Some of you know I enjoy reading history and memoirs. Since it's President's Day, I thought I'd share a little information. As much as I've admired George Washington for this famous picture above, my current read, American Creation, supports what I've read before. Washington kneeling in snow seeking Divine guidance at Valley Forge is a fabrication. It didn't happen. In reality, Valley Forge was a disaster for the Continental Army. (not yet the United States in 1777) It was winter quarters for an array of volunteer armies supplied by 13 colonies, all with their own ideas on military protocol, rank, uniforms, etc. No real leadership, desertion was rampant. Luckily, it was during a time in history that considered war wasn't fought during winter. Valley Forge was "a kind of Gethsemane for America." The British Army was housed in the warm, well supplied city of Philadelphia, about 20 miles away, with thousands of more and better disciplined troops. They were professional soldiers. Had they attacked Valley Forge, we may all be speaking with an English accent today. It must have been a grim scene. (It gets really, really cold in Pennsylvania in the winter.) Out of 12,000 soldiers, only 3-4,000 were fit for duty. About 2,500 soldiers were unavailable for lack of shoes or clothes, 3,500 were confined to their huts too weak to fight, some just waiting to die, 2,000 were in make shift hospitals. It was a breeding ground for dysentery, small pox and typhus. Medicines were in short supply. (record keeping was not a priority then - numbers are vague)In support of George Washington, he was a religious man as well as intelligent. He recognized that time and space was on his side and the way to lose the war was to try to win it. He knew we didn't need to be the aggressor, we only needed to survive as one Army. He reorganized troop logistics, instituted training and military strategy of the war. During the many years of the War of Independence, many events occurred and lessons were learned, but ultimately, this book anyway, states that Valley Forge became a decisive factor in both the war and the very meaning of the American Revolution. Because of one man; George Washington.
Let's hope our current and future presidents have Washington's insights in guiding us! (my least favorite president(s) have been Carter and Clinton - both Democrats, what I am.) hmmmm.
4 comments:
War is never good, but I guess it is necessary to keep us all free and living the lifestyle we like. Thanks for the Washington info.
I hadn't heard they didn't have wars in the winter...this was very interesting info..so are you switching to Republican? Laughing!
I recall reading that Martha visited George at Valley Forge during the winter hardships, a boost for morale! Mother spoke with pride that her ancestor, Stephen Beagle, was in the Army at Valley Forge. Opposite to that, do you recall hearing her refer to her Allison uncles (who were wealthy bankers)as "horse thieves"?
Wow. So I had an ancestor at Valley Forge! No wonder I hated the the cold in VA while in the Army. But at least I had boots, food and a bunk, even though, only two wool blankets. HA. I remember the horse thieves.
Always good to hear from Mom.
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