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Alerts in effect, what happened at valley forge.
| Valley Forge is the location of the 1777-1778 winter encampment of the Continental Army led by General George Washington during the American Revolutionary War. Here the Continental Army, still largely made up of a collection of disparate colonial militias supported by hundreds of camp followers and allies, emerged under Washington’s leadership as a cohesive and disciplined fighting force. In late 1777 while the British occupied the American capital of Philadelphia, Washington decided to have his troops winter at Valley Forge, only a day’s march from the city. Valley Forge was a naturally defensible plateau where the army could train and recoup from the year’s battles, and the wet and cold winter weather, muddy and impassable roads, and scant supplies made major battles less likely. Washington and his campaign-weary army marched into camp on December 19, 1777. Contrary to popular myth, the Continental soldiers marching in to Valley Forge, were not downtrodden — just exhausted and ill-supplied. They exuded the confidence of people who knew that they had come close to beating the British in battle. They were cautiously optimistic about the future, and resigned themselves to the task of establishing their winter camp. 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. 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 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. 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. Provisions were available during the early months of the encampment. 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. The most serious food crisis occurred in February, when the men went without meat for several days at a stretch. Shortages of clothing did cause severe hardship for a number of men, but many soldiers had a full uniform. At the worst point in early March, the army listed 2,898 men as unfit for duty due to a lack of clothing. During this time, well-equipped units took the place of their poorly dressed comrades and patrolled, foraged, and defended the camp. One of the most immediate remedies against the weather and a lack of clothing was the construction of log shelters by the men. Valley Forge was the first winter encampment where many thousands of men had to build their own huts. The officers formed the men into construction squads and instructed them to build cabins according to a 14-foot by 16-foot model. 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. Most agreed that their log accommodations were “tolerably comfortable.” 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. 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. On December 19th, 1777, 12,000 soldiers and 400 women and children marched into Valley Forge and began to build what essentially became the fourth largest city in the colonies at the time, with 1,500 log huts and two miles of fortifications. Lasting six months, from December until June, the encampment was as diverse as any city, and was made up of free and enslaved African American soldiers and civillians, Indigenous people, wealthy officers, impoverished enlisted men, European immigrants, speakers of several languages, and adherents of multiple religions. Concentrating the soldiers in one vast camp allowed the army to protect the countryside and be better able to resist a British attack, but it became costly when lack of supplies and hunger afflicted the inhabitants, and diseases like influenza and typhoid spread through the camp. While there was never a battle at Valley Forge, disease killed nearly 2,000 people during the encampment. Through the duration the encampment, Washington inspired the soldiers through his own resilience and sense of duty. He persuaded Congress to reform the supply system and end the crippling shortages, and attracted experienced officers to the cause, including former Prussian officer Baron von Steuben, who was assigned the task of training the troops. Von Steuben taught the soldiers new military skills and to fight as a unified army. These reforms in supply systems and fighting tactics, along with reforms in military hygiene and army organization, became the foundation of the modern United States Army. Word came in May to General Washington that the long-sought alliance with France was secured. The British soon evacuated Philadelphia and headed north to defend their stronghold in New York City, and on June 19, 1778, Washington’s troops marched out of Valley Forge in pursuit. The Continental Army’s transformative experiences at Valley Forge reshaped it into a more unified force capable of defeating the British and winning American independence during the remaining five years of the war. Indigenous Peoples occupied the area in and around what is now known as Valley Forge National Historical Park as early as 10,000-8,000 BP (before present), enjoying the abundance of food and shelter offered by the river valley environment. The last native people to inhabit the area were the Lenape, also known as the Delaware. Europeans began to settle the region in the late 17th century and pushed out the natives. By the time of the encampment in 1777, most of the land in the vicinity had been cleared for agriculture. Within what is now the park, 18 landowners established fairly prosperous farms on the choice agricultural soils. Along Valley Creek, an iron works named Valley Forge was established, and a small industrial village including charcoal houses, a saw mill, grist mill, and company store grew up around it. The slopes of Mounts Joy and Misery were wooded and were frequently cut over to supply wood for making charcoal to fuel the iron forge. On arrival in December 1777, a Continental soldier would have seen an open, rolling landscape divided into many small crop fields and pastures by fences and hedgerows; woodlands and charcoal hearths on the mountains; and the smattering of structures in the Village of Valley Forge, including the ruins of the forges themselves - burned during a raid by the British three months earlier. The winter encampment at Valley Forge is one of the most famous episodes of the American Revolution. The significance of the encampment lies both in its fact-based history and also its storied myth. The mythical narrative is important in its own right for it reveals something about our character in the heroic way we wish the Revolution to be remembered. The popularity of the myth also speaks to its usefulness. Valley Forge remains a touchstone - always ready to minister to a generation in crisis. The myth often obscures the actual history of the event, however. It tells us that it was the experience of tremendous suffering from cold and starvation during the encampment that forged a spirit of extraordinary patriotism among Washington’s men. Hardship did occur at Valley Forge, but it was not a time of exceptional misery in the context of the situation. The encampment experience could be characterized as “suffering as usual,” for privation was the Continental soldier’s constant companion. Likewise, patriotism did not peak during the relatively short six-month period at Valley Forge. Widespread devotion to the cause was an early war phenomenon for the most part. Steadfast patriotism found a long-term home among only a few Americans, most notably the veterans who served for the duration. To fully appreciate the significance of what occurred at Valley Forge, the event must be placed in the context of the entire American Revolution. Few Americans appreciate the scope of the war. Many do not realize that the war lasted for eight-and-a-half years, was international in scale, or that the American army campaigned in areas as far north as Canada, as far south as Georgia, and even west of the Allegheny Mountains. The Valley Forge encampment occurred during the third year of the war. Early successes against a smaller British army had led some Revolutionary leaders to believe that the righteousness of their cause and a militia-type force composed of citizen soldiers would be enough to force the British from America. By the time of Valley Forge, however, most Americans realized that the Revolution would be a long, drawn-out affair. While some refused to accept it, the nature of the war changed in July 1776 when a large contingent of English and Hessian troops reached America’s shores and sought to crush the rebellion. By the fall, the British had pushed Washington’s unevenly trained and outnumbered force to the brink of defeat and established control over New York City and the states of New York and New Jersey. Only Washington’s bold Christmas night 1776 crossing of the Delaware River and subsequent victories at Trenton and Princeton, New Jersey, saved the cause from disaster. In order to put the army on firmer footing, in 1777 the Continental Congress allowed George Washington to recruit soldiers for longer enlistments. The men of this establishment formed the bulk of the professional force that would fight the rest of the war. After wintering at their