Last weekend trip: Valley Forge

Of all of the trips we've taken this summer this one was the closest.  I'm so glad we waited until it was cool to go!  On Saturday evening we walked around a bit and joined a campfire discussion led by one of the Park Rangers.  He was going to give a talk about how the Revolutionary war was the first Civil war but for whatever reason he started by answering questions which was great!  I had a ton of them!

E

It was fun to really understand why this huge valley was so important to the Revolutionary war when not a single battle was fought here. After the British captured Philadelphia, General Washington and his troops were driven off in the Battle of Germantown and according to the park ranger it was a pretty miserable defeat. Needing to find a place to winter his troops, General Washington chose a valley close enough to Philadelphia to keep an eye on the British, but far enough away to be safe from surprise attacks. His army didn't have enough, clothing, food, medical supplies, weapons, discipline - you name it, but despite that fact under a Prussian General named Baron von Steuben the army was "forged" into a well disciplined fighting machine that never lost another battle after that winter of 1777/78.  (Since I am by no means a historian you can read more here)

We got too cold to stay and listen very long Saturday night so we got up Sunday morning to head back there with scooters and a picnic lunch.