Valley Forge National Park

Location of Valley Forge encampment

Places and features mentioned in this article

Valley Forge National Historical Park
1400 North Outer Line Drive
King of Prussia, PA 19406
(610) 783-1077

The winter of 1777 was fast approaching, and General George Washington needed to find winter quarters for his army. It was only that September that British General William Howe had marched into Philadelphia unopposed, hoping that capturing the seat of the revolutionary government would put an end to the “rebellion”.

Washington selected Valley Forge, Pennsylvania, situated 18 miles northwest of Philadelphia. It was close enough to keep British raiding parties away from interior Pennsylvania, yet far enough away to diminish the threat of surprise attacks. The Schuylkill River provided a line of defense to the north, and the high ground of Mount Joy and the adjoining elevated ground of Mount Misery combined to provide an easily defensible western flank. Defensive trenches were dug on the encampment perimeter, creating an Outer Line of Defense to the south and an Inner Line of Defense to the west.

The British never attacked, but the memory of that winter encampment is engraved in the memory of the nation nonetheless, thanks to the rebirth and rejuvenation of the Continental Army that occurred there. This rebirth happened in the face of deprivation, although such deprivation was not an unusual trial for soldiers in the Revolutionary Army. Soldiers received irregular supplies of bread and meat, some getting their only nourishment from firecake, a tasteless mixture of flour and water. Shortages of clothing caused severe hardship for a number of men, while other soldiers had a full uniform.

The well-equipped units patrolled, foraged, and defended the camp. Under the direction of military engineers, a city of 2,000-odd huts was built along planned military avenues. The troops constructed miles of trenches, five earthen forts, and a bridge over the Schuylkill River.

Although cold and hunger were ever-present hardships, the true scourge of the camp was disease. The most common killers were influenza, typhus, typhoid, and dysentery. Dedicated surgeons and nurses, a smallpox inoculation program, and camp sanitation regulations kept the death tolls in check, although nearly 2,000 men died at Valley Forge due to one cause or another.

At Valley Forge the army matured into a professional fighting force. The Continental Army was primed and ready to move on to the next level just as a charismatic former Prussian army officer, Friedrich Wilhelm von Steuben, arrived in February 1778. Steuben created a “model company” who in turn successively trained other personnel at Regimental and Brigade levels. He established standards for sanitation and camp layouts that remained standards a century and a half later. Perhaps Steuben’s biggest contribution to the American cause was training in the use of the bayonet. Throughout the early course of the war, Americans used the bayonet mostly as a cooking skewer or tool, and Steuben’s introduction of effective bayonet charges was to be a crucial factor in later battles.

Today’s Valley Forge National Historical Park is operated by the U.S. National Park Service. You can watch a 20 minute video to get introduced to the story of Valley Forge, walk through the museum at the Visitor Center to find out more, get into your car and follow the ten-mile, self-guiding automobile tour, follow the bicycle trails that encompass the park, or hop on a trolley for a 90 minute guided tour.

This is the restored Isaac Potts House, which was sublet to George Washington for use as a residence and headquarters. Isaac Potts and William Dewees were owners in partnership of the iron forge known popularly as Valley Forge, to distinguish between it and other ironworks in the region. When General Washington arrived at Valley Forge on December 19, 1777 with his troops, the house was rented from its current tenant, Mrs. Deborah Hewes, for a hundred pounds in Pennsylvania currency. Mrs. Hewes, whose first husband was a brother of Isaac’s, moved in with the Dewees family.

Isaac was a son of John Potts, a prominent Quaker ironmaster who had purchased the entire property in 1757. “Valley Forge” was actually a complete ironworks, and Isaac Potts had diverted a large part of forge production to the Revolutionary War effort. While the British were on their way to Philadelphia in September 1777, they stopped by Valley Forge and destroyed the entire ironworks.

Members of Washington’s Life Guard stayed in these nearby cabins. Formally known as Commander-in-Chief’s Guard, Washington’s Life Guard was a unit of the Continental Army that protected George Washington during the Revolutionary War. The strength of the unit was usually 180 men, although only 8 to 10 were on duty at a given location. The guards doubled as “roadies”, ensuring that all of Washington’s belongings and official documents were packed and transported as required.

These are replicated huts on the ridge used to create an outer line of defense. The surrounding countryside was stripped of trees to build and heat the city of huts that crowded this ridge.

Most cannons in Valley Forge were in the Artillery Park (shown here), which was near the center of the encampment. From here guns could be rushed to the point of attack, from whichever side it might come. Camp roads were deep in mud, and horses were starving, so it may be fortunate that an attack never came. With a gun crew of 14 to 15 men for each field 6-pounder (the weight of the cannon ball), precise teamwork was essential.

The National Memorial Arch was dedicated in 1917 to the perseverance and endurance of the soldiers who wintered at Valley Forge. By the mid 90s the Arch was in need of major repairs, and the Freemasons of Pennsylvania contributed more than $1,500,000 towards the restoration project. George Washington (who is quoted at the top of the arch) was a member of that organization.