Washington continued with a dire warning to Congress: "unless some great and capital change suddenly takes place in that line, this Army must inevitably be reduced to one or other of these three things, Starve, dissolve, or disperse, in order to obtain subsistence in the best manner they can. They struggled with basic formations and lacked uniformity, thanks to multiple drilling techniques taught in various ways by different officers. Two years of war, shuffling leadership, and uneven recruitment resulted in irregular unit organization and strength. It was an encampment of 10,000 men under George Washington. Many soldiers and commanders hailed from German-speaking communities, as with Pennsylvania-born Brigadier General Peter Muhlenberg. The movement was nominally led by Thomas Conway, a foreign Continental army general and critic of Washington's leadership. After failing to retake Philadelphia, Washington led his 12,000-man army into winter quarters at Valley Forge, located approximately 18 miles (29 km) northwest of Philadelphia. [citation needed][63]. Despite … Largely thanks to capital improvements made by John Potts and his family over the following decades, the small community expanded the ironworks, established mills, and constructed new dwellings for residents. [58] France and the United States subsequently signed a treaty on February 6, 1778, creating a military alliance between the two countries. General George Washington brought the American troops to Valley Forge following their defeats at the Battles of Germantown and Brandywine in the fall of 1777 in the American Revolution. [7][8], After the British landing at Head of Elk (present-day Elkton, Maryland), on August 25, 1777, the British Army maneuvered out of the Chesapeake basin and towards Valley Forge. [25] The men suffered from continual, gnawing hunger and cold. Oil painting of Friedrich von … Soldiers contracted influenza and pneumonia, while still others succumbed to typhus, caused by body lice. Stories of harsh weather likely originated from the 1779-1780 winter encampment at Jockey Hollow, near Morristown, New Jersey, which had the coldest winter of the war. [39] So, Washington ordered inoculations for any soldiers vulnerable to the disease. [35], Maintaining cleanliness was a challenge for the Continental Army. 13. The image of Valley Forge as a site of terrible suffering and unshakeable perseverance emerged years after the encampment ended. The words were spoken in the darkness outside Washington’s small stone headquarters at Valley Forge. "[53], While historians disagree as to the seriousness of the threat to Washington's leadership during the Valley Forge winter, the most organized of these threats (albeit loosely-organized) was the so-called Conway Cabal. Despite the mortality rate, Washington did curb the spread of smallpox, which had plagued the Continental Army since the American Revolution had begun in 1775. In 1742, Quaker industrialists established the Mount Joy Iron Forge. France and the United States subsequently signed a treatyon February 6, 1778, creatin… About 30% of Continental soldiers at Valley Forge did not speak English as their first language. 200. [10] In addition to suggestions from his officers, Washington also had to contend with the recommendations of politicians. [50][51] Thanks to the widespread reorganization, unit strength and the terms of service became more standardized, improving the Continental army's efficiency. [56] These new efforts to train and discipline the army also improved morale among the soldiers more generally.[57]. Historic Valley Forge. [22] Washington chose the area partly for its strategic benefits, but wintertime road conditions impeded supply wagons on route to the encampment.[23]. Valley Forge Casino online gambling overview. 100. "[33] According to historian Wayne Bodle, they came to understand through their visit "how vulnerable the new army could be to logistical disruption, owing to its size, its organizational complexity, and its increasing mobility. Washington once wrote that "the multitude of women in particular, especially those who are pregnant, or have children, are a clog upon every movement. No battles were fought at Valley Forge. Valley Forge was and is still important because it is the mark of the victory of the struggles, hardships and battles for survival that is embedded in this place. Washington knew that the British and the Hessians(Mercenaries from Germany hired to fight for the British) they hired were all going to be sleeping or very tired. "[34] Washington and his aides convinced them to implement recommended reforms to the supply department. They also brought 2,000 shirts, smuggled from the city, sewn under the eyes of the enemy. Who won the battle of Valley Forge? [14] In addition to a concentration of soldiers at Valley Forge, Washington ordered nearly 2,000 soldiers to encamp at Wilmington, Delaware. [60] Meanwhile, small-scale cooperative operations between the Continentals and New Jersey militia harassed and exhausted the British forces. He posted the army's mounted troops at Trenton, New Jersey, and additional outposts at Downingtown and Radnor, Pennsylvania, among other places. [52], Although Washington enjoyed support among enlisted soldiers, commissioned officers and congressional officials were not as enthusiastic. An investigation uncovered that 3,000-4,000 troops had not received inoculations, despite having long-term enlistments. It was during the American Revolutionary War that General George Washington led a troop of 12,000 soldiers 18 miles northwest of Pennsylvania against the winter’s rage to prepare for battle against the British Army. December 19, 1777 to June 19, 1778 .