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The Winter that Won the War: The Winter Encampment at Valley Forge, 1777-1778
"An Army of skeletons appeared before our eyes naked, starved, sick and discouraged."
Gouverneur Morris recorded these words in his report to the Continental Congress after a visit to the Continental Army encampment at Valley Forge. Sent as part of a fact-finding mission, Morris and his fellow congressmen arrived to conditions far worse than they had initially expected.
After a campaigning season that saw the defeat at Brandywine, the loss of Philadelphia, the capital of the rebellious British North American colonies, and the reversal at Germantown, George Washington and his harried army marched into Valley Forge on December 19, 1777.
What transpired in the next six months prior to the departure from the winter cantonment on June 19, 1778 was truly remarkable. The stoic Virginian, George Washington solidified his hold on the army and endured political intrigue, the quartermaster department was revived with new leadership from a former Rhode Island Quaker, and a German baron trained the army in the rudiments of being a soldier and military maneuvers.
Valley Forge conjures up images of cold, desperation, and starvation. Yet Valley Forge also became the winter of transformation and improvement that set the Continental Army on the path to military victory and the fledgling nation on the path to independence.
In The Winter that Won the War: The Winter Encampment at Valley Forge, 1777-1778, historian Phillip S. Greenwalt takes the reader on campaign in the year 1777 and through the winter encampment, detailing the various changes that took place within Valley Forge that ultimately led to the success of the American cause. Walk with the author through 1777 and into 1778 and see how these months truly were the winter that won the war.
Gouverneur Morris recorded these words in his report to the Continental Congress after a visit to the Continental Army encampment at Valley Forge. Sent as part of a fact-finding mission, Morris and his fellow congressmen arrived to conditions far worse than they had initially expected.
After a campaigning season that saw the defeat at Brandywine, the loss of Philadelphia, the capital of the rebellious British North American colonies, and the reversal at Germantown, George Washington and his harried army marched into Valley Forge on December 19, 1777.
What transpired in the next six months prior to the departure from the winter cantonment on June 19, 1778 was truly remarkable. The stoic Virginian, George Washington solidified his hold on the army and endured political intrigue, the quartermaster department was revived with new leadership from a former Rhode Island Quaker, and a German baron trained the army in the rudiments of being a soldier and military maneuvers.
Valley Forge conjures up images of cold, desperation, and starvation. Yet Valley Forge also became the winter of transformation and improvement that set the Continental Army on the path to military victory and the fledgling nation on the path to independence.
In The Winter that Won the War: The Winter Encampment at Valley Forge, 1777-1778, historian Phillip S. Greenwalt takes the reader on campaign in the year 1777 and through the winter encampment, detailing the various changes that took place within Valley Forge that ultimately led to the success of the American cause. Walk with the author through 1777 and into 1778 and see how these months truly were the winter that won the war.
192 pages, Paperback
Published November 15, 2020
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
September 3, 2025
“Through months of hardship, an iron resolve would be formed, dare we say, hammered, at Valley Forge into a hard core that would see the American revolution through to a successful end.” With these powerful opening words, historian Phillip S. Greenwalt brings attention to his latest book on the Revolutionary War—a chronicle of the Continental Army’s time spent at Valley Forge in 1777-1778. With both the Introduction and Prologue concisely referencing the war years leading up to the coming long winter, Greenwalt explains that British and Continental armies would be virtually at a standstill until the following year in the opening stages of 1788.
The opening chapters are rather short (each of the twelve chapters are on average under ten pages), and go on to follow the army’s movement from the last engagements of 1777 until the final caravan over to Valley Forge. Greenwalt‘s book has the unusual yet highly-useful attribute of having almost more illustrations and maps that cover every page than the actual text, each with an accompanying brief summary. While it would have been amazing to see some of the photos, sketches, and portraits in glossy color, each uniquely touches on a topic previously—or about to be—covered in the given chapter. Indeed, the photos taken from Greenwalt’s own camera lens are stunning and telling for their historical insight and modern day perspective of what once had been a battlefield or camp for a regiment.
The final battle in the Philadelphia Campaign would find the Americans losing to the British, but—as Greenwalt aptly reflects—this would prove pyrrhic for King George III and his army, as it allowed France to see that the Continentals had a fighting chance against a better-equipped and wealthier power. As Greenwalt moves into the details involving the construction of huts for the Valley Forge encampment, he appropriately reminds the reader of the oft-told myth that the winter was particularly dreadful that season—when by all accounts it was average for that Pennsylvania climate. Apart from mentioning the drama caused by the unmasking of the Conway Cabal during the winter months, Greenwalt adds that Martha Washington’s timely arrival and constant devotion helped ease the tension and stress that played on the commander-in-chief’s mind.
