The Continental Army arrived at Valley Forge on December 19, 1777 after several battles with the British. Since fall troops had problems with their supplies. In winter the problems became worse, a shortage of food happened and now soldiers received irregular supplies of meat and bread. These shortages forced the men to look for food in the forests and farm fields.
Conditions were so severe that General Washington wrote, "that unless some great and capital change suddenly takes place... this Army must inevitably... starve, dissolve, or disperse, in order to obtain subsistence in the best manner they can." Feeding the 12,000 men at the encampment was only one of the problems. Washington also was having problems getting support from Congress. There were threats to his leadership. His officers were unhappy and he needed to better prepare the troops to meet the enemy in the coming campaign.
Another problem was clothing. Long marches had destroyed the troop shoes, they had few blankets, only some garments were replaced. At one point, these shortages caused nearly 4,000 men to be listed as "unfit for duty." Washington asked the Congress for help but it was not available and the soldiers continued to suffer. Wives, sisters, and daughters of the enlisted men tried provided some of the needed services such as laundry and nursing care.
In March things looked brighter, food and supplies started coming in. By April Baron von Steuben began to transform the bare hungry troops into a fighting force. In May French allied with the colonists, and with it military and financial support from France.
Six months after they arrived to Valley Forge a renewed army went towards Ney Jersey for their next battle against the British.
People who served at Valley Forge: Benedict Arnold, Nathanael Greene, Alexander Hamilton, Lafayette, James Monroe, Baron Von Steuben, Martha Washington, "Mad" Anthony Wayne, and others. Plus special reports on the officers, regiments, and surgeons who served.
0 comentarios:
Publicar un comentario