Washington prayed his army would not crumble

Hanging in our living room is a painting by Arnold Friberg of George Washington praying beside his horse in the snow at Valley Forge.

This painting has quite a story behind it. As I visited Valley Forge two months ago I learned more about the character of Washington.

Washington did not move into a house until all his men were in houses. These shelters were more of a bunk house than anything else.

It was an extremely rough winter at Valley Forge, with plenty of snow. And there were questions as the men waited. Benjamin Franklin had gone to France to seek French support of the American cause.

Washington knew that if the men went home they would probably not return in the spring. There were not any battles with the English that winter but with the cold, illness and starvation.

One third of the soldiers were ill-equipped for winter in their clothing. The states were not sending proper funds to support them.

So the desire to leave and go home was strong. Many of these men were within 40 miles of their homes.

On the morning that this painting depicts, Washington had just finished touring the camps with his surgeon to determine what needed to be amputated from soldiers who suffered frost-bite during the night. The surgeon used a saw or a hatchet to remove the frozen limbs.

As Washington finished, his heart was heavy at seeing the suffering his men endured. He retired himself to a grove of trees to pour out his feelings to his Maker.

It was the religious custom of the time for oral prayer to be offered by clergy alone. This required personal action.

George pleaded with his God out loud to bless his men and comfort them and maintain them until the French could arrive.

A group of officers passed by the grove and heard their commander pleading with The Maker and pouring out his heart. Their hearts were touched, and they resolved to stay with George Washington at all costs.

The officers returned to their camps and shared what they had witnessed. The soldiers resolved that they would stay with their leader and follow him even though eventually more than 2,000 of them would become permanent residents of that valley due to death by starvation or freezing.

Friberg was so touched by Washington's heavy heart that he couldn't leave him alone in that grove. So he took poetic license and place a horse at his side.

That's as it should be. Washington always led from in front, mounted on a horse, making him the enemy's biggest target.

Kennon Forester hosts educational meetings about the Constitution the second and fourth Tuesdays of the month at the Royal City Community Center at 7:30 p.m.