* The Potts family, located in this vicinity, were extensive manufacturers of iron. Isaac Potts established a forge upon the creek which here enters into the Schuylkill, and from that circumstance the place obtained the name of Valley Forge. ** This view is from the Reading rail-road, looking east, and includes a portion of the range of hills in the rear whereon the Americans were encamped. The main building was erected in 1770; the wing is more modern, and occupies the place of the log addition mentioned by Mrs. Washington, in a letter to Mercy Warren, written in March, 1778: "The general's apartment," she wrote, "is very small; he has had a log cabin built to dine in, which has made our quarters much more tolerable than they were at first." [[[View from Rogers's Observatory.--Camp at Valley Forge.--Religious Services.--Preparation of Huts.]]] {333}ious fears for the safety of Hamilton and his men. While Washington was reading Lee's letter, Hamilton rode up, and with quite as much distress depicted in his _face_ as the former had exhibited in his _note_, expressed his fears that his friend Lee was cut off. Washington quieted his apprehensions by handing him Lee's letter. [Illustration: 8343] From the village we rode to the summit of the hill on the south, whereon the main portion of the American army was quartered. Upon the brow of the hill, on the spot where Washington's marquee was planted on the day of his arrival there, * Mr. Charles H. Rogers, who owns the cotton factory, and much of the landed property in the vicinity, has erected an observatory, about forty feet in height. It is a very neat structure of wood, of an octagon form, with a spiral stair-case in the center, by which an ascent is made to the open gallery on the top. From that elevation is obtained a fine view of a large portion of the camping-ground. Here let us turn to the historic page and seek its instructions.