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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

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SITE OF SULLIVAN'S BRIDGE.

split logs, the round to the water, held in place by wooden pegs. As General Sullivan did not take into consideration the masses of floating ice brought down by the spring freshets the roadway was not built far above the water, and consequently the bridge did not long survive its use by the army. But it had served its purpose, for upon it the American 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, may be seen the mouldering remains of what is said

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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 brigadiergeneral 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 aspontoons or pikes. Here,

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too, at another time, the rations of the soldiers were decided. On that happiest of Valley Forge days, when the French Alliance 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

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command the approach from the other side of the Schuylkill by the Fatland Ford. The redoubt became of supreme importance when Sullivan's bridge was completed. Of course the erection of the dam when the canal was built has altered the river lines.

Varnum's Brigade.- General Varnum's Brigade lay to the east of the redoubt on both sides of the road. The Park Commission has erected the brigade marker on the slope of the old earthwork. It bears the following inscription:

CONTINENTAL ARMY

VALLEY FORGE, DECEMBER 19, 1777-JUNE 18, 1778

DIVISION

VARNUM'S BRIGADE

BRIG. GENERAL JAMES M. VARNUM
COMMANDING

IST REGIMENT RHODE ISLAND INFANTRY, COL. CHRISTOPHER GREENE 2D REGIMENT RHODE ISLAND INFANTRY, COL. ISRAEL ANGELL

4TH REGIMENT CONNECTICUT INFANTRY, COL. JOHN DURKEE 8TH REGIMENT CONNECTICUT INFANTRY, COL. JOHN CHANDLER

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The Defenders' Gate.- Beyond the Star Redoubt, on the site marked by the staff and flag, will be built the "The Defenders' Gate," a national monument to the defenders of the Union-the heroes of three wars and the patriots of the Republic. This will be the entrance to the Washington Memorial Cemetery, a part of which will be devoted to the interment of veterans of the Civil War and the War with Spain.

The Defenders' Gate will correspond with the "Cloister of

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