Espionage also played a crucial role in keeping Washington—and the Continental army—at ease, informed, and constantly aware of enemy movements and their respective numbers in strength and supplies. Greenwalt magnifies certain chapters on the capable officers that trained, drilled, and helped provision the men and camp followers attending Valley Forge, specifically Nathanael Greene (then quartermaster general) and the irritable yet lovable inspector general, Baron von Steuben. Born in Germany, this former Prussian soldier came to the good graces of Washington, and—as Greenwalt relates—he established himself that winter as a model drillmaster, instructing the troops with dramatics, profanity, and professional techniques that were then foreign to these green combatants:
Progress was evident. Within three weeks, entire regiments could train together instead of the company-by-company instruction that had been the standard. The goal was to have the entire army able to maneuver in form for combat as a single entity. This positivity infected each level of rank, and although most of the soldiers and officers had been on active duty for at least a year, the drill and training actually made them feel like soldiers able to stand up to the British and match them maneuver for maneuver. Time would tell, however, if this would hold true on the battlefield.
Baron von Steuben’s drill techniques would prove him a master of the open-battlefield warfare that was customary to eighteenth-century soldiers, and Greenwalt proves the effectiveness of the training by chronicling the Battle of Barren Hill. Indeed, this would be one of the first skirmishes following the winter stay at Valley Forge, and the Continental Army—led by the resourceful Lafayette—would stand their ground honorably under cannon and volleys from the enemy until a general retreat was finally ordered. Serving as both a helpful concise history text and as a phenomenal field guide to modern Valley Forge and its surroundings, Greenwalt’s research and careful attention to landmarks provide valuable insight to both the tourist and student of the American Revolution.
With a concise conclusion that touches on the monumental feats and losses at Valley Forge, Greenwalt appropriately comments that a staggering one in four soldiers would not survive to carry on the following Spring. The book does not end here though, as a helpful follow-up section titled “Touring the Battlefield” takes the curious tourist through all of the famous landmarks in order of their location, importance, and distance—complete with photos highlighting these monuments. Not to be outdone, four useful appendixes are added which complement a number of subjects that relate to the winter encampment and its impact both during and after the war. Finally, a list of suggested and related reading material concludes this highly engaging work, where the reader can settle into a range of books familiar to the Winter of 1777-1778 including those from historian Thomas Fleming and Paul Lockhart.
The opening chapters are rather short (each of the twelve chapters are on average under ten pages), and go on to follow the army’s movement from the last engagements of 1777 until the final caravan over to Valley Forge. Greenwalt‘s book has the unusual yet highly-useful attribute of having almost more illustrations and maps that cover every page than the actual text, each with an accompanying brief summary. While it would have been amazing to see some of the photos, sketches, and portraits in glossy color, each uniquely touches on a topic previously—or about to be—covered in the given chapter. Indeed, the photos taken from Greenwalt’s own camera lens are stunning and telling for their historical insight and modern day perspective of what once had been a battlefield or camp for a regiment.
The final battle in the Philadelphia Campaign would find the Americans losing to the British, but—as Greenwalt aptly reflects—this would prove pyrrhic for King George III and his army, as it allowed France to see that the Continentals had a fighting chance against a better-equipped and wealthier power. As Greenwalt moves into the details involving the construction of huts for the Valley Forge encampment, he appropriately reminds the reader of the oft-told myth that the winter was particularly dreadful that season—when by all accounts it was average for that Pennsylvania climate. Apart from mentioning the drama caused by the unmasking of the Conway Cabal during the winter months, Greenwalt adds that Martha Washington’s timely arrival and constant devotion helped ease the tension and stress that played on the commander-in-chief’s mind.
Espionage also played a crucial role in keeping Washington—and the Continental army—at ease, informed, and constantly aware of enemy movements and their respective numbers in strength and supplies. Greenwalt magnifies certain chapters on the capable officers that trained, drilled, and helped provision the men and camp followers attending Valley Forge, specifically Nathanael Greene (then quartermaster general) and the irritable yet lovable inspector general, Baron von Steuben. Born in Germany, this former Prussian soldier came to the good graces of Washington, and—as Greenwalt relates—he established himself that winter as a model drillmaster, instructing the troops with dramatics, profanity, and professional techniques that were then foreign to these green combatants:
Progress was evident. Within three weeks, entire regiments could train together instead of the company-by-company instruction that had been the standard. The goal was to have the entire army able to maneuver in form for combat as a single entity. This positivity infected each level of rank, and although most of the soldiers and officers had been on active duty for at least a year, the drill and training actually made them feel like soldiers able to stand up to the British and match them maneuver for maneuver. Time would tell, however, if this would hold true on the battlefield.
