Winter at Valley Forge, 1777–1778
Washington at Valley Forge, F. Heppenheimer, 1853 (Library of Congress)
After defeats at Philadelphia and Brandywine, George Washington’s troops settled in for the winter of 1777–1778 at Valley Forge, Pennsylvania, close to British-occupied Philadelphia. It was common for armies to stop fighting during the winter, because transportation was so difficult. The Continental Army faced disease, exposure, hunger, and lack of supplies. Washington wrote letters to Congress, the state legislatures, and other supporters to request supplies, and sent troops out into the countryside to gather food. The men built huts to live in and gathered straw for warmth as they didn’t have enough blankets. Washington used the time to train the men in preparation for the summer fighting season. In June 1778, Washington led his troops out of Valley Forge to fight the British again.
