George Washington chose to make the winter camp at Valley Forge for several reasons. … Valley Forge was also a good place to defend if the army was attacked. There were high areas in Mount Joy and Mount Misery to make fortifications. There also was a river, the Schuylkill River, that served as a barrier to the north.
What was it like living in Valley Forge?
At Valley Forge, there were shortages of everything from food to clothing to medicine. Washington’s men were sick from disease, hunger, and exposure. The Continental Army camped in crude log cabins and endured cold conditions while the Redcoats warmed themselves in colonial homes.
What was so significant about this move of Washington crosses the Delaware?
Washington crossed the Delaware River so that his army could attack an isolated garrison of Hessian troops located at Trenton, New Jersey. … Washington’s aim was to conduct a surprise attack upon a Hessian garrison of roughly 1,400 soldiers located in and around Trenton, New Jersey.
What are some important facts about Valley Forge?
The army at the Valley Forge Encampment constructed over two miles of breastworks, 6 redans,and 5 redoubts. 25 bake ovens were built to supply the army daily with 10,000-12,000 loaves of bread. There were approximately 1,300 huts in the encampment along with other shelters and sheds for supplies and animals.What was the effect of the winter at Valley Forge?
The particularly severe winter of 1777-1778 proved to be a great trial for the American army, and of the 11,000 soldiers stationed at Valley Forge, hundreds died from disease. However, the suffering troops were held together by loyalty to the Patriot cause and to General Washington, who stayed with his men.
How cold did it get at Valley Forge?
The Encampment saw basically two periods of severe cold. The end of December with a low of 6 Degrees and the end of March with a low of 8 Degrees. The low in January reached 12 Degrees and February was 16 Degrees.
How was Valley Forge a turning point?
We rightly regard Valley Forge as the turning point because it tested the nation as it would not be tested again for another fourscore and several years. George Washington’s small and fractious army limped into its bleak Pennsylvania encampment after defeats at Brandywine, Paoli and Germantown.
Why did soldiers Desert Valley Forge?
The Valley Forge site—located along trade routes and near farm supplies—was an attempt to balance Congress’ demands for a winter campaign against Philadelphia with the needs of his troops.Where did George Washington stay at Valley Forge?
General George Washington rented the Isaac Potts House for his military headquarters. Washington’s Headquarters, also known as the Isaac Potts House, is the structure used by General George Washington and his household during the 1777-1778 encampment of the Continental Army at Valley Forge.
How many soldiers were killed during the Revolutionary War?Throughout the course of the war, an estimated 6,800 Americans were killed in action, 6,100 wounded, and upwards of 20,000 were taken prisoner. Historians believe that at least an additional 17,000 deaths were the result of disease, including about 8,000–12,000 who died while prisoners of war.
Article first time published onWhat happened at Valley Forge for kids?
It was where the Continental Army set up camp during the harsh winter of 1777–78. Valley Forge is an area in Pennsylvania, about 22 miles (35 kilometers) northwest of Philadelphia. … One of the most significant events at Valley Forge was the arrival of Frederick William Steuben.
What was the greatest danger faced by American soldiers at Valley Forge?
Cold and starvation at Valley Forge were not even the most dangerous threats: diseases proved to be the biggest killer. As the National Park Service says, “Disease was the true scourge of the camp.” By the end of the six-month encampment, some 2,000 men—roughly one in six—died of disease.
Did George Washington cross the Potomac River?
Myth: Washington Crossed the Potomac River The Continental Army crossed the Delaware River, which separates Pennsylvania and New Jersey near Trenton.
How did Molly Pitcher get her name?
According to legend, at the Battle of Monmouth (June 28, 1778), Mary Hays, wife of artilleryman William Hays, carried water to cool both the cannon and the soldiers in her husband’s battery—hence the nickname “Molly Pitcher.” Legend also asserts that when William Hays collapsed or was wounded, she took her husband’s …
How did winter at Valley Forge help the Continental Army?