Baron von Steuben’s drill techniques would prove him a master of the open-battlefield warfare that was customary to eighteenth-century soldiers, and Greenwalt proves the effectiveness of the training by chronicling the Battle of Barren Hill. Indeed, this would be one of the first skirmishes following the winter stay at Valley Forge, and the Continental Army—led by the resourceful Lafayette—would stand their ground honorably under cannon and volleys from the enemy until a general retreat was finally ordered. Serving as both a helpful concise history text and as a phenomenal field guide to modern Valley Forge and its surroundings, Greenwalt’s research and careful attention to landmarks provide valuable insight to both the tourist and student of the American Revolution.
With a concise conclusion that touches on the monumental feats and losses at Valley Forge, Greenwalt appropriately comments that a staggering one in four soldiers would not survive to carry on the following Spring. The book does not end here though, as a helpful follow-up section titled “Touring the Battlefield” takes the curious tourist through all of the famous landmarks in order of their location, importance, and distance—complete with photos highlighting these monuments. Not to be outdone, four useful appendixes are added which complement a number of subjects that relate to the winter encampment and its impact both during and after the war. Finally, a list of suggested and related reading material concludes this highly engaging work, where the reader can settle into a range of books familiar to the Winter of 1777-1778 including those from historian Thomas Fleming and Paul Lockhart.
December 21, 2023
I was somewhat disappointed in this book, I was expecting a detailed history of the 1777-78 winter at Valley Forge, but this is just an overview of that story, not really a history. I didn't realize that this is one of a series of Revolutionary War overviews put out by publisher Savas Beatie.
The chapters are short with a lot of photographs of various paintings, statues, and informational park markers (and some are difficult to see). The book also need some editing or better proofreading...
Surprisingly, there is not enough information about the hardships faced by the Continental Army, I would like to have had much more detail. There is, however, a good chapter on Baron von Stueben's training of the soldiers that I found interesting.
An interesting tidbit (for me) was in Appendix B. It is about Washington considering other places to winter and almost chose Wilmington Del, but finally thought it was too close to Philadelphia (where the British were wintering after capturing it) so chose Valley Forge (is that further from Philadelphia?!). He did send two brigades under Genl Smallwood and they wintered there to keep the British out of Delaware and the eastern shore of Maryland. I found this interesting, because I had not heard of this and I am from Delaware!
If you want a detailed history of Valley Forge, look elsewhere, but if you want just an overview this would be a good choice. It also would be a good place to start, and the author does have recommendations for further reading.
The chapters are short with a lot of photographs of various paintings, statues, and informational park markers (and some are difficult to see). The book also need some editing or better proofreading...
Surprisingly, there is not enough information about the hardships faced by the Continental Army, I would like to have had much more detail. There is, however, a good chapter on Baron von Stueben's training of the soldiers that I found interesting.
An interesting tidbit (for me) was in Appendix B. It is about Washington considering other places to winter and almost chose Wilmington Del, but finally thought it was too close to Philadelphia (where the British were wintering after capturing it) so chose Valley Forge (is that further from Philadelphia?!). He did send two brigades under Genl Smallwood and they wintered there to keep the British out of Delaware and the eastern shore of Maryland. I found this interesting, because I had not heard of this and I am from Delaware!
If you want a detailed history of Valley Forge, look elsewhere, but if you want just an overview this would be a good choice. It also would be a good place to start, and the author does have recommendations for further reading.
December 30, 2024
A great companion book to be read before or after touring Valley Forge. A simple history that is easy to digest and helps develop a better understanding of the decisions made and why the establishment of the encampment there proved to be of vital importance. I also really enjoyed the tour notes in the back of the book. A very solid read.
March 30, 2024
Easy to read and understand, this book tells the facts about the Valley Forge experience during the American Revolution. There are numerous pictures of historical sites, maps, portraits, and even a section that tells the "don't miss" things to see if you visit Valley Forge and the best order in which to see them. The author covers both the British and the American aspects of that period of the war.
There's more detail in this book than I got in my basic history classes and it is presented in a non-textbook manner. Would recommend.
There's more detail in this book than I got in my basic history classes and it is presented in a non-textbook manner. Would recommend.
November 23, 2021
A nice starting point for anyone not familiar with the history of Valley Forge.
May 10, 2023
Not well edited but a GREAT book for those interested in history of Valley Forge and the American Reovolution! Thanks Phillip
December 13, 2024
Please see Christopher’s review. Pretty much identical to what I would have written including the comments on pictures and the need for better editing.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews