This Week's Story
click here to play audioNeither President Zelensky or General Washington abandon their men.
This Week’s Story relives American history and the Bible through brief inspiring stories presented on mp3 audio recordings and text for reading.
Breakfast in Valley Forge with President Zelensky and General Washington, part seven
President Zelensky joined General Washington for his daily ride among his soldiers. There was no military splendor to be seen, but the soldiers’ respect and trust for their Commander-in-Chief was obvious.
The ground was slushy with mud and snow. Toes poked out of ripped shoes. Taggy shirts and jackets were attempts to stop shivering.
Soldiers faces relaxed into smiles as Washington greeted them. “Good morning, men.” They watched him astride Blueskin, his half-Arabian war horse. No general ever rode a horse better in battle or in a wretched winter camp. If only Congress would send more supplies.
It was breakfast preparation at Valley Forge. The men who weren’t sick hauled water, chopped wood, and got cooking fires going. Some men had a wife and children at camp who helped.
One wife who had arrived the night before asked her husband, “James, what will the men eat for breakfast?”
“Not what Congress declares we eat. They claim they send us beef, pork, or fish. I don’t know when it is coming. We have not seen it and we arrived December 19th, two months ago. We get flour rations to make fire cakes. We may get salt. Without it the fire cakes taste like tough food with not a smidgen of flavor. We drink rum or whiskey. Occasionally, some peas arrive. We are always hungry.
“I am happy and thankful to see you, honey, but you go home after our Sunday outdoor worship service. General Washington wants us all to attend. Will you have enough food at home?”
“Better than you have, James. We have food stored in the root cellar. Our cow gives a little milk. When summer comes, I hope we can have a garden and no soldiers will come foraging for food.”
At a nearby fire a soldier was teaching his wife and son to make fire cakes. “Noah, get our salt and flour ration. Remember the flour is for three meals.”
“Lizbeth, you make the fire cakes. Take one-third of our flour and add water to it until it is thick wet dough. Work in the salt without losing any onto the ground. Shape the flour into biscuits and cook them on the rocks in the fire.
“This will be the best breakfast we’ve had in three weeks. Noah shot a scrawny rabbit last night, skinned and cut it up. We cooked it. We have good water and even a little molasses and corn.”
As President Zelensky walked among the people listening to their conversations, they reminded him of his people. Both the Americans and Ukrainians were struggling to survive and not grumbling about no comfortable place to sleep, no heat, just cold that seeped into you day and night. Many of these men wore what had been clothes Now they wore dirty rags. He wished he had shoes for their feet. Washington’s commitment to his men was crucial.
Zelensky listened to soldiers speak how their general had not abandoned them. He was with them and simultaneously trying to convince the American Congress to get supplies to them. They desperately needed food, clothing, tents, and medicine. Hundreds of men were dying of smallpox, typhus, and exposure to snow, cold, and rain. Ammunition was needed.
This is Scott Thomas with Alyce and Barbara Steiner with This Week’s Story.
Next week we return to the last chapter of the Ukraine Invasion. Check out stories from American history at thisweeksstory.com.
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