Valley Forge in PA – we had the history wrong!

Valley Forge – the name is synonymous with George Washington – we got that right. But before visiting Valley Forge, we were both thinking it was a camp and that there was also a Revolutionary Battle held there, but there was not. It’s known for the 1777-1778 winter encampment of the Continental Army led by General George Washington. He picked the location to be able to monitor troops in Philadelphia, less than 20 miles away.

On December 19th, 1777, more than 12,000 soldiers and 400 women and children marched into Valley Forge and began to build what essentially became the fourth largest city in the colonies at the time, with 2,000 log huts and two miles of fortifications. The encampment was as diverse as any city, and was made up of free and enslaved African American soldiers and civillians, Indigenous people, wealthy officers, impoverished enlisted men, European immigrants, people speaking many different languages and following many different religions. The number of soldiers present ranged from 12,000 in December to nearly 20,000 in late spring.

These are all replicas – after the encampment, the houses were used for wood by locals or just deteriorated. All the surrounding trees and farmland were stripped of wood in building of the 2,000 huts.

They housed 12 enlisted soldiers in each cabin.

While there was never a battle at Valley Forge, disease killed nearly 2,000 people during the encampment. The six month Valley Forge encampment occurred during the third year of a eight and 1/2 year war. Once again, I had forgotten it was such a long war!

This was the site of George Washington’s tent, which he lived in until all the huts were built.
He later moved to an actually house but wouldn’t do this until all the soldiers were housed.

Baron von Steuben, was a Prussian-born army officer who trained Washington’s men and played a leading role in the War by reforming the Continental Army into a disciplined and professional fighting force. This is considered to be the “birth” of the American Army. The concepts of basic training, the professionalization of the officer corps, and the rise of the army’s distinctive branches, such as the corps of engineers, all got their start here. On June 28, at the Battle of Monmouth, NJ, Washington’s men demonstrated their new battlefield skills, as they forced the British from the field. The Army also fought with skill in the southern campaigns that led to the victory at Yorktown in 1781.

There are many monuments honoring the different states and the soldiers they sent to the army,
but this is the only one depicting an enlisted solder.

Notice the blanket he holds around him for warmth. Many soldiers did not have adequate uniforms.

It was a beautiful day with lots of people walking and riding bikes. We choose to listen to the audio tour and hopped out at tour stops. We also did this a few years ago at Gettysburg –
you get so much more history this way, from the comfort of your vehicle. 🙂

One of our stops was the National Memorial Arch.

My beloved Uncle John was a Mason and we have friends’ who are now.

My hands down favorite part of Valley Forge is the Washington Memorial Chapel! I can’t imaging how it would be attending a service or a wedding here – wow!