stronghold in Morristown, New Jersey, Washington’s forces prepared to meet the British with renewed fervor in the spring of 1777. British strategy for the third year of the American Revolution included a plan to capture the patriot capital at Philadelphia. To accomplish this objective, the British commander in chief, Sir William Howe, set sail from New York City in July 1777 with nearly 17,000 of His Majesty’s finest troops on board transport ships. The expeditionary force landed at the head of the Chesapeake Bay (now Elkton, Maryland). To oppose Howe, General Washington marched his 12,000-man army from New Jersey. On the march south, Washington paraded the American army through Philadelphia to impress the various factions among the citizenry with the prowess of the patriot force. Though commonly conceived of today as a rag tag bunch of inexperienced fighters, by 1777 the Continental Army was battle-tested and capable of standing up to the British. While campaigning against superior numbers of professional soldiers, Washington’s men fought hard and were often on the offensive. One observer of the march through the city that summer prophetically stated that In the two key battles of the Philadelphia campaign, Brandywine and Germantown, the Americans fought with skill and courage. Though they lost both battles, as well as the capital at Philadelphia, the Continental Army emerged from these experiences with a confidence like that of an underdog sports team that had thrown a scare into the champion: Yet work remained to be done. The army had difficulty executing complex large- scale maneuvers such as the orderly retreat. As a result, retreats could turn into panicked flights. Indeed, General Nathanael Greene believed that the troops had “fled from victory” at Germantown. As the campaign wound down through the months of November and December, Washington maintained strong offensive pressure on the British in the city. With the British ensconced in Philadelphia, Washington and his general officers had to decide where to encamp for the winter. As he chose a site, Washington had to balance the congressional wish for a winter campaign to dislodge the British from the capital against the needs of his weary and poorly supplied army. By December 12, Washington made his decision to encamp at Valley Forge. From this location 18 miles northwest of Philadelphia, Washington was close enough to maintain pressure on the enemy dwelling in the captured patriot capital, yet far enough to prevent a surprise attack on his own troops. From here the Continental Army could protect the outlying parts of the state, with its wary citizens and precious military stores, as well as the Continental Congress, which had fled to York, Pennsylvania. The Continental Army’s quick seizure and use of the land directly across the Schuylkill River offers an example of the extent of its capability. Once the bridge spanning the river was complete, the army made full use of the land north of the river as a vital supply link. The farms located on the north side provided forage for the Continental Army, the location of a camp market where farmers from this vicinity could sell their produce to the army, and the center for commissary operations. The bridge connection also made the camp more secure as patrols could range the country to the north and east to check British movements and intentions in that quarter. Even though camp markets and the establishment of a center for commissary operations brought food and supplies into camp, the establishment of the winter camp so close to the British caused the men additional hardship. Instead of being able to focus on building the camp and obtaining much needed rest, the troops had to expend energy on security operations. The men spent extra-long hours on duty patrolling, standing guard, and manning dangerous outposts near the city and the enemy. Washington recognized the strain that this situation placed on his men and rewarded them with two months’ hardship pay. Perhaps the most notable suffering that occurred at Valley Forge came from a factor that has not been frequently mentioned in textbooks: disease was the true scourge of the camp. Men from far flung geographical areas were exposed to sicknesses from which they had little immunity. During the encampment, nearly 2,000 men died of disease. Dedicated surgeons, nurses, a smallpox inoculation program, and camp sanitation regulations limited the death tolls. The army kept monthly status reports that tracked the number of soldiers who had died or were too sick to perform their duties. These returns reveal that two-thirds of the men who perished died during the warmer months of March, April, and May, when supplies were more abundant. The most common killers were influenza, typhus, typhoid, and dysentery. The army interred few, if any, of its soldiers who perished within the lines of the camp. Doctors dispatched the most serious cases to outlying hospitals, both to limit disease spread and also to cure those individuals who could be saved. The army buried the soldiers who died in these out-of-the-way care facilities in church graveyards adjacent to the hospitals. These scattered Southeastern Pennsylvania gravesites have never been systematically commemorated. The scale of the Valley Forge encampment was impressive. The number of soldiers present ranged from 12,000 in December to nearly 20,000 in late spring as the army massed for the campaign season. The troops who came to camp included men from all 13 original colonies and regiments from all of them except South Carolina and Georgia. The encampment brought together men, women, and children of nearly all ages, from all walks of life, of every occupation, from different ethnic backgrounds, and of various religions. While most were of English descent, African, American Indian, Austrian, Dutch, French, Germanic, Irish, Italian, Polish, Portuguese, Prussian, Scottish, Spanish, and Swedish persons also filled out the ranks. The women present at Valley Forge included approximately 400 enlisted men’s wives who followed the army year-round and a few general officers’ wives who came on extended visits. Although most soldiers came from a Protestant background, Catholic and Jewish personnel also were among those in camp. Civilians played a key role in the encampment. The local community was largely Quaker. Most of the nearby prominent farm and industrial families were members of the Religious Society of Friends. These persons and their Scottish, Irish, and German neighbors assisted the army to varying extents as their sentiments ranged in degree from staunch patriot to fervent Tory. Distressed and haughty New England officers in camp leveled their most impassioned complaints at the locals who did not appear to support the cause. Whether or not these disaffected persons were Quakers or from some other religious affiliation, resolute patriots referred to them all as “Quakers,” and persecuted some for not aiding the Continental Army. In spite of the resentment leveled at them, it was often the Quakers and other religious societies such as the Bethlehem and Lititz Moravians and the Ephrata Cloister members who rendered valuable assistance to sick soldiers while many citizens stood aside. Within this civilian climate, the army was able to stabilize its situation and concentrate on a much-needed training program. Valley Forge was demographically, militarily, and politically an important crossroads in the Revolutionary War. Recent scholarship shows that a mix of motives was at play, particularly in the minds of men who enlisted in early 1777. Some of these men served out of patriotism, but many served for profit or individual liberty (as in the case of enslaved, indentured, and apprenticed peoples), and many more were coerced, as most colonies, on the advice of Congress and pressure from General Washington, introduced conscription in 1777. As well, the participants had different values, and especially different ideas about what words such as liberty, equality, slavery, and freedom actually meant in practice. Valley Forge provides a site for exploring this complicated story and examining the multiple perspectives of those involved there – from soldiers to citizens, officers to enslaved Americans, from women to American Indians – the encampment was a microcosm of a revolutionary society at war. Also important, the ideas and ideals held dear by Americans today were not forged at Valley Forge, but rather contested – not just between patriots and the British – but also among different Americans. Valley Forge and the Revolution put the United States on a long road to defining those ideals in ways satisfactory to all – a process still in the making. Despite the difficulties, there were a number of significant accomplishments and events during the encampment. Because of its far-reaching consequences, the single most noteworthy achievement was the maturation of the Continental Army into a professional force under the tutelage of Friedrich Wilhelm Baron von Steuben. Baron von Steuben