
asters on Manhattan we can appreciate
the loyalty of the Jerseymen who
flocked to Washington's coors in their
country's darkest hour, until by spring
he had an army of 5000 men at Morris
town and the Jersey farms were left
|
cess, and success is not all. All that
we have has cost some one q struggle
When we forget Calvary we may for
get Fort Washington and the prison
ship martyrs, whose monument stands
in Brooklyn. Those men were daily
offered release on condition Of taking
the British oath of allegiance, but they
died true to their colors.
On the occasion of the dedication of
the Memorial Bowlder in Fort Wash
lngton Park, November Is, 1910, the fol-
lowing lines, written by an officer of
the Fort Washington Chapter, Daugh-
tiers of the American Revolution. under
whose auspices the exercises were held,
were read by the Rev. Edmund Banks
Smith, chaplain at Governors Island:
Fort Washington IT'S we'll thy name Is
Forever with the name Of our great chief.
Majestic hill and noble rivers sweep
6 6Fe les less ihhsplrng than the deathless tale
| " MN VINO, In his country's darkest hour,
stu kept his faith Arm thy granite
! rocks;
Pledged all his fortune in her failing
And turning from Fort Lee with tears for
Who fell within thy walls. retreated
New Jerseys wastes OF snow and reached
| the fields
defeat
Trenton and Princeton thrilled the country
And changed despair to hope. Thank God
for him,
Our great -souled chief whose love Of
country never knew despair!
Fort Washington Thy soil Is sacred
The blood of heroes hallows every hill;
Thank God for those who fell In thy hard
Defense: Thank God for those who's.
Left tracks OF blood on Jerseys fields OF
Again thank God for those whose last death
march
Brought them to loathsome prison ships
AS martyrs for their faith. Their message
speaks
IT'S written on these hills. on sky and
wave
"A pillar In the temple Of our God
Is, he that overcomes" Daughters Of men
| Like these. bring best to honor
| them:
We bring our love. our service and our
prayers,
Our children and our faith learned from
| the lips
OF those who learned II from heroic sires.
May that faith here abide. The Citys Park
| Untouched by greed commercial stands
for aye
Our children's playground and shrine
where all
May learn the faith that makes a people
free
MRS. T. n. BOORMAN,
Past Regent Fort Washington Chap
ter, D. A. R.
New York City, June Is, 1922.