Prevod
Med strašno zimo, ki jo je ameriška vojska preživljala v taboru pri Valley Forgeu, se je šest ali osem vojakov odpravilo iskat živež. Ker so vedeli, da v bližini tabora svojih sestradanih tovarišev ne morejo pričakovati kaj prida, so krenili proti potoku French Creek. Tam se je skupina razšla in malo pozneje so dva izmed vojakov napadli torijski kmetje. Nekaj časa sta bežala ob potoku, nato pa prišla do majhne votline v skalnem bregu. Eden od njiju, mlad južnjak po imenu Carrington, je splezal vanjo. Njegov tovariš ni bil daleč za njim in je hitel proti votlini, ko sta ga ustavila bobnenje in tresk: več ton težak granitni blok, ki je dotlej negotovo visel nad vhodom, je zdrsnil z mesta in vhod povsem zaprl. Zadušeni krik obupa živega ujetnika v grobnici ga je zadel v srce. Skril se je v bližnji gozd in počakal, da so se torijci razšli, nato pa se vrnil k votlini in na vse pretege skušal premakniti skalo, vendar zaman.
Ko je naslednji dan prispel v tabor, je povedal, kakšna nesreča se je zgodila, toda menili so, da je za reševanje že prepozno ali da bi bilo delo preveč izčrpavajoče in nevarno za može, ki so že tako komaj ohranjali življenje v svojih oslabelih telesih. Tragedija je bila dvojna, saj si mladeničeva izvoljenka nikoli ni opomogla od pretresa, ki ji ga je zadala novica. Na njenem grobu blizu Richmonda v Virginiji so vklesane besede: »Umrla zaradi strtega srca 1. marca 1780, Virginia Randolph, stara 21 let in 9 dni. Zvesta do smrti.« Poleti leta 1889 so delavci, ki so razstreljevali skale blizu slapov na potoku French Creek, odkrili dolgo skrito votlino in v njej našli okostje z nekaj cunjami uniforme kontinentalne vojske. V steklenici ob njem sta bila opis nesreče, ki ga je doletela, podpisan z imenom Arthur L. Carrington, in pismo, v katerem je svoji izvoljenki izpovedoval večno ljubezen.
Umrl je od lakote. Kosti so skrbno položili v krsto in jih poslali v Richmond, da bi jih pokopali ob posmrtnih ostankih zveste gospodične Randolph.
Izvirnik
During the dreadful winter of the American encampment at Valley Forge six or eight soldiers went out to forage for provisions. Knowing that little was to be hoped for near the camp of their starving comrades, they set off in the direction of French Creek. At this stream the party separated, and a little later two of the men were attacked by Tory farmers. Flying along the creek for some distance they came to a small cave in a bluff, and one of them, a young Southerner named Carrington, scrambled into it. His companion was not far behind, and was hurrying toward the cave, when he was arrested by a rumble and a crash: a block of granite, tons in weight, that had hung poised overhead, slid from its place and completely blocked the entrance. The stifled cry of despair from the living occupant of the tomb struck to his heart. He hid in a neighboring wood until the Tories had dispersed, then, returning to the cave, he strove with might and main to stir the boulder from its place, but without avail.
When he reached camp, as he did next day, he told of this disaster, but the time for rescue was believed to be past, or the work was thought to be too exhausting and dangerous for a body of men who had much ado to keep life in their own weak frames. It was a double tragedy, for the young man's sweetheart never recovered from the shock that the news occasioned, and on her tomb, near Richmond, Virginia, these words are chiselled: “Died, of a broken heart, on the 1st of March, 1780, Virginia Randolph, aged 21 years, 9 days. Faithful unto death.” In the summer of 1889 some workmen, blasting rock near the falls on French Creek, uncovered the long-concealed cavern and found there a skeleton with a few rags of a Continental uniform. In a bottle beside it was an account, signed by Arthur L. Carrington, of the accident that had befallen him, and a letter declaring undying love for his sweetheart.
He had starved to death. The bones were neatly coffined, and were sent to Richmond to be buried beside those of the faithful Miss Randolph.
