Evening star., 1950-12-24
Personalities and Impressions
By Jessie Font Evons

and perplexities that beset the
Nation this Christmas tide had
their counterpart and worse when
all of our country was a back
woods except for fringe of iso-
lated, small cities on our Eastern
seaboard. Then, we were not the
most powerful nation in the world
just loosely knit union of 13
colonies.
Turning back the pages of his
tory 173 years to Christmas at
Valley Forge in 1777 is profoundly
inspiring in revealing what men
endured to give us our democratic
ideals OF today. Therein lies the
answer. in part, to the elements
forged in our national character
which are dominant now in ac-
tuating free nations around the
world in their stand against the
forces of communism.
Gen. Washington, as Com
mander-in-C Chief of the Army,
went into camp at Valley Forge
on December 10, 1777. with II 900
men. OF whom 2,898 were pres
emily unfit for duty because "they
were barefoot and otherwise
naked" and ravaged by smallpox,
dysentery and other diseases. He
was having to make momentous
decisions in haste and always with
the inner knowledge that they
would not only settle the questions
Immediately involved but would
serve as a precedent. No other
American before him had been
faced with his problems.
To house his troops there we're
only rough-heWn log huts built
by the men themselves to shelter
the entire encampment. Without
windows or heating facilities of
any kind, these huts were filled
deep with straw, the mems only
insulation against the bitter cold
Washington even gave a prize of
$12 out of his own purse to the
first squad in each regiment to
complete a hut.
| Clothes for the Fireman.
The fires by which the men
cooked their meals were in the
open. opposite the doors to the
huts. When a fire became low
so the story goes. the soldier whose
chore it Was to replace it, was
given the warmest clothes his hut
associates possessed. One would
lend a sound pair of boots; a sec
ond, pair of pants: a third. an
extra coat; some one lese, a fur
cap with ear tippets.
Washington wrote to Congress
For some days just a little less
than famine exists in camp" and
that his troops would either
starye or nave to be dissolved.
More is expected Of me than is
possible to be performed and on
the ground of safety and policy
1 am obliged to conceal the true
state OF the army from the pub
lie view." he stated. Much of the
trouble came about in large meas
ure through the failure of the
congressional system in attempt
ing to manage the commissary de-
partment.
While the Colonial patriots with
the blood of their feet on the
snow of Valley Forge were writing
one OF the most magnificent pages
in the making of our history, the
Continental Congress was reply
ing to Washington's urgent meas
ures" with friendly cajoling, full
OF advice. mostly unworkable.
When 1t could think of nothing
less, it would appoint a day of
fasting and prayer"
There were even reports that
Congress was bargaining behind
Washington's back with Gen.
Howe, commander of the British
forces, comfortably entrenched in
nearby Philadelphia and much
feted by many of her citizens. 1t
is known than Howe made sur
reptitious visits to the vicinity of
Valley Forge.
The year before, in 1776, Wash
ington, using Indian tactics Of
war by lurking quiet for days. then
striking suddenly, unexpectedly
and effectively, had triumphantly
crossed the Delaware on Christ
mas Eve and gone on to an over
whelming victory at Trenton. N. j.
Perhaps this inspired him as he