Year 1777..
They spent the winter in Valley Forge. They were 35 miles from Philadelphia which is where the British Army was.
Valley Forge is surrounded in myth. We are told a story that the soldiers were freezing to death and nearly starved. That this was the worse winter in the Revolution and that men were so naked that they left bloody footprints in the snow. This is an exaggeration. Studies by the National Park Service and a team of archaeologist in the 1970's show that no one starved or froze. The researchers found that in December, January, and February that the 10,000 man army was supplied each month with a million pounds of flour and a million pounds of meat and fish. Broken down this means that each soldier was given more than 3 pounds of flour and more than 3 pounds of fish or meat per day. It seems that Washington overplayed the problems at the camp to obtain more aid from Congress and to fend off criticism that the army should spend the winter on the march. Washington was a shrewd man.
Valley Forge is surrounded in myth. We are told a story that the soldiers were freezing to death and nearly starved. That this was the worse winter in the Revolution and that men were so naked that they left bloody footprints in the snow. This is an exaggeration. Studies by the National Park Service and a team of archaeologist in the 1970's show that no one starved or froze. The researchers found that in December, January, and February that the 10,000 man army was supplied each month with a million pounds of flour and a million pounds of meat and fish. Broken down this means that each soldier was given more than 3 pounds of flour and more than 3 pounds of fish or meat per day. It seems that Washington overplayed the problems at the camp to obtain more aid from Congress and to fend off criticism that the army should spend the winter on the march. Washington was a shrewd man.
No one real turning point actually existed. The first turning point is the Battle of Saratoga. That battle showed that the American Army was a serious army and could be a powerful fighting force. It brought France into the conflict on the American Side. Many historians consider that the turning point. Another turning point was the Battle of Kings Mountain in South Carolina. In that battle the Americans figured out how to defeat an army dug in on a mountain top. This was a brand new strategy in warfare. It gave the Americans tremendous respect all over Europe. Thomas Jefferson considered Kings Mountain the most important battle of the war. Another turning point was the Battle of Guilford Court House. In it Lord Cornwallace drove off the army of General Greene but lost over half of his troops in the great pyrrhic victory where Greene had very small losses. At that point motions came before the house of commons in Parliament to stop funding for the War. The end came at Yorktown. General Lafayette had the British bottled up. He waited for Washington to arrive before the final push. For political reasons, he wanted Lord Cornwallace to surrender to General Washington. The fact that an American, George Washington had defeated Lord Cornwallace really impressed Europeans. The real end came in the British Parliament. King George III wanted to continue the war. William Pitt, the younger, explained a new accounting system he had invented. He showed Parliament that taxes on the Americans would never repay the costs of fighting the Americans. At that point the British Parliament refused to spend any more money on the war. What is up players
about $288 Billion
valley forge
Valley Forge
Valley Forge
Valley Forge
They spent the harsh winter in Valley Forge.
Valley Forge Valley Forge Valley Forge Valley Forge Valley Forge Valley Forge Valley Forge Valley Forge Valley Forge Valley Forge Valley Forge Valley Forge Valley Forge
valley forge
Valley forge
Valley Forge
Vally Forge
Valley Forge in Pennsylvania. The troops faced dire conditions there. Many died.
Valley Forge