assessed the army and recognized that Washington’s men needed more training and discipline. At the same time he realized that American soldiers would not submit to harsh European-style regulation. Von Steuben did not try to introduce the entire system of drill, evolutions, maneuvers, discipline, tactics, and Prussian formation into the American army: — Instead, von Steuben demonstrated to the men the positive results that would come from retraining. He provided hands-on lessons, and Washington's independent-minded combat veterans were willing to learn new military skills when they saw immediate results. Von Steuben remarked on how quickly Washington’s men progressed in the retraining process, saying that it normally took two years to properly train a soldier. As spring wore on, whole brigades marched with newfound precision and crisply executed commands under the watchful eye of the baron. Von Steuben’s regulations extended beyond tactical instruction. The Inspector General also spelled out directives for officers and eventually wrote a complete military handbook. The army hereafter would be more cohesive, healthier, and highly efficient. A new professionalism was born. The commander in chief’s professional reputation also got a boost at Valley Forge. Two events that occurred during the encampment strengthened George Washington’s authority. The first was the emergence of a group of critics who denigrated General Washington’s leadership ability. The proponents of this movement, which became known as the Conway Cabal, suggested that General Gates, the victorious leader at the Battle of Saratoga, was perhaps more fit for the top command position. This splinter group of officers and congressmen blamed Washington for having lost the capital to the British and argued that he put the war effort in jeopardy. As winter wore on, the so-called cabal dissolved, bringing disgrace to and ending the careers of several of its leaders. Washington’s authority was strengthened, as loyal supporters rallied to defend and exalt the commander in chief. A second event that consolidated Washington’s control was his successful campaign to have a congressional committee visit camp. The general lobbied Congress to confer with him in person in order to resolve some of the supply and organizational difficulties that had plagued the army during the 1777 campaign. The committee emerged from the Valley Forge meeting with a better understanding of the logistical difficulties Washington faced and more sympathetic to the army’s requirements. The army reorganization was one of the most far-reaching consequences of the committee’s work. Almost from the war’s outset, Washington had argued for a large professional army. The public’s disdain for standing armies limited his ability to raise a sizeable force. The reorganization of 1778 represented a compromise between civilian and military ideals. Realizing that the army existed at only a portion of its authorized strength, Congress consolidated regiments and created a more streamlined force. European recognition augmented congressional reforms. French assistance was crucial to the success of the Revolution. Starting in 1776, vital French aid in the form of military materiel flowed to America. The efforts of American agents in France and the strong performance of the continentals at the Battles of Saratoga and Germantown convinced the French to do more than provide covert aid. At Valley Forge in the spring of 1778, the army joyously celebrated the formal French recognition of the United States as a sovereign power and valuable alliance with this leading European nation. Though it would take years to bear fruit at Yorktown in 1781, the alliance provided Washington with assistance from the formidable French navy as well as additional troops he needed to counter British marine superiority. In mid-June Washington’s spy network informed him that the British were about to abandon Philadelphia. The commander in chief rapidly set troops in motion: a small force marched in and took possession of the city. The majority of the army swiftly advanced from staging areas on the north side of the Schuylkill River and southeast of camp toward the Delaware River and New Jersey in order to bring on a general engagement. On June 28, at the Battle of Monmouth, New Jersey, Washington’s men demonstrated their new battlefield skills, as they forced the British from the field. Monmouth hurt the British in the short term and provided the Americans with a long-term boost in confidence. In the summer of 1778, Washington could claim that the war effort was going well. The army’s decision to occupy Valley Forge and maintain strong offensive pressure on the enemy was a wise one. After they abandoned Philadelphia, the British had little to show for all of their past year’s efforts. Thanks to the contributions of von Steuben and others, the Continental Army was more unified than ever before. The expected arrival of the French greatly altered British war plans. Philadelphia was back under patriot control. Washington knew that for every year the war dragged on the Americans held the advantage. The British withdrawal from Pennsylvania protracted the war and played into his plans. The success of Valley Forge also can be measured in longer-term gains. Many regard Valley Forge as the birthplace of the American army. The concepts of basic training, the professionalization of the officer corps, and the rise of the army’s distinctive branches, such as the corps of engineers, all got their start here. The military lessons that von Steuben helped instill served Washington’s veterans well. The Continental Army forced the British to retreat at the battle of Monmouth, New Jersey, in June 1778, and fought with skill in the southern campaigns that led to the victory at Yorktown in 1781. The “relish for the trade of soldiering” that von Steuben inspired in the men also enabled the army, despite continuing hardships and spiraling citizen apathy, to stick single-mindedly to their task until they secured independence in 1783. The symbolic importance that Americans have attached to Valley Forge since the 19th century both complicates and enriches its authentic history. The establishment of Valley Forge as a memorial provides a place where generations of Americans have had the opportunity to discover and admire the Continental Army’s sacrifices and achievements and to participate in commemoration of this history. The desire to commemorate began to shape the history of this place soon after the army marched out. The scale and intensity of the encampment devastated the landscape of the Valley Forge area. By the time the army left in June 1778, every tree for miles around had been taken down for firewood or hut construction, as well as miles of farmers’ fences and many outbuildings. The livestock and stores of the area’s residents had been commandeered and consumed. The land itself was pockmarked with entrenchments, muddy military roads and paths, some 2,000 huts, offal and other refuse pits, and work areas. Farmers quickly recovered, and within the decade the huts were largely gone, fields replanted, and woodlots re-sprouted. By the early 19th century, landowners on the north side, with its particularly exceptional agricultural soils, experimented with “scientific farming” to increase the yields of their fields, and became prosperous. On both sides of the river, farms were improved, farmhouses enlarged, and large barns and other outbuildings added, changing the scale of what had been modest farms at the time of the encampment. At the Village of Valley Forge, a musket factory was established even before the revolution ended. In the 19th century, iron mills and later a steel mill were operated there, as well as textile factories; saw, paper, and grist mills; wharves and a towpath associated with the Schuylkill Navigation Canal; a rail line with freight and passenger stations; stone and sand quarries; a water bottling plant; and enterprises including a hotel, stores, blacksmiths, and a tannery. The thriving community included dwellings, religious institutions, and schools. . Learn more about the American Revolutionary War in the . |
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NCO 1700: Valley Forge Case Study Case Study
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The NCO 1700 Valley Forge case study depicts challenging events General George Washington faced in Valley Forge. Particularly, it details the Continental Army’s situation in the 1777-1778 Valley Forge winter encampment. With the aid of his camp allies and supporters, Washington oversaw a 12000-member unit of colonial militias at the time. In Valley Forge, Washington faced many obstacles in his leadership efforts to promote a unified and disciplined fighting army. Among the most prominent ones are the army’s low morale and high desertion rates combined with the uncontrollable spread of sickness and disease. In this context, the most efficient solution to these issues would be fixing a sufficient and reliable army supply process.
