![]() The Valley Forge encampment included more than 1,500 log huts and two miles of fortifications, and essentially became the fourth largest city in America at the time. The picture of the encampment that emerges from the army records and the soldiers’ own writing is that of a skilled and capable force in charge of its own destiny. In addition to the huts, the men constructed miles of trenches, five earthen forts (redoubts), and a state-of-the-art bridge based on a Roman design over the Schuylkill River. Most agreed that their log accommodations were “tolerably comfortable.” The army placed the 2,000-odd huts in parallel lines, and according to one officer, the camp “had the appearance of a little city” when viewed from a distance. The officers formed the men into construction squads and instructed them to build cabins according to a 14-foot by 16-foot model. Valley Forge was the first winter encampment where many thousands of men had to build their own huts. One of the most immediate remedies against the weather and a lack of clothing was the construction of log shelters by the men. During this time, well-equipped units took the place of their poorly dressed comrades and patrolled, foraged, and defended the camp. At the worst point in early March, the army listed 2,898 men as unfit for duty due to a lack of clothing. Shortages of clothing did cause severe hardship for a number of men, but many soldiers had a full uniform. The most serious food crisis occurred in February, when the men went without meat for several days at a stretch. For example, army records of the food shipped to camp in the month of January 1778 reveal that the men received an average daily ration of one-half pound of beef per man. Provisions were available during the early months of the encampment. Rather than wait for deliverance, the army procured supplies, built log cabins to stay in, constructed makeshift clothing and gear, and cooked subsistence meals of their own concoction. The winter of 1777-78 was not the coldest nor the worst winter experienced during the war, but regular freezing and thawing, plus intermittent snowfall and rain, coupled with shortages of provisions, clothing, and shoes, made living conditions extremely difficult. It would be difficult to imagine a scenario in which the leader of a popular revolution stood by while his men froze and starved. ![]() The romantic image that depicts the troops at Valley Forge as helpless and famished individuals at the mercy of winter’s fury and clothed in nothing but rags renders them and their commander a disservice. They were cautiously optimistic about the future, and resigned themselves to the task of establishing their winter camp. ![]() They exuded the confidence of people who knew that they had come close to beating the British in battle. Contrary to popular myth, the Continental soldiers marching in to Valley Forge, were not downtrodden - just exhausted and ill-supplied. Washington and his campaign-weary army marched into camp on December 19, 1777. ![]()
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