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Today, episode 172, Winter at Valley Forge

The Continental Army and Militia entered Valley Forge on December 19th, 1777.

Contrary to popular myth, the winter at Valley Forge was not a particularly harsh one.

Even in a mild winter, though, having to spend day and night outdoors without shoes or a coat was a pretty miserable existence

Many soldiers had received little or no food during the March 2 Valley Forge as well

General Washington reported hearing chants from the soldiers in camp of no meat,

no coat, no bread, no soldier. Shortly after entering Valley. no 12,000 men, were unfit for duty, simply due to the lack of adequate clothing for them to go outside.

This made the necessity of building cabins for the soldiers all the more critical. The Army set about cutting and

hauling wood and erecting crude structures as quickly as possible. Even so it

took several weeks while the men remained outside in the elements before they could

build the necessary housing.

As the Army had moved into Valley Forge, the Pennsylvania legislature issued a remonstrance critical of the Continental Army for even going into winter quarters.

Instead, they called for a winter campaign to retake the area.

Before Washington could even think about more engagements with the enemy,

he needed to get his army the necessary food and clothing to continue.

He repeatedly wrote to Congress that the Army was in danger of dissolving

if food and clothing was not

coming quickly. Congress of course had no money to buy food. The continual printing of paper

continental dollars had made them increasingly worthless.

Farmers did not want to give away their food in exchange for worthless paper.

Instead, they would take the risk of carrying their goods to Philadelphia,

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