The events occurred in the background of a full-scale war between the Americans and the British. After the loss of Philadelphia, the Continental Congress – the head of the revolution – had to relocate to York (NCO 1700, n.d.). Consequently, Washington set up a winter camp at Valley Forge to strategically position the army. Unfortunately, the camp’s conditions could hardly be considered habitable. Insufficient provisions, equipment, and poor sanitary conditions resulted in strikingly low morale. According to NCO 1700 (n.d.), “for many that did not succumb to cold, hunger, or disease, desertion was their final means of survival.” Understandably, these issues had to be dealt with as soon as possible for the army to be ready for war.
Low morale and poor sanitary control might appear to have many solutions, for instance, establishing new respective policies and procedures, improving the camp layout, and enforcing some sanitation initiatives, such as inoculations. However, at closer inspection, it can be seen how ineffective these alternatives would be, given the army’s condition. Firstly, new orders, enforcement of subordination, or punishments for desertion do not solve the ubiquitous hunger. Secondly, improving the camp layout could have addressed the sanitation issue to some extent. Unfortunately, work does not come as a priority for a person suffering from hunger. Lastly, inoculation could have protected against some diseases, such as smallpox (Becker, 2022). Nevertheless, it cannot disinfect dirty dishes or animals’ rotten corpses, nor can it reduce the army’s exposure to winter.
Therefore, the most effective solution to the case would be not to force the army but to motivate it to work willingly. This could be done only in the case the army’s base needs in food and shelter are fulfilled. As a leader, Washington had to understand that tending to the needs of his subordinates is an inseparable feature of a successful leadership model (Kovach, 2018). Apart from addressing the issue of hunger, a reliable supply chain can ensure the soldiers are well-equipped and have a place to rest, not being afraid of the cold. These soldiers would be far more willing to improve the camp, clean the area of dirt, and not take chances as deserters.
Hence the potential recommendations for Washington include translating the army’s needs for the Continental Congress and ensuring the consequent implementation of its decisions. In terms of the former, Washington made the correct decision of informing the high command with a detailed list of potential consequences of current issues (HCO 1700, n.d.). A well-timed and informative communication provides a solid ground for future improvements. In terms of the latter, despite Congress authorizing the reorganization of the supply department in 1777, its thorough implementation failed due to a loss of Philadelphia (Herrera, 2022). Consequently, allocating enough resources to ensure any new directive from Congress would be crucial to the army’s survival.
During his winter encampment at Valley Forge, Washington faced numerous organizational challenges that could be addressed with an adequate supply chain. Food, warm clothes, and shelter from the cold would have significantly contributed to the army’s morale and reduced desertion rates. Apart from that, protection against the weather conditions and willingness to tend to the camp’s sanitary conditions would simultaneously address the spread of disease and sickness. Thus, by fulfilling the basic needs of the army, Washington’s leadership issues would become far less challenging.
Becker, A. M. (2022). Smallpox in Washington’s army: Disease, war, and society during the American Revolutionary War . Rowman & Littlefield.
Herrera, R. A. (2022). Feeding Washington’s army: Surviving the Valley Forge winter of 1778 . University of North Carolina Press.
History of the NCO 1700: Valley Forge [Course Handout]. (n.d.).
Kovach, M. (2018). An examination of leadership theories in business and sport achievement contexts. The Journal of Values-Based Leadership , 11 (2), 14. Web.
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Valley Forge
By: History.com Editors
Updated: June 21, 2023 | Original: December 12, 2018
The six-month encampment of General George Washington ’s Continental Army at Valley Forge in the winter of 1777-1778 was a major turning point in the American Revolutionary War . While conditions were notoriously cold and harsh and provisions were in short supply, it was at the winter camp where George Washington proved his mettle and, with the help of former Prussian military officer Friedrich Wilhelm Baron von Steuben , transformed a battered Continental Army into a unified, world-class fighting force capable of beating the British.
Battle of Valley Forge
On September 18, 1777, General Wilhelm von Knyphausen led British soldiers on a raid of Valley Forge, where American troops had built a handful of storage facilities. Defending the site were Lieutenant Colonel Alexander Hamilton and Captain Henry “Light Horse Harry” Lee.
The British succeeded in stealing supplies and burning a few buildings. This minor skirmish later became known as the Battle of Valley Forge. A few months later, Washington and thousands of his troops would arrive at the site.
Where Is Valley Forge?
Washington and his weary troops occupied Valley Forge, located in eastern Pennsylvania along the banks of the Schuylkill River some 20 miles northwest of Philadelphia , six days before Christmas in 1777.
The men were hungry and tired after a string of losing battles that had resulted in the British capture of the patriot capital, Philadelphia, earlier in the fall at the Battle of Brandywine . The string of humiliating defeats had led some members of the Continental Congress to want to replace Washington, believing he was incompetent.
The Valley Forge winter campsite was about a day’s march from British-occupied Philadelphia. Most of the land had previously been cleared for agriculture, leaving a level plateau in an open, rolling landscape.
Washington picked the spot because it was close enough to keep an eye on British troops sheltering in Philadelphia, yet far enough away to prevent a surprise attack on his own Continental Army. Washington and his men would remain at the camp for approximately six months, from December 1777 until June 1778.
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Winter at Valley Forge: George Washington’s Most Dismal Christmas Ever
With a quarter of his troops freezing, starving and barely clothed, Washington, running out of options, schemed a bold—and highly risky—Christmas Eve attack.
