of Mr. John O. K. Robarts, of Phoenixville, Pa., who had served in the same capacity in 1878.

Washington Lane.-Fifteen hundred feet from the boulevard the River Road is crossed by the Washington Lane. This is the most direct route to the Camp School, the Artillery Park, Washington Redoubt, the Inner Line Boulevard, the Right Line Boulevard, Centreville and Devon. The Grand Parade, after June 11th, was located in front of Conway's Brigade, the second from the River Road.

The lane to the left is no longer a thoroughfare. This is to be regretted, as it is historic ground and should be open to the public. It was the old road leading to Fatland Ford, which crossed the river to Jenkins Island, and thence to the eastern bank. Along this road the British Army passed in September, 1777, on its march to Philadelphia.

Sullivan's Bridge.—The road was continued down to the military bridge which General Sullivan built 750 feet below the ford. The site of the bridge is marked by a stone on the bank, having the inscriptions:

(Date destroyed)

SULLIVAN

BRIDGE.

A. D. 1778.

SPENCER

BRIDGE.

The Historical Society of Montgomery County has erected a more appropriate monument on the other bank. This society has also appointed a committee to carry into effect the suggestion of the Hon. Irving P. Wanger, that a memorial bridge be erected at this point. This project ought to commend itself to all patriotic Americans, and both the National and State Governments ought to co-operate in its erection.

The military bridge was not built upon pontoons, as is sometimes stated, but on piles. I am told that portions of these were in position a few years ago. The flooring was made of split logs, the round to the water, held in place by wooden pegs. It is sometimes stated that General Sullivan did not take into

consideration the masses of floating ice brought down by the spring freshets and that the roadway was not built far above the water, and consequently the bridge did not long survive its use by the army. As a matter of fact the bridge was so well constructed that it endured for some time, and might have been a permanent structure if the Assembly of Pennsylvania had followed the advice of General Sullivan. When the Assembly was ready to act, it was too late, as the bridge was partly destroyed. But it had served its purpose, for upon it the Amer

ican army crossed to intercept the march of the British to New York.

Across it, too, came the welcome supplies for the starving soldiers. Every Monday and Thursday after February 8th a market was held, near the end of the bridge, and on those

days the soldiers went a-marketing, or rather those who were the proud possessors of spare money. A picket guarded the passage of the bridge and ford, and prevented boats from going by. A guardhouse was built on this side of the river early in March. A little below the site of the bridge, but on this side of the railroad, were, as late as 1911, the mouldering remains of what is said to have been one of the huts used by the picket. Up to a few years ago, when it was set on fire, it was in a fair state of preservation, having been used as a tenant house.

Five hundred feet beyond Washington Lane, on the right, are a stone barn and house. Tradition declares that this barn was used as a hospital.

General Varnum's Headquarters.-This house was the headquarters of Gen. James Mitchel Varnum, the brigadier

general commanding a brigade of Rhode Island and Connecticut troops. At that time the house was much smaller, the eastern part and the third story having been added later. On the night of January 17th the brigadiers met here to consider how to exchange raw hides for shoes, and whether to arm the soldiers with bayonets and the officers with espontons or pikes. Here, too, at another time, the rations of the soldiers were decided. On that happiest of Valley Forge days, when the French Al

liance was celebrated, Washington stopped here, then the Orderly Office, to make the day complete by pardoning two men then in the provost guard under sentence of death for desertion.

Star Redoubt.-.The next point of interest is the Star Redoubt, a few hundred feet beyond on the left. Now a mere meaningless mound of earth, as late as 1850 its outlines were plainly marked. This with the Huntington and Washington redoubts completed the defenses of Mount Joy. The guns of this redoubt were intended not only to co-operate with those of the other redoubts in repelling an attack on the front, but also to command the approach from the other side of the Schuylkill by the Fatland Ford. The redoubt became of supreme importance