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Valley Forge National Park

Historic site is testament to overcoming adversity

MARK NANCE/Sun-Gazette Washington's Guard were housed in cabins a short distance from George Washington's headquarters during the encampment at Valley Forge. This special detachment was created to protect the Commander in Chief, his family, equipment, and papers.

MARK  NANCE/Sun-Gazette Cannons line one of three sides of a redoubt at Valley Forge. A redoubt provided protection for the troops. MARK NANCE/Sun-Gazette       The National Park Service has done an excellent job preserving and recreating the interior of General George Washington's Headquarters. The two-story stone house, rented from Isaac Potts, served as Washington and his guests' home but also as a meeting place during the encampment and throughout the war. MARK NANCE/Sun-Gazette Washington's headquarters at Valley Forge. MARK  NANCE/Sun-Gazette A statue dedicated to General Anthony Wayne, whom George Washington relied heavily on at Valley Forge and throughout the Revolutionary War. MARK  NANCE/Sun-Gazette The National Memorial Arch at Valley Forge was built by the Freemasons of Pennsylvania to honor the memory of George Washington and the army that he led. Washington served as master of his Masonic Lodge while serving as president. The arch was designed by Paul Philippe Cret and is a simplified version of the Triumphal Arch of Titus in Rome. MARK  NANCE/Sun-Gazette Washington's Guard were housed in cabins a short distance from George Washington's headquarters during the encampment at Valley Forge. This special detachment was created to protect the Commander in Chief, his family, equipment, and papers.

EDITOR’S NOTE: Sun-Gazette photographer Mark Nance has hiked and photographed 23 or more of the nation’s 58 national parks, monuments, battlefields and seashores. This being the 100th anniversary of the National Park system, the Sun-Gazette today continues an occasional series showcasing Nance’s artwork and highlighting the parks he’s visited.)

Valley Forge National Park is not a site known for a great battle or unique landscapes, but it is known for mankind’s ability to come together and persevere under extreme conditions.

After two years in its fight for independence from England, the new United States of America’s Continental Army, under the command of Gen. George Washington, was under-clothed, underarmed and low on morale during an extremely cold winter. From Dec. 19, 1777, to June 19, 1778, the army of 11,000 soldiers camped at Valley Forge — where its battle was not against cannonballs, bullets and bayonets, but against the harsh winter, sickness, low morale and a lack of discipline.

Washington’s job was to turn the rag-tag army into a fighting machine that could take on the greatest military force in the world.

During 1777, Patriot forces suffered major defeats at the battles of  Brandywine and Germantown. Philadelphia, the capital of the United States, also fell into the hands of the British, leading to a poor attitude among U.S. forces.

Valley Forge only was 22 miles from Philadelphia but was chosen for a winter encampment on the west bank of the Schuylkill River because it could be effectively defended against British invasion.

It was during this harsh winter that Prussian military adviser Frederick von Steuben used his experience from Europe’s Seven Year War to kept the soldiers busy with drills and training in modern military strategy, bringing a new discipline and confidence to the ranks.

When the Continental Army left Valley Forge in June of 1778, the men were better disciplined and had better morale than when they came. Nine days after they marched out of Valley Forge, they encountered part of the British army under Gen. Sir Henry Clinton at Monmouth, New Jersey. Even though both sides claimed victory, it was a turning point in the war.

According to the National Park Service website: “The park commemorates the sacrifices and perseverance of the Revolutionary War generation and honors the ability of citizens to pull together and overcome adversity during extraordinary times!”

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