Winter at Valley Forge
Within days of arriving at Valley Forge, troops constructed 1,500 to 2,000 log huts in parallel lines that would house 12,000 soldiers and 400 women and children throughout the winter. Washington directed that each hut measure approximately 14 feet by 16 feet.
Sometimes the soldiers’ families joined them in the space as well. Soldiers were instructed to search the countryside for straw to use as bedding since there were not enough blankets for everyone.
In addition to the huts, the men built miles of trenches, military roads and paths. One officer said the camp “had the appearance of a little city” when viewed from a distance. General Washington and his closest aides lived in a two-story stone house near Valley Forge Creek.
Life at Valley Forge
Popular images of life at Valley Forge depict tremendous suffering from cold and starvation. While it was cold, the National Park Service says there wasn’t anything out of the ordinary about the conditions at Valley Forge, characterizing the hardship as “suffering as usual" since the typical Continental soldier experienced a perpetual state of hardship.
A lack of organization, food and money shortages plagued the Continental Army throughout the first half of the seven-year-long revolution. These problems exacerbated the harsh living conditions at Valley Forge in the third year of the war.
While the winter of 1777-1778 wasn’t exceptionally cold, many soldiers lacked proper clothing, which left them unfit to serve. Some were even shoeless. As Washington described in a December 23, 1777, letter to Henry Laurens, “...we have, by a field return this day made no less than 2,898 Men now in Camp unfit for duty because they are barefoot and otherwise naked…”
Army records suggest that each soldier received a daily ration of one-half pound of beef during January 1778, but food shortages during February left the men without meat for several days at a time.
Disease at Valley Forge
Cold and starvation at Valley Forge were not even the most dangerous threats: diseases proved to be the biggest killer. By the end of the six-month encampment, some 2,000 men—roughly one in six—died of disease.
Camp records indicate that two-thirds of the deaths happened during the warmer months of March, April and May when soldiers were less confined to their cabins and food and other supplies were more abundant.
The most common illnesses included influenza , typhus, typhoid fever and dysentery—conditions most likely exacerbated by poor hygiene and sanitation at the camp.
Baron Von Steuben at Valley Forge
Despite the harsh conditions, Valley Forge is sometimes called the birthplace of the American army because, by June of 1778, the weary troops emerged with a rejuvenated spirit and confidence as a well-trained fighting force.
Much of the credit goes to former Prussian military officer Friedrich Wilhelm Baron von Steuben. At the time, the Prussian Army was widely regarded as one of the best in Europe, and von Steuben had a sharp military mind.
Von Steuben arrived in Valley Forge on February 23, 1778. General George Washington, impressed by his acumen, soon appointed von Steuben temporary inspector general. In his role, von Steuben set standards for camp layout, sanitation and conduct. Importantly, he demanded that latrines be placed, facing downhill, on the opposite side of camp as the kitchens.
Soon he became the Continental Army’s chief drillmaster. Von Steuben, who spoke little English, ran the troops through a gamut of intense Prussian-style drills. He taught them to efficiently load, fire and reload weapons, charge with bayonets and march in compact columns of four instead of miles-long single-file marches.
Von Steuben helped to prepare a manual called “Regulations for the Order and Discipline of the Troops of the United States,” also called the “Blue Book,” which remained the official training manual of the Army for decades.
Battle of Monmouth
The British soon tested the Continental Army’s newfound discipline at the Battle of Monmouth , which took place in central New Jersey on June 28, 1778. While many historians consider the Battle of Monmouth a tactical draw, the Continental Army fought for the first time as a cohesive unit, showing a new level of confidence.
The Americans used artillery to hold off British troops and even launched bayonet counterattacks—skills they had sharpened while drilling under von Steuben at Valley Forge.
“In the old days,” writes archivist and author John Buchanan, “the Continentals probably would have fled.” But, as Wayne Bodle writes in The Valley Forge Winter: Civilians and Soldiers in War, after their six months of training in the mud and snow of Valley Forge, Washington’s troops became imbued with “a deeper identification with and pride in their craft.”
The Continental Army left Valley Forge for good in June 1778. Today, the site is the home of the Valley Forge National Historical Park .
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What Happened at Valley Forge. National Park Service . "The Prussian Nobleman Who Helped Save the American Revolution," by Erick Trickey, April 26, 2017. Smithsonian Magazine. Letter From George Washington to Henry Laurens, December 23, 1777. National Archives . 10 Facts: Valley Forge. American Battlefield Trust . Monmouth. American Battlefield Trust .
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Valley Forge
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Valley Forge was the winter encampment of the Continental Army from 19 December 1777 until 18 June 1778, during one of the most difficult winters of the American Revolutionary War (1775-1783). Despite being undersupplied, underfed, and plagued with disease, the Continental Army underwent significant training and reorganization at Valley Forge, emerging as a much more disciplined and effective fighting force.
The Philadelphia Campaign
On 19 December 1777, the exhausted and starving soldiers of the Continental Army staggered into Valley Forge, Pennsylvania, a location about 18 miles (29 km) northwest of Philadelphia at the confluence of the Valley Creek and the Schuylkill River. It had been a long and difficult campaign. Four months earlier, they had raced down from New Jersey to defend the US capital of Philadelphia from the British army, only to be outflanked and defeated at the Battle of Brandywine (11 September). Following their victory, the British captured Philadelphia, which the Second Continental Congress had only just evacuated. The Continental Army regrouped and, on 4 October, retaliated with a surprise attack on a British garrison at the Battle of Germantown . Although the assault initially got off to a good start, a thick fog caused cohesion between American military units to break down, and the attack quickly lost momentum. When the British counterattacked, the undertrained Continental soldiers broke and fled. For the next two months, the two armies nervously maneuvered around one another. Although several bloody skirmishes were fought, neither side was eager to provoke another major battle .
Gradually, the temperatures dropped, and the bitter December winds signaled that it was time to suspend the campaign and enter winter quarters. The British army moved into Philadelphia, where the officers settled into the abandoned homes of the city 's Patriot leaders and spent the winter attending lavish dinners, dancing at elegant balls, and courting Loyalist women. The Continental Army, meanwhile, marched to Valley Forge. The spot had been carefully chosen by the American commander-in-chief, General George Washington , for several reasons. First, its proximity to Philadelphia would allow the Americans to keep a close eye on the British army; attempts by the British to raid the surrounding Pennsylvanian countryside or to march for the town of York, the temporary seat of the Continental Congress, could quickly be challenged. Second, an encampment at Valley Forge would be easy to defend. The camp itself was to be situated on a large plateau surrounded by a series of hills and dense forests, creating a sort of natural fortress. Lastly, the location was beneficial because it was close to a supply of fresh water from the Valley Creek and Schuylkill River, and the abundance of nearby trees could easily be cut down for fuel or to build shelters.
