Valley