Who is valley forge

Related Articles. View All Related Resources. Battle of Brandywine. The Fighting Man of the Continental Army. Continental Army in the Revolutionary War. Overview of the American Revolutionary War. African Americans and the War for Independence. Foreign Fighters for the American Cause of Independence. General Henry Knox wholeheartedly agreed with his choice of Valley Forge as the army's winter encampment and built fortifications on its hills to defend against British attacks.

Two younger generals— Nathanael Greene and Anthony Wayne —took on the humiliating task of scouring the countryside for horses, cattle, sheep, and hogs for the Continental Army at their commanding general's request. Baron Friedrich von Steuben , a Prussian military officer, provided important training for the American troops. As the drillmaster of Valley Forge, he taught the soldiers how to use the bayonet, and most importantly, how to re-form lines quickly in the midst of battle.

Washington also received help from his wife Martha who arrived from Mount Vernon in February. She took over the management of his household, helped with his correspondence, and cheered him by entertaining guests.

By the early spring conditions at Valley Forge greatly improved. Washington appointed General Greene as the new Quartermaster General and he set up an efficient operation for bringing supplies into the camp.

The rainy weather continued to be a problem, but the mood of the camp brightened when news of the Franco-American alliance arrived in May. Washington ordered his troops to line the parade ground and shoot off their guns one by one in celebration. Finally, on June 19, the Continental Army—better trained and more determined than ever—marched out of Valley Forge. Washington, who proved his leadership, remained their commander. Together they headed for New Jersey where they would make a stand against the British army, on its way from Philadelphia to New York, at Monmouth Courthouse.

Notes: 1. Camp records indicate that two-thirds of the deaths happened during the warmer months of March, April and May when soldiers were less confined to their cabins and food and other supplies were more abundant. The most common illnesses included influenza , typhus, typhoid fever and dysentery—conditions most likely exacerbated by poor hygiene and sanitation at the camp. Despite the harsh conditions, Valley Forge is sometimes called the birthplace of the American army because, by June of , the weary troops emerged with a rejuvenated spirit and confidence as a well-trained fighting force.

At the time, the Prussian Army was widely regarded as one of the best in Europe, and von Steuben had a sharp military mind. Von Steuben arrived in Valley Forge on February 23, General George Washington, impressed by his acumen, soon appointed von Steuben temporary inspector general. In his role, von Steuben set standards for camp layout, sanitation and conduct. For instance, he demanded that latrines be placed, facing downhill, on the opposite side of camp as the kitchens. Von Steuben, who spoke little English, ran the troops through a gamut of intense Prussian-style drills.

He taught them to efficiently load, fire and reload weapons, charge with bayonets and march in compact columns of four instead of miles-long single file lines. While many historians consider the Battle of Monmouth a tactical draw, the Continental Army fought for the first time as a cohesive unit, showing a new level of confidence, according to the American Battlefield Trust.

The Americans used artillery to hold off British troops and even launched bayonet counterattacks—skills they had sharpened while drilling under von Steuben at Valley Forge.

Following British victories at the Battle of Brandywine September 11, and the Battle of the Clouds September 16 , on September 18 General Wilhelm von Knyphausen led British soldiers on a raid of Valley Forge, burning down several buildings and stealing supplies despite the best efforts of Lieutenant Colonel Alexander Hamilton and Captain Henry Lee to defend them.

French assistance was crucial to the success of the Revolution. Starting in , vital French aid in the form of military materiel flowed to America. The efforts of American agents in France and the strong performance of the continentals at the Battles of Saratoga and Germantown convinced the French to do more than provide covert aid.

At Valley Forge in the spring of , the army joyously celebrated the formal French recognition of the United States as a sovereign power and valuable alliance with this leading European nation. Though it would take years to bear fruit at Yorktown in , the alliance provided Washington with assistance from the formidable French navy as well as additional troops he needed to counter British marine superiority.

The commander in chief rapidly set troops in motion: a small force marched in and took possession of the city. The majority of the army swiftly advanced from staging areas on the north side of the Schuylkill River and southeast of camp toward the Delaware River and New Jersey in order to bring on a general engagement.

Monmouth hurt the British in the short term and provided the Americans with a long-term boost in confidence. In the summer of , Washington could claim that the war effort was going well. Thanks to the contributions of von Steuben and others, the Continental Army was more unified than ever before.

The expected arrival of the French greatly altered British war plans. Philadelphia was back under patriot control. Washington knew that for every year the war dragged on the Americans held the advantage. The British withdrawal from Pennsylvania protracted the war and played into his plans.

The success of Valley Forge also can be measured in longer-term gains. Many regard Valley Forge as the birthplace of the American army. The Continental Army forced the British to retreat at the battle of Monmouth, New Jersey, in June , and fought with skill in the southern campaigns that led to the victory at Yorktown in The symbolic importance that Americans have attached to Valley Forge since the 19th century both complicates and enriches its authentic history.

The desire to commemorate began to shape the history of this place soon after the army marched out. The scale and intensity of the encampment devastated the landscape of the Valley Forge area. The land itself was pockmarked with entrenchments, muddy military roads and paths, some 2, huts, offal and other refuse pits, and work areas. Farmers quickly recovered, and within the decade the huts were largely gone, fields replanted, and woodlots re-sprouted.

On both sides of the river, farms were improved, farmhouses enlarged, and large barns and other outbuildings added, changing the scale of what had been modest farms at the time of the encampment. At the Village of Valley Forge, a musket factory was established even before the revolution ended.

In the 19th century, iron mills and later a steel mill were operated there, as well as textile factories; saw, paper, and grist mills; wharves and a towpath associated with the Schuylkill Navigation Canal; a rail line with freight and passenger stations; stone and sand quarries; a water bottling plant; and enterprises including a hotel, stores, blacksmiths, and a tannery.

The thriving community included dwellings, religious institutions, and schools. Explore This Park. Info Alerts Maps Calendar Reserve. Alerts In Effect Dismiss. Dismiss View all alerts. Overview of History and Significance. The history and mythology of the Valley Forge winter encampment is fundamental to understanding American identity. The Valley Forge encampment included more than 1, log huts and two miles of fortifications, and essentially became the fourth largest city in America at the time.

NPS Photo People of the Encampment On December 19th, , 12, soldiers and 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 1, log huts and two miles of fortifications. New Reforms for a Unified Army Through the duration the encampment, Washington inspired the soldiers through his own resilience and sense of duty.

Life Before the Encampment Indigenous Peoples occupied the area in and around what is now known as Valley Forge National Historical Park as early as 10,, BP before present , enjoying the abundance of food and shelter offered by the river valley environment. One Winter of A Long War To fully appreciate the significance of what occurred at Valley Forge, the event must be placed in the context of the entire American Revolution.

One observer of the march through the city that summer prophetically stated that [The men] though indifferently dressed, held well burnished arms, and carried them like soldiers; and looked, in short, as if they might have faced an equal number with a reasonable prospect of success.

Though they lost both battles, as well as the capital at Philadelphia, the Continental Army emerged from these experiences with a confidence like that of an underdog sports team that had thrown a scare into the champion Arrival at Valley Forge Washington and his campaign-weary men marched into camp on December 19, Ravages of Disease Perhaps the most notable suffering that occurred at Valley Forge came from a factor that has not been frequently mentioned in textbooks: disease was the true scourge of the camp.

Legacy of the Encampment Despite the difficulties, there were a number of significant accomplishments and events during the encampment. Von Steuben did not try to introduce the entire system of drill, evolutions, maneuvers, discipline, tactics, and Prussian formation into the American army: I should have been pelted had I attempted it, and should inevitably have failed.