Valley+Forge

While looking for a place to stay during the winter of 1777-1778 that could be safe for him and the Continental Army, George Washington eventually found Valley Forge. General Washington and the Continental Army had been marching for miles looking for a suitable place to stay for the winter and when it seemed like they would never find anything, they found the town of Valley Forge. It is located about a couple of miles away from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The group arrived there in December and stayed until about June. While they were there, they built hundreds of cabins and headquarters for the army and Washington. The entire army spent six months of a terrible and grueling winter. Through the winter, the men died from terrible odds, hunger, and disease. The army was about to quit, even the general. Washington’s army was very diverse. They had African Americans, Native Americans, and Caucasians. During their entire stay at Valley Forge, General Washington and another mercenary, Baron von Steuben, turned the Continental Army into a strong fighting force. In March, General Nathanael Greene was promoted to head of the dismal Commission Department, and once that happened, more food and supplies were brought in to Valley Forge. Though no battle was fought at Valley Forge, more than 2,000 men died there. More died than the battles of Brandywine and Germantown combined. In June, the soldiers marched off and left to fight the battle of Monmouth. After their time at Valley Forge, the Continental Army was turned in to a fighting force and taught them pure discipline. This was probably the biggest impact the army’s history.
 * Valley Forge**

Citation:

Hughes, Libby. //Valley Forge////.// New York: Dillon Press, 1993. Wiener, Roberta. //The Revolutionary War, The Road to Valley Forge.// James R. Arnold, 2002. "Valley Forge National Historic Park." [|//www.valleyforge.org//]. Valley Forge Convention and Visitors Bureau, 2009. Dec. 3, 2009 "What Happened at Valley Forge." [|//www.ushistory.org/march/phila/Valleyforge.htm//]//.// Independence Hall Association, 1997-2009. Dec. 3, 2009