George Washington Camps at Valley Forge
George Washington's encampment at Valley Forge during the winter of 1777-1778 was a pivotal moment in the American Revolution. Following a series of military engagements, Washington and his Continental Army withdrew to this location, which was strategically positioned between the British forces in Philadelphia and the Continental Congress in York, Pennsylvania. Despite facing severe hardships, including disease, hunger, and exposure, the 11,000 soldiers demonstrated remarkable resilience; approximately 3,000 men lost their lives due to the harsh conditions. The encampment became emblematic of suffering and sacrifice in American history.
Valley Forge was not without its challenges; supply shortages and bureaucratic inefficiencies exacerbated the soldiers' plight, leading to hunger and poor living conditions. However, amidst the adversity, significant organizational changes were implemented in the military supply system, contributing to improved conditions in subsequent winters. The winter at Valley Forge also provided an opportunity for training, as figures like Baron von Steuben helped to instill discipline and military tactics in the troops, enhancing their capabilities. Today, Valley Forge is recognized as a national historic landmark, attracting visitors who seek to understand the profound struggles and resilience of those who fought for American independence.
George Washington Camps at Valley Forge
American Revolution: George Washington Camps at Valley Forge
British military plans for 1777 called for a three-pronged advance to converge near Albany, New York, to crush the American rebel army, isolate New England, and quickly terminate the American Revolution. General John Burgoyne was to push down from Canada through Lake Champlain, General Barry St. Leger was to come from Oswego through the Mohawk Valley, and General William Howe was to drive north up the Hudson River from New York City. The colonists thwarted St. Leger's efforts and captured Burgoyne's entire force at the battle of Saratoga. Howe never reached the intended rendezvous, as he directed his interest instead to assault Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, the seat of the Continental Congress.
The undertaking took longer than Howe expected. Embarking from New York City with 15,000 troops on July 23, he did not land at Head of Elk (near what is now Elkton, Maryland) until August 25. It was not until September 11 that he defeated General George Washington and his troops, who were blocking the road to Philadelphia at Brandywine Creek. Furthermore, it was not until September 26 that the British captured the city and forced the Continental Congress to flee to York, Pennsylvania. Washington's counterattack at Germantown on October 4 was a failure, and after several more minor engagements he withdrew his forces to their winter quarters at Valley Forge, Pennsylvania.
On December 19 the Americans arrived at their inhospitable campsite, a spot selected by “a speculator, a traitor, or a council of ignoramuses” according to Major General Johann Kalb, a Bavarian volunteer. Militarily, however, the location was desirable since it was close to water and surrounded by a forest which could provide fuel and materials for shelter. Even more important, Valley Forge lay between the Continental Congress at York and the hostile British forces 20 miles away in Philadelphia.
Valley Forge, in American historical lore, has become synonymous with sacrificial suffering. The winter itself was mild, but the men suffered from disease, hunger, and exposure, all of which claimed the lives of 3,000 of the 11,000 men.
The common soldiers lived in makeshift quarters until they completed building temporary huts in mid-January 1778. Many could not help in the construction because their lack of clothing made them unfit for winter duty. On December 23 Washington complained to Congress that 2,898 of his troops were “bare foot and otherwise naked.” “The want of clothing,” Washington stated, “added to the rigor of the season, has occasioned [the men] to suffer such hardships as will not be credited but by those who have been spectators.” General Anthony Wayne complained that “the whole army is sick and crawling with vermin.” Frostbite naturally preyed upon the ill -clad soldiers, and Marie-Joseph-Paul-Yves-Roch-Gilbert du Motier de Lafayette noted that amputations were frequent.
Three times during the winter provisions gave out, and during one week in March 1778 each soldier received only three ounces of meat and three pounds of flour. Over 1,500 horses died of starvation during the crisis. Foraging expeditions by the Americans, as well as by the British in Philadelphia, laid bare the neighboring countryside. Washington was reluctant to alienate the inhabitants by commandeering supplies, but occasionally a farmer had to hand over his seed grain supply at the point of a bayonet.
Greed and bureaucratic inefficiency were at the root of the suffering at Valley Forge. While the soldiers starved, Pennsylvania farmers delivered their grain to Philadelphia, where they could obtain cash payments from the British. Private contractors profited by using government wagons to ship iron and flour out of Pennsylvania, while pork earmarked for Washington's men rotted in New Jersey for lack of transportation.
Congress, alarmed by the situation, revamped the military supply system during the winter. Joseph Wadsworth became commissary general and for the remainder of the war oversaw the procurement of provisions. Nathanael Greene, one of Washington's subordinates, took over the office of quartermaster general from Thomas Mifflin. Greene performed so well that Washington's men fared much better in the next winter quarters at Morristown, New Jersey, even though the weather was more severe than that at Valley Forge.
Despite their hardships, the American soldiers remained steadfast. Occasionally the troops chanted ominously “no pay, no clothes, no provisions, no rum” but desertion did not become a major problem. Indeed, it decreased when the shortages were most grave. History has confirmed the accolade bestowed by John Laurens, Washington's volunteer aide-de-camp, who spoke of “those dear, ragged Continentals whose patience will be the admiration of future ages.”
An army stronger in ability as well as in spirit developed at Valley Forge. Major General Friedrich Wilhelm Ludolf Gerhard Augustin von Steuben, a Prussian volunteer, used the long winter hours to train the soldiers in the latest formations and tactics. The soldiers learned the lessons well and repeatedly put them to good use when they resumed their campaigns in the spring of 1778. Today, Valley Forge is a national historic landmark and a major tourist attraction, visited by hundreds of thousands of people every year.