Over 11,000 Continental soldiers filed into Valley Forge on that December day, accompanied by 500 women and children. They were certainly a disheveled lot. The many marches and countermarches they had needed to perform in the last several months had worn down their footwear; now, an estimated one out of every three Continental soldiers went entirely without shoes. Additionally, many soldiers lacked adequate coats to protect against the elements, particularly the incessant rain that had been falling all autumn. Many men owned only one shirt, while others did not even have a single shirt at all. It is unsurprising then that many of these exposed soldiers were already ill when they arrived at Valley Forge; out of the 11,000 men that arrived, only 8,200 were fit for duty.
The situation was made worse by a dangerous lack of food. At the beginning of the Valley Forge encampment, the army's commissary only had 25 barrels of flour, a small supply of salt pork, and no other stores of meat or fish. A lack of sufficient food and clothing was fairly typical of the army's supply department, which had often performed below expectations since its founding in 1775, but the chaos of the recent campaign had only made things worse. In its hurried evacuation from Philadelphia, Congress had failed to ensure the army's supply chain would remain unbroken, thereby contributing to the bareness of the army's food and clothing stores. Thus, it was clear from the start that the coming winter would be a challenging one.
Making Camp
The army's first priority upon arrival at Valley Forge would have to be the building of shelters. A small, industrial community that centered around the smelting of iron, Valley Forge did not have nearly enough buildings to accommodate the entire army. Luckily, the surrounding forests offered more than enough wood for the construction of huts. Officers picked out the precise spots upon which each hut would be built, carefully arranging the plots to form a neat grid with parallel streets and avenues. Each hut measured 16 feet by 14 feet (c. 4.8 x 4.2 m) and was constructed out of logs, the sides sealed with clay. Roofs were made of a variety of materials, usually thatched straw or brush, and most huts had dirt floors. Most of these structures housed twelve soldiers, although officers only had to share their huts with three or four other men. Scholars estimate that somewhere between 1,300 and 1,600 log huts were built at Valley Forge between 19 December 1777 and 13 January 1778. As Marquis de Lafayette observed, Valley Forge was transformed into "a small city of wooden huts" (Unger, 58).
General Washington himself stayed in a small tent until all the huts had been finished, at which point he moved into the two-story stone house that had been marked out for his headquarters. His aides moved in with him, as did his wife, Martha Washington, who had left the comfortability of Mount Vernon to play host to the myriad of politicians and military officers visiting the army camp. Martha's presence kept spirits high within the headquarters, giving visitors the impression that everything was under control. In reality, the situation remained quite dire. The army's already limited food store had continued to dwindle, leaving soldiers with nothing to eat but firecakes, a tasteless mixture of flour and water baked over a campfire. Washington had sent commissaries out as far as New Jersey and Delaware to purchase provisions, but most farmers would not accept the nearly worthless 'Continental currency' that the American officers tried to use. They much preferred selling their goods to the British, who paid with hard currency. Whatever foodstuffs the commissaries managed to procure often spoiled by the time they got back to Valley Forge due to transportation issues or the unreliability of the army's supply department.
Consequently, the situation only worsened. Before long, even the supply of firecakes was running out, leading Washington to despair on 16 February that the army was experiencing a 'famine' (Middlekauff, 420). Hundreds of troops were weakened from malnutrition, which, in turn, left them more susceptible to disease. Typhoid and dysentery ravaged the encampment, spreading through contaminated food or water, while other illnesses like pneumonia, typhus, and influenza were also common. Smallpox, too, was an ever-present threat, the outbreak of which could ravage the army. During the six months that the army spent at Valley Forge, over 2,000 men and 2,500 horses would ultimately die, from malnutrition, disease, exposure, or some combination of the three. The scent of death hung heavy over the camp, while for the living, the suffering continued. "The soldiers lived in misery," the Marquis de Lafayette would later recall. "They lacked for clothes, hats, shirts, shoes; their legs and feet black from frostbite – we often had to amputate" (Unger, 58).
Although numerous American officers resigned during these trying months, the desertion rate amongst regular soldiers remained roughly the same as it had been prior to Valley Forge. But while many soldiers were able to endure disease and starvation, they found it more difficult to deal with the suffocating boredom of the encampment. After the soldiers had finished constructing the huts, there was little for them to do except forage for food and wait for the winter to end. As a result, the men grew restless, and some of them got off to mischief. Some men alleviated their boredom by having shooting competitions, thereby wasting precious ammunition. Others adopted more nefarious hobbies, such as robbing the homes of nearby farmers.
General Washington was horrified by reports of these robberies, which he referred to as "base, cruel, and injurious to the cause in which we are engaged" (Middlekauff, 420). He responded by tightening discipline. Men were no longer allowed to carry muskets unless they were on duty. Nor were soldiers allowed to leave camp without a pass; men caught outside camp without a pass were liable to be imprisoned in their huts. Musters were held more frequently, and officers were authorized to conduct surprise inspections of huts to search for stolen goods. These disciplinary measures helped save the army from devolving into anarchy. But if the army were to be rescued from starvation, something more would have to be done.
Provisions & Conspiracies
On 23 December 1777, Washington wrote a letter to Henry Laurens , president of the Continental Congress, expressing his fear that "this Army might dissolve" if no steps were taken to fix the supply department. Washington knew that he had to tread lightly when appealing to Congress for help. His cautious command style, as well as his recent failure to defend Philadelphia, had led many congressmen to lose faith in his leadership capabilities; indeed, a loose conspiracy of politicians and military officers, retroactively referred to as the Conway Cabal , was plotting to remove Washington from command of the Continental Army. Washington was aware of the cabal and knew that he had to reinspire confidence in his abilities, but before anything else, he had to ensure the survival of his men.
