Valley Forge National Park
Historic site is testament to overcoming adversity
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!”
COMMENTS