Valley Forge, Pennsylvania, is an area along the Schuylkill River, about 25 miles (40 kilometers) northwest of Philadelphia. General George Washington and his troops camped there in the winter of 1777 and 1778, during the American Revolution. These months were discouraging for the Americans. The Continental Army endured months of suffering.
Conditions at Valley Forge.
Washington led his troops to Valley Forge after his defeats at Brandywine and Germantown, Pennsylvania. These defeats left Philadelphia under British control. Washington’s soldiers had little food and too little clothing to protect themselves from the cold. The Continental Congress could not provide more supplies for them. The army of about 10,000 lived in crude log huts that they built themselves. On Dec. 23, 1777, Washington wrote: “We have this day no less than 2,873 men in camp unfit for duty because they are barefooted and otherwise naked.”
An estimated 2,500 soldiers died during this period. Many others were either too weak or too sick to fight because of a smallpox epidemic. But the people around Valley Forge enjoyed all the comforts of a rich countryside because little fighting took place at this time. The British lived a carefree life in Philadelphia.
The winter at Valley Forge tested the loyalty of the American troops. Only dedicated patriots stayed with the Continental Army. Many people criticized Washington, but he held his position at Valley Forge throughout the winter and spring. He improved his troops with the help of Baron von Steuben, a former Prussian soldier. Steuben drilled the soldiers in a system of field formations. By spring, Washington had a disciplined, well-trained army. The news of the alliance between France and the United States reached Valley Forge on May 6, 1778. It cheered Washington and helped him move successfully against the British in June.
Valley Forge National Historical Park
covers the campsite. For area, see National Park System (table: National historical parks) . The park’s buildings and monuments were built in memory of Washington’s Continental Army. The old stone house he used as headquarters still stands there. Other structures in the park include the Washington Memorial Chapel and the National Memorial Arch.
