After Washington lost Philadelphia, he led his troops to Valley Forge, Pennsylvania, to spend a bleak, cold winter. Food was in short supply, and the soldiers were in tatters. Washington's leadership capability was being questioned by some officers and colonists.
The Continental Army encamped at Valley Forge in the fall of 1777 with about 12,000 men in its ranks. Death claimed about a quarter of them before spring arrived. Another thousand didn't reenlist or deserted.
Help came in the form of a Prussian volunteer, Baron von Steuben. As a military leader, von Steuben was aghast at the lack of American discipline. At Washington's urging, he trained the Continental Army, Prussian-style, and the troops slowly became more professional. Among the soldiers who remained, confidence grew. They were fewer in number, but they had better discipline and tactics. The phrase, "It's always darkest before the dawn" aptly describes that winter at Valley Forge; it was Washington's darkest hour. However, the dawn was breaking, and America's future began burning brighter.
Watch the following video about Washington and his troops during the winter at Valley Forge. Take notes as you watch.
The winter of 1777-1778 brought harsh realities and a new low to American mentality during the Revolution. British troops had already taken Philadelphia, the largest city in the capital and the heart of politics. Once the British had taken Philadelphia, the political body, the Continental Congress, had to relocate further and further west and finally ended up in New York. The winter at Valley Forge from December 1777 to June 1778 brought harsh realities as the winter tore down the moral of Washington’s army.
The summer of 1777 saw many battles during the Revolution. Washington and his army were on the losing end of many of these. Even though they lost most, the British armies were harassed and to the dismay of the British generals, they lost many men. However, at the Battle of Brandywine and the Battle of Germantown, the Americans showed brilliant resilience, yet they were unable to stop the British army from advancing into Philadelphia. Unable to stop the British, Washington led his army to a location about 20 miles north of Philadelphia called Valley Forge. From this location, Washington could keep an eye on the British army.
During their time at Valley Forge, the Continental Army experienced shortages of food, clothing, medicine, and more. Many became sick from disease, hunger, and exposure to the harsh winter. They were made to house in crude log cabins and camp in the extremely cold conditions while the British Redcoats lodged in the colonial homes. For many in Washington’s army, the term limits for enlistment were ending. Because of the winter at Valley Forge, Washington wondered if any of his men would reenlist. To make matters worse, the local farmers were holding their food in order to make higher profits in the spring. Some farmers were even selling grain to the British in Philadelphia who paid in gold or silver. More and more, the men in Washington’s army were deserting him.
The soldiers at Valley Forge had very little to eat. They mostly ate fire cakes, these are made when flour is mixed with water and then fried. Their dwellings consisted of small cabins with one small, stone fireplace and dirt floors. The soldiers did not have adequate clothes or food and were freezing and slowly starving to death. Even Washington’s own officers grumbled and questioned his leadership. Washington wasn’t sure how much more the army would endure.
Soon help arrived--Baron von Steuben, a Prussian volunteer and military leader. Steuben was shocked at the lack of discipline among the American soldiers. He soon took control of the training operations using the Prussian style. Slowly the troops began to show confidence and professionalism. Soon the weather began to improve and food started to arrive from the countryside. The wives were allowed to spend time with their husbands in the army at Valley Forge, and Washington’s command was no longer in question.
The winter at Valley Forge dealt a harsh blow to the continental army. Of the 12,000 men stationed there in the fall of 1777, around a quarter of them did not make it through the winter. Still another 1,000 or so didn’t reenlist or deserted the army. However, there was a silver lining. The army that remained were stronger and more disciplined; 1778 brought more victories for the Americans. During the winter, Benjamin Franklin was busy in Europe getting French allies to help.
