Valley Forge was where the American Continental Army made camp during the winter of 1777-1778 . It was here that the American forces became a true fighting unit. Valley Forge is often called the birthplace of the American Army.
Why is Valley Forge important?
The Continental Army's transformative experiences at Valley Forge reshaped it into a more unified force capable of defeating the British and winning American independence during the remaining five years of the war.
What happened at Valley Forge and why was it significant?
The six-month encampment of General George Washington's Continental Army at Valley Forge in the winter of 1777-1778 was a major turning point in the American Revolutionary War . ... The defeats had led some members of the Continental Congress to want to replace Washington, believing he was incompetent.
What are some important facts about Valley Forge?
The army at the Valley Forge Encampment constructed over two miles of breastworks, 6 redans, and 5 redoubts . 25 bake ovens were built to supply the army daily with 10,000-12,000 loaves of bread. There were approximately 1,300 huts in the encampment along with other shelters and sheds for supplies and animals.
What did Washington use Valley Forge for?
As he fought to maintain his position as the Commander-in-Chief, Washington received key support from several officers. General Henry Knox wholeheartedly agreed with his choice of Valley Forge as the army's winter encampment and built fortifications on its hills to defend against British attacks.
Why is it called Valley Forge?
The Valley Forge grounds were originally called Mt. Joy Manor after one of the two hills in Valley Forge [Mount Joy and Mount Misery] . It eventually came to be known as Valley Forge for the forge located in the valley between the two hills.
What was life like at Valley Forge?
At Valley Forge, there were shortages of everything from food to clothing to medicine . Washington's men were sick from disease, hunger, and exposure. The Continental Army camped in crude log cabins and endured cold conditions while the Redcoats warmed themselves in colonial homes.
Was there cannibalism in Valley Forge?
Bentley Little, a pretty good horror writer, suggested in the early '90s there was cannibalism at Valley Forge , but he was nowhere near serious.
How cold was it at Valley Forge?
The Encampment saw basically two periods of severe cold. The end of December with a low of 6 Degrees and the end of March with a low of 8 Degrees. The low in January reached 12 Degrees and February was 16 Degrees.
What did the soldiers eat at Valley Forge?
Soldiers were supposed to receive daily amounts of beef, pork or fish; flour or bread; cornmeal or rice; and rum or whiskey . However, with no organized distribution system combined with limited food resources near the encampment site, soldiers went several days with little to no food during the winter months.
What was the main cause of death at Valley Forge?
Yet cold and starvation were not the most dangerous threats to soldiers at Valley Forge: Diseases like influenza, dysentery, typhoid and typhus killed two-thirds of the nearly 2,000 soldiers who died during the encampment.
How was Valley Forge a turning point?
We rightly regard Valley Forge as the turning point because it tested the nation as it would not be tested again for another fourscore and several years. George Washington's small and fractious army limped into its bleak Pennsylvania encampment after defeats at Brandywine, Paoli and Germantown.
What Battle caused the British to lose the war?
The Battle of Yorktown was the last great battle of the American Revolutionary War. It is where the British Army surrendered and the British government began to consider a peace treaty.
Did Washington pray at Valley Forge?
The Prayer at Valley Forge is a depiction of one of these moments of intense prayer. It is said that a local British loyalist named Isaac Potts came across Washington praying in the woods one cold, wintry day during that terrible winter of 1777 and 1778. ... The Pottses were Quakers and loyalists to the British cause.
Who owned Valley Forge?
In the 1750's a sawmill was added and in 1757, the entire property was purchased by a prominent Quaker ironmaster, John Potts .