Explanation: Although seen as a low point in the American Revolution, the winter spent at Valley Forge did help the army. The crossing of the Delaware raised the moral of the army, inspiring many to continue their service. … This caused European countries to assist the Americans.
What was Valley Forge quizlet?
Valley Forge in Pennsylvania was the site of the military camp of the American Continental Army over the winter of 1777-1778 during the American Revolutionary War. It is approximately 20 miles northwest of Philadelphia.
Was there a cannibalism at Valley Forge?
Bentley Little, a pretty good horror writer, suggested in the early ‘90s there was cannibalism at Valley Forge, but he was nowhere near serious.
Why did Washington leave Valley Forge?
Leaving Valley Forge. Philadelphia was a difficult place for the British to defend. Now that France was in the war, the city was also vulnerable to attack or blockade from the sea. It was decided to abandon the Quaker City and move British forces back to their base in New York City.
Why is Yorktown so important?
The outcome in Yorktown, Virginia marked the conclusion of the last major battle of the American Revolution and the start of a new nation’s independence. It also cemented Washington’s reputation as a great leader and eventual election as first president of the United States.
How many patriot soldiers died at Valley Forge?
In total, about 1,700–2,000 troops died during the Valley Forge encampment, mostly at general hospitals located in six different towns. Valley Forge had the highest mortality rate of any Continental Army encampment, and even most military engagements of the war.
Which woman helped soldiers at Valley Forge who were sick or wounded?
One such woman, named Jane Norton, who when trying to obtain her pension mentions her service caring for the sick and wounded during the encampment of 1777-1778. Polly Cooper – Young Oneida woman who came to Valley Forge and assisted the soldiers caring for the sick and dying.
When was the worst winter in the US?
In the three year winter period from December 1885 to March 1888, the Great Plains and Eastern United States suffered a series of the worst blizzards in this nation’s history ending with the Schoolhouse Blizzard and the Great Blizzard of 1888.
What did the soldiers eat at Valley Forge?
Soldiers were supposed to receive daily amounts of beef, pork or fish; flour or bread; cornmeal or rice; and rum or whiskey. However, with no organized distribution system combined with limited food resources near the encampment site, soldiers went several days with little to no food during the winter months.
Who owned Valley Forge?
In the 1750’s a sawmill was added and in 1757, the entire property was purchased by a prominent Quaker ironmaster, John Potts.
What was the purpose of George Rogers Clark's western campaign?
Clark’s ultimate goal during the Revolutionary War was to seize the British-held fort at Detroit, but he could never recruit enough men and acquire sufficient munitions to make the attempt.
Were Marines attached to Washington's Army at Valley Forge?
By December of 1776, Washington was retreating through New Jersey and in desperate need of veteran soldiers. Nicholas and the Marines were ordered to attach themselves to Washington’s army. By December 25, 1776, the Marines found themselves not at sea, but on a river.
Did soldiers desert at Valley Forge?
In all, only 42 cases were tried by Court Martial at Valley Forge — desertion or attempted desertion was in fact, the most frequent military offense charge. All of the cases pertained to enlisted men and two people who were tried were women campfollowers charged with conspiring with soldiers to mutiny and desert.
What did soldiers wear at Valley Forge?
British soldiers wore mostly red uniforms. The French wore white with various shades of blue and American uniforms were dark blues and browns highlighted with different colors to represent individual regiments. The American soldier’s uniform included a: hat, possibly turned up on one or three sides.
How brutal were the British in the Revolutionary War?
The redcoats looted indiscriminately, seizing crops and property of rebels and Loyalists alike; plunder was often accompanied by rape. Some British commanders instructed their men to take no prisoners; wounded and defeated American soldiers were killed on the field.
What do the British call the Revolutionary War?
The Brit’s call it simply “The American Revolution” or the “America War of Independence”.
How many Patriots were killed in the Revolutionary War?
AMERICAN CASUALTIES Between 25,000 and 70,000 American Patriots died during active military service. [1] Of these, approximately 6,800 were killed in battle, while at least 17,000 died from disease. The majority of the latter died while prisoners of war of the British, mostly in the prison ships in New York Harbor.
