What are some facts about the winter at Valley Forge?
Due to shortages of food, lack of proper hygiene, sanitation, and medical knowledge of the time, over 2,000 soldiers perished during the winter. From scurvy to smallpox, dysentery, and other maladies, one out of every six soldiers that marched into Valley Forge in December did not march back out in June.
What was the geography of Valley Forge?
On December 19, Washington conducted his 12,000-man army to Valley Forge to establish the encampment. The encampment was primarily situated along the high, flat ground east of Mount Joy and south of the Schuylkill River.
What was so important about the winter of 1777 in Valley Forge?
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 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.
What happens in winter at Valley Forge?
In December, 1777, General George Washington moved the Continental Army to their winter quarters at Valley Forge. By the time the army marched into Valley Forge on December 19, they were suffering not only from cold, hunger, and fatigue, but from low morale in the wake of the disastrous Philadelphia Campaign.
How many people froze to death at Valley Forge?
No one starved or froze to death when George Washington struggled to hold his recently defeated Continental Army together here during the legendary winter of 1777-’78. In fact, only a handful of soldiers actually died here at the army’s winter headquarters.
What happened at the winter of Valley Forge?
In December, 1777, General George Washington moved the Continental Army to their winter quarters at Valley Forge. Though Revolutionary forces had secured a pivotal victory at Saratoga in September and October, Washington’s army suffered defeats at Brandywine, Paoli, and Germantown, Pennsylvania.
Why was the winter at Valley Forge important?
Valley Forge is the location of the 1777-1778 winter encampment of the Continental Army under General George Washington. Valley Forge was a naturally defensible plateau where they could train and recoup from the year’s battles while winter weather, impassable roads, and scant supplies stopped the fighting.
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.
Who won winter at Valley Forge?
General George Washington
In December, 1777, General George Washington moved the Continental Army to their winter quarters at Valley Forge. Though Revolutionary forces had secured a pivotal victory at Saratoga in September and October, Washington’s army suffered defeats at Brandywine, Paoli, and Germantown, Pennsylvania.
What is the winter Valley Forge?
Valley Forge is the location of the 1777-1778 winter encampment of the Continental Army under General George Washington.