Download Valley Forge: The History and Legacy of the Most Famous Military Camp of the Revolutionary War AudioBook Free
Though Americans would be able to look back in hindsight at 1777 as the entire year the American Revolution come to a turning point in favor of the colonists, the winter of 1777 was still considered a unpleasant point for the reason at that time. Although Benedict Arnold and Horatio Gates were victorious at Saratoga, George Washington and his Continental army had been less successful. After being pushed back into Pennsylvania by the end of 1776, Washington attempted to surround the United kingdom army as it invaded Philadelphia in 1777, but he failed miserably. On the Battle of Germantown, Washington was defeated and obligated to retreat, and on Oct 19th, 1777, the English joined Philadelphia and the Continental Congress fled to close by York. Ultimately, it would be the French, not Washington, who obligated the United kingdom out of Philadelphia. After learning of the French access into the battle, the English immediately forgotten Philadelphia to garrison New York City, which the United kingdom feared could be studied by French naval assault. After another disappointing season of defeats, Washington's 11,000 men joined winter quarters at Valley Forge in Pennsylvania, about 20 mls outside of occupied Philadelphia. His army had repeatedly experienced a lack of discipline and persistent disorganization, and Congress commenced to consider changing Washington as Commander in Chief after the show up of Philadelphia. Basic Gates, who acquired received the lion's talk about of the credit for Saratoga by marginalizing Benedict Arnold's role in its success when he published his report to the Congress, was floated alternatively, and Washington was understandably devastated. Making matters worse, the winter was unusually severe, leading to around 2,000 or so deaths in camp from diseases. Gouverneur Morris would later call the troops at Valley Forge a "skeleton of army...in a naked, starving condition, out of health, out of spirits." However, it was at Valley Forge that Washington truly forged his army. He introduced a more rigorous training curriculum for his soldiers, sponsored by Prussian Basic Friedrich Wilhelm von Steuben, who acquired fought with Frederick the Great. Like the Marquis de Lafayette before him, von Steuben came to Washington's army via the recommendation of Benjamin Franklin, who hoped to make use of their consultations to curry political favour internationally. Despite speaking little English, von Steuben gone about drafting a drill manual in People from france, and he professionally presided over training drills and military parades. By using von Steuben, the Continental Army kept Valley Forge in the spring and coil of 1778 a more disciplined army than previously, and the most detrimental of Washington's failures were behind him.
