Valley Forge

December 1777 to June 1778.

it was cold and snowy and it was 25 miles from Pennsylvania

Because he wanted to

IMPROVEMENT

After the defeat at the Battle of Germantown, Washington decided to took up winter quarter at Valley Forge. He chose this place because it was easy to defend, being protected by the River China and the Mount Joy , which were two strong natural defenses.

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12,000 men went into winter quarters at valley forge. 2,000 died.

George Washington.

valley forge was not a battle, it was the winter encampment for the continental army.

June 19,1778

There was no battle at Valley Forge. It was the winter camp for Washington's army. Many believe that the men that winter were hungry, sick, and cold. Park historians have proven that this wasn't true. The men were well fed, had cabins, and did pretty well in the cold. Washington "spun" his letters to Congress so they wouldn't cut funding to the army. He was worried that if Congress knew how well they were doing they would cut back the money sent for the army.

During Valley Forge the soldiers did not have any blankets. The troops lacked decent food, clothing, and shelter. Most of the men didn't have blankets shoes, and shirts.

1778

It was very cold. People were becoming sick because of lack of food and lack of supplies.

The valley got its name from the persons who first mapped it. They were Huguenot explorers from the Mountain region of Fougere, France. They called it Vallee d'Fougere which was later anglicized to Valley Forge.

Von Steuben.

Probably in April when Baron von Steuben tranformed the discouraged troops into an organized fighting force, which is probably the reason their morale was raised and they went on to win the battle of Monmouth.

In June of 1778, after the terrible winter at Valley Forge, the American army left there and moved up to Philadelphia. There they re-took the city from the British. During this time the Americans were aided by the French.

Valley Forge was the location of the winter encampment of the American troops. Myth has it that the men were in bad shape, no food, and were cold. The National Park Service has proven that this was not true. The troops got 3 pounds of meats and vegetables a day to eat, were well dressed, and stayed 3-4 to small huts/houses. Washington told Congress they were in bad shape because he knew that if Congress really knew how well off they were they would quit sending money and help. He politically spun the story to make sure his troops were taken care of. He was very much a politician.

After the British took Philadelphia, George Washington moved his troops to their winter camp at Valley Forge near Philadelphia. Supplies were dangerously low. Most of the troops survived by eating firecakes, a thin bread of flour and water cooked open an open fire.

Blizzard conditions

George Washington used Valley Forge as a military camp in the winter of 1777. They arrived in December. It was cold and windy, with temperatures often dipping below freezing and frequent snow. Thousands of men had died by the end of February of 1778, due in large part to the harsh conditions there.

Mostly corn bread. Archeological evidence has shown that the man who never toid a lie did fake the plight of his troops to a considerable degree in his reports to the Continental Congress. The potential for starvation of his entire army was far from a genuine possibility. The charred bones of wild game recovered fom cooking pits indicate that while rations were often limited, no one starved.

I honestly don't know .... I really need to know too!

to keep the contiental army together.was also the cold winters

the American soldiers were being trained to fight better

actually marquis de Lafayette was the frenchman, but true that a greman named baron von struben helped too.