Congress responded to Washington's concerns by recommending that he simply requisition the supplies he needed from the local population of farmers. The general was hesitant to comply with this suggestion, believing it would turn the local population against the Patriot cause. But, as the winter wore on and supply issues failed to improve, Washington realized he had no other choice. He sent officers to requisition hay, livestock, and other supplies from farmers but ordered the officers to leave enough behind so that the farmer could make it through the winter. The farmers were even allowed to have a say in which of the livestock the officers took and were presented with a receipt so that they could be financially reimbursed by Congress.
While this was enough to keep the army from dying of starvation, it was not a permanent solution. Washington knew he needed to reform the ineffective supply department, which would require congressional support. On 24 January, he invited a five-man congressional delegation to visit Valley Forge and assess the army's condition for themselves. Headed by Francis Dana of Massachusetts, the delegation was hosted by Martha Washington and shown around the camp by the general himself; the delegation therefore got a firsthand view of both the soldiers' suffering and their resilience. Dana was convinced as to the direness of the situation and, upon returning to York, became one of Washington's strongest supporters. He oversaw the reformation of the supply department, ensuring that each of the general's recommendations were carried out. Washington was back in Congress' favor, and all support for the Conway Cabal broke down.
As part of the supply reforms, Washington was allowed to select the new Quartermaster General. In March, he appointed Nathanael Greene , one of his most trusted subordinates, to this position. Initially, Greene was reluctant, believing he was better suited to a field command than an administrative position. But Washington was insistent, and Greene settled into his new role, only to find that he was well-suited for it, indeed. He organized foraging parties that were sent far and wide in search of food. One such party, led by General Anthony Wayne , was sent into New Jersey, while another, led by Colonel Henry 'Lighthorse Harry' Lee, scoured eastern Maryland and Delaware; each group turned up lots of hay, livestock, and horses, which were sent back to the army. The onset of spring improved the conditions of the roads, and any perishable items that turned up made it back to the encampment without spoiling. Greene continued to improve the efficiency of the supply department and even procured enough clothing for the soldiers. By the end of March, the food crisis was over, and Greene would continue to serve as Washington's capable Quartermaster General for the next two years.
Training the Troops
By March 1778, the supply issues were taken care of, discipline had been enforced, and the threat to Washington's position was over. Washington had even managed to reduce the threat of smallpox to the encampment by ordering about 4,000 of his men to get inoculated against the disease (inoculations being the precursor to vaccines). Now that the army was relatively healthy and in high spirits, it could shift its focus to training. This had long been a weak spot of the Continental Army, which had no standardized drill practices. Regimental commanders would instruct and drill their troops in any way they saw fit; considering that most regimental commanders had little to no formal military training, these drills were often ineffective. Luckily for the Continentals, the ideal drillmaster had just arrived at Valley Forge.
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Baron Friedrich Wilhelm von Steuben was a lifelong soldier; having enlisted in the Prussian army at the age of 17, he fought in several battles during the Seven Years' War (1756-1763) and even served as an aide to King Frederick the Great of Prussia. He had been searching for employment with foreign armies when he encountered Benjamin Franklin in Paris , who had recommended him to the Continental Congress; Congress, in turn, sent him on to Valley Forge, where he arrived on 23 February 1778. Steuben spoke no English and could only communicate with the Continental officers in broken French but still managed to impress Washington with his military exploits. Washington decided to take a chance on the Prussian officer and granted him a temporary commission as Inspector General of the Continental Army, tasking him to train the Continental soldiers.
Steuben was given a model company of 100 men. The idea was that Steuben would instruct these 100 men who would, in turn, each go on to instruct another group of soldiers. The baron taught the Americans how to march in formation, handle their weapons, and effectively use the bayonet. He showed them better techniques for firing in volleys and how to shift formation while under fire. The training was greatly effective; the Continentals were eager to learn and were, moreover, happy to finally have something to do. Training sessions with the baron could also be rather entertaining; although Steuben had memorized the necessary English commands, his rough accent often caused confusion among the troops, leading the short-tempered baron to burst into a tirade of frustrated swearing. This amused the Americans, who found themselves endeared by the immaculately dressed Prussian officer with the bad temper; at one point, Steuben's translator, Captain Benjamin Walker, began translating the baron's swears into English, to the delight of the soldiers.
Leaving the Camp
By May 1778, the Continental Army was in high spirits. News of the recently formalized French alliance caused jubilant celebrations. Many soldiers were itching to put their new training to the test and begged their officers to let them attack the British. They would have their chance on 18 May, when Washington sent Lafayette and 2,200 troops to occupy Barren Hill, a location halfway between Valley Forge and Philadelphia where they could better watch British movements. The British noticed the Americans and, on 20 May, sent 5,000 men toward Barren Hill to wipe them out. However, Lafayette was able to move his men off the hill before a significant engagement could be fought. The speed and maneuverability with which the men marched away from the hill was a testament to their training.
A month later, the British army began its evacuation of Philadelphia; the Franco-American alliance had made their position there untenable, and the British ministry had decided to concentrate their forces at New York City. Washington decided to pursue, packing up camp and leaving Valley Forge on 18 June 1778, almost exactly six months after first arriving. On 28 June, the Continental Army engaged the British at the Battle of Monmouth ; though the battle was tactically inconclusive, the Continentals stood their ground for over five hours of nonstop fighting in scorching heat, another example that their Valley Forge training had paid off.
Contrary to popular belief, the winter that the Continental Army spent at Valley Forge was relatively mild in terms of temperature; the coldest winter would not come until 1779-80 at Morristown, New Jersey, when the army would experience near constant snow and freezing temperatures. However, Valley Forge was arguably the most important winter. The army survived existential threats such as hunger and disease; the supply department was reformed and placed under the capable supervision of Nathanael Greene; Washington fended off the Conway Cabal and retained command of the army; and the army underwent much-needed reorganizing and retraining, under the guidance of Baron von Steuben. Without the experiences of Valley Forge, it is questionable whether the army would have survived to secure the final victory at the Siege of Yorktown, making it one of the most critical moments of the American Revolution .
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Bibliography
- Boatner, Mark M. . Cassell's Biographical Dictionary of the American War of Independence. London: Cassell, 1973., 1973.
- Chernow, Ron. Alexander Hamilton. Penguin Books, 2005.
- Fleming, Thomas. The Strategy of Victory. Da Capo Press, 2017.
- Middlekauff, Robert. The Glorious Cause: The American Revolution, 1763-1789. Oxford University Press, 2007.
- Unger, Harlow Giles. Lafayette. Trade Paper Press, 2003.
- Valley Forge · George Washington's Mount Vernon , accessed 17 May 2024.
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History of the NCO (Non-Commissioned Officer) 1700: Valley Forge
Introduction, alternatives, proposed solutions, conclusion and recommendations.
Studying historical events such as the American Revolution helps to comprehend how historical occurrences contributed to the current state of the world. Drawing lessons from past events allows us to not only learn about how the modern world order formed but also develop the capacity to minimize errors and design better paths for the present and future of the whole society. One of the most significant and pivotal moments in the history of the United States of America was the American Revolution.
It established a republic with a government committed to the interests of the common people rather than kings and aristocrats, secured the United States independence from Great Britain’s rule, and allowed it to secede from the British Empire. Forged a new political system on the principles of freedom, equality, civil rights, and responsible citizenship by fostering a feeling of community-based on shared history and culture, common experience, and conviction in a shared future in the United States.
However, all this came at a very high price, as the soldiers who fought in the war not only died in battle, giving their lives for these values, but also suffered greatly from the lack of standardized drills and maneuvers, poor supply acquisition process, lack of policies and procedures that were in place, poor camp layout and sanitation plan, sickness and disease, and low morale and desertion. More thorough planning, organization of camp sanitation, and supply support could reduce the number of victims of the revolution and achieve success much faster.
The History of the NCO 1700 in Valley Forge is an example of how important it is to an army, morale, and success to organize camps and activities properly. The location of the camp was good enough from a tactical point of view, but everything else had serious problems. Soldiers lived in overcrowded, damp quarters with no standard tent arrangements or sanitary standards. Even basic items for the comfort and health of soldiers, such as blankets or shoes, were in short supply. By the end of the winter, disease, malnutrition, and other organizational problems had claimed the lives of 2,500 soldiers. Low morale was not due to disappointment or a weak belief in victory but rather to constant cold, hunger, and disease. This led to frequent cases of desertion, as people simply had no other option to survive. Low wages and dangerous tactics and maneuvers also contributed to it.
An alternative would be to improve the soldiers’ living conditions and the army’s supply. If the premises were not so overcrowded, and the soldiers would have had everything necessary for as comfortable survival as possible in such conditions – food and warm clothes, it would have been possible to avoid unsanitary conditions and so many victims and deserters (Elliott, 2021). However, given the small budget of the army and difficulties with supplies, it was very difficult to organize this since most of the funds went to armaments.
The introduction of sanitary standards could be a great improvement in the current situation. If soldiers were trained and instructed on how to organize long-term safe survival in such conditions with cleanliness, outdoor latrines, and independent ways of heating and obtaining food, this could greatly improve survival and morale. To solve the supply problem, volunteers could be involved, for example, churches or people who, due to their convictions, cannot or do not want to fight but want to help the army. They could collect shoes, warm clothes, and hygiene products for soldiers among local manufacturers or civilians – from those who wanted to help.
Training officers in the knowledge and skills of survival and sanitation would allow other soldiers to be taught this, which would help more people survive. Nurses could be involved in this training, as they were the most knowledgeable in such matters through their work (Blanco, 2020). To solve the supply problem, volunteers could be involved. They could collect the necessary supplies, shoes, warm clothes, and hygiene products for soldiers among local manufacturers or civilians – from those who wanted to help.
Blanco, R. L. (2020). Physician of the American Revolution: Jonathan Potts . Routledge.
Elliott, S. (2021). Surviving the Winters: Housing Washington’s Army During the American Revolution (Vol. 72). University of Oklahoma Press.
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Noncommissioned Officer (NCO) Corps led me to Valley Forge, 1777-78. Faced with demoralizing combat failures, severe shortages of food and supplies, woefully under trained and undisciplined troops, and a harsh winter ahead, the Continental Army limped into Valley Forge for the winter, leaving doubt about the Revolution's hope for success.
Valley Forge is the location of the 1777-1778 winter encampment of the Continental Army led by General George Washington during the American Revolutionary War. Here the Continental Army, still largely made up of a collection of disparate colonial militias supported by hundreds of camp followers and allies, emerged under Washington's ...
The NCO 1700 Valley Forge case study depicts challenging events General George Washington faced in Valley Forge. Particularly, it details the Continental Army's situation in the 1777-1778 Valley Forge winter encampment. With the aid of his camp allies and supporters, Washington oversaw a 12000-member unit of colonial militias at the time.
The six-month encampment of General George Washington's Continental Army at Valley Forge in the winter of 1777-1778 was a major turning point in the American Revolutionary War.While conditions ...
đź“ť In 1775, the tension between the Americans and the British reached a peak, after which a full-scale war began. This paper analyzes "History of the NCO 170...
Valley Forge was the winter encampment of the Continental Army from 19 December 1777 until 18 June 1778, during one of the most difficult winters of the American Revolutionary War (1775-1783). Despite being undersupplied, underfed, and plagued with disease, the Continental Army underwent significant training and reorganization at Valley Forge, emerging as a much more disciplined and effective ...
Fredrick William Baron von Steuben at Valley Forge: A Case Study of the Art and Science of Leading Organizations Through Change A Monograph by MAJ Thomas C. Shandy US Army ... (Washington, DC: Center of Military History, 2006), 150-52. 3 . 6 D p . science . of drill, procedure, and presence. The baron created resonance with the tough and
The history of the U.S. Army noncommissioned officer dates back to 1775 with the birth of the Continental Army. Like the Army itself, the NCO Corps did not copy the fundamental roles of just the ...
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The NCO 1700: Valley Forge is an important case study that examines the history of leadership in the military. This case study looks into the development of leadership techniques and styles from the time of the Revolutionary War to present day. It provides insight into the evolution of military leadership and the changes that have occurred ...
History Of The Nco 1700 Valley Forge Henry Woodman ... 1777-1903 David A. Clary,Joseph W. A. Whitehorne,1987 A study of the establishment of inspection practices in the United States Army told chronologically, in large part through the ... The History of Valley Forge Henry Woodman,Mary Smith Woodman,1920
The History of the NCO 1700 in Valley Forge is an example of how important it is to an army, morale, and success to organize camps and activities properly. The location of the camp was good enough from a tactical point of view, but everything else had serious problems. Soldiers lived in overcrowded, damp quarters with no standard tent ...
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A fire cake was simply a flour and water batter fried on a griddle. The morning after Christmas, the men awoke to find four additional inches of snow on the ground. The first priority was the building of huts. An order issued by Washington spelled out the style and size of the Spartan quarters. Every 12 men would share a 16x14 foot log hut with ...
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