Evening star., 1942-03-08
Bv T. G.. Abbott.

The page in Washingtons account
book written by himself, which was re-
produced in last Sundays installment,
revealed the barterlng OF salt for house
hold expenses. This incident is too in
teresting not to be mentioned here, so We
quote from Surg Gen. James Thacher S
military diary, which he kept while at
tached to Gen Washington's headquar-
tiers during the winter of 1880.
January, 1790. was not quite so severe
as the January at Valley Forge, but suf-
ferings and privations still persisted, and
a scarcity of provisions prevailed.
During this month Gen. Thacher wrote
in his diary as follows; Today General
WashinotonS housekeeper, terry tDorthy
Irishuoman named Mrs. Thompson. re-
ported to General Washington, "Sir. De
haze nothing but the rations to cook" :"
"WeH, Mrs. Thompson. you must then
cook the rdtionS, for hare not q
tdrthing to giue you." "If you please, sir.
let one of the gentlemen giue me an order
for sir bushels OF salt" Sir bushels OF
salt! For uhat?" ITO preserve the fresh
beet, sir" One of the aides gaze the
order and the merit day his ercellency's
table 1Oas amply proUided. Mrs. Thomp-
SON UdS sent for and told she had done
very lDronq to erpend her olDn money, tor
it uds not knoWn ,Dhen she could be re-
paid. 81 one you," said his ercellency,
"too much already to permit the debt
being increased and our situation is not
at this moment such as to induce Oery
sanguine hope" Dear sir" said the old
lady, "it is always darkest just before
daylight and hope your ercellency tDiH
forgive me for bartering the salt for other
necessdries Uhich are nolD on the table,"
Salt was then So bushel and might al
ways be exchanged with the country peo-
pie for provisions.
On the page reproduced in this INSTALL
ment, Washington, continuing his ac-
counts, made this entry: Sept 1St 1881
To Daniel Grant, Baltimore. his accounts
13 pounds 3 shultngs pence equal to
10 pounds 10 shiHings pence. About $65
as valued today.
Grant was the owner Of the Fountain
Inn. in Baltimore where Washington
frequently stopped and the money he
paid to Grant was for eight dinners for
himself and suite and meals for seven
servants. The care, by Grant, of is
horses was aso included in this sum-.
September 18th Washington wrote: To
expenses on the road per Colonel Smith,
SIS pounds 4 S11illingS pence Pensd Che
currency of Pennsylvania is reduced to
a. pounds 3 shilling S pence and 49
pounds sEillings 8 pence laWtul together
is SO pounds 10 shillings 1 pence. Cap
proXimately $4670
This Col. Smith was 1t. Col. William
Stephens Smith, the aide who accom-
panied Washington. He had been aide to
Gen. Sullivan and also to La Fayette.
He served as aide to the commander in
chief from July /, 1881, to the close of
the war His account gives the route
taken by Washington and Rochambeau
from Philadelphia to Baltimore as Ches-
ter, Wilmington, Christiana Bridge Sus-
quehanna Ferry, Nottingham and Bal
timore.
On the same date Washington made
this entry: To sundries exclusive OF the
aboDe, paid By myself on the road to
Williamsburg, including Count de Ro-
ctambeaus expenses (1Dho travelled in
company ,Uith me- Uere generally in
cluded-59 pounds 10 Shillings. Equal at
the rate of exchange today to $685.
Their route from Mount Vernon to
Williamsburg was by way Of Colchester,
Dunfries, Fredericksburg, Boiling, Ay-