Evening star., 1936-02-16
BY JESSIE FAINT EVANS.

A TREASURED letter addressed
~ to Mr.. John Lutz Of George
~ town, whose merit caused him
\ to be chosen the sergeant Of
Washington's guard at Valley Forge
and whose conduct through life proves
he deserved the high distinction he
once enjoyed" Is the heritage of John
A. Lutz Of Washington. Five times
removed in direct descent from his
Revolutionary forbear, he Is the last
of the fanily's male line. AS we sat
In the drawing room Of his home at
1912 Monroe street, with bitter north
wind swirling without and the snow Of
our 1885 blizzard piled high in the
street upon which we looked, it was
not difficult with this letter before
us to envision the rigors of Valley
Forge during that terrible Winter
of 1777-8.
The story of the dauntless courage
and patriotism of Gen. Washington
and the officers and men under his
command who held doggedly to the
high principles to which they had
consecrated themselves, despite every
privation, it perhaps never will he
possible adequately to portray. The
suffering Of the troops, who were
without sufficient food, shoes and
other protection from the cold, was
due to the breakdown in the congress
sional system Of handling the COM
missary. During no other period of
the Revolutionary War was the loyalty
of the troops so sorely tried. Despite
the great suffering, harsh criticism
and plots directed against his COM
mand, Gen.. Washington chung to his
strategic position throughout the long
Winter and Spring. With the aid of
Baron Won Steuben the troops had
been trained into an eficient, organ
tied army which moved on to Phila-
delphia in June, 1778.
Men Beyond Corruption.
The men on guard before Gen.
Washington's tent during those times
of stress and trial had to be beyond
corruption. To young John Lutz of
Georgetown was given the high honor
and grave duty of being the sergeant
in charge Of the group who saw to
1t that none save those of whose busi-
ness they had absolute knowledge ap-
preached the tent of their general.
Two original letters and an old news
paper clipping give eloquent testimo-
NAL to the caliber Of John Lutz, the
man in whom this responsibility was
vested. The past seems to come quite
close es you decipher their quaint
phraseology.
Both of the letters are from Eliza
P. Gusts, the granddaughter of Mrs.
Washington, who thus signs herself
without the addition of her married
name of Law, as If conscious that
she were penning these letters for
posterity. She had, you will remem-
Der, married Thomas Law, an English.
man, and gone to live in a residence
on Capitol Hill at the time the letter
was written IN Washington, April IA,
1928.
Writing Is Clear.
In rather clear black ink, despite
the fact that 1t will be l08 years
this coming April since 1t was penned,
this original letter in the possession
Of Mr.. Lutz reads as follows:
Il have long intended to offer my
good friend, Mr.. John LutZ, present,
which he could not only value as q
gift from one of the children of
his general, but more so because it
once belonged to him whose tent he
formerly had the honor to guard.
Venerable man-your respectable con-
duct since those days proves you
deserved the honor of being chosen
from the American Army to COM
mand the guard of its chief-my i'll
health prevents my going to your
house to give you the relics of Wash
ington now enclosed.
They should be placed in your
hand by a gallant soldier. I have
chosen for this duty one whom, had
our general known, he would have
loved him. Capt. Poussein came to
our country from the native land of
Lafayette, with the same preference
for our Government and wished to
serve U.S. have known him since
his first arrival. He has been q
soldier II years. as the aide-de-camp
and assistant Of Gen. Bernard; has
been his companion in all those
arduous surveys and plans for forti-
flying our country, and their lives
have been more exposed to danger
in unhealthy regions than in many
battles. The exemplary conduct of
Capt. William Tell Poussein has made
me esteem him most highly and re-
gard him as one of my own family.
When our venerated Lafayette met
him at my house he told me he ad-
mired him greatly and hoped his
dear Americans would love him and
value that soldier who would love us
and fight for us, as he has done. I
bless him IN the name of Washington
and Lafayette. I request that you,
the veteran of the war for liberty, the
soldier Of Washington, will also bless
my valued friend.
"You must call to see me some
times, my good frind. We will talk
Of your general. My health, I believe,
will never be good again, but while
I remain in the world Of trouble 7
shall always rejoice to meet the good
and the brave.
May your children ever be source
Of happiness. May God preserve
them to you.
"Your friend,
ELIZA p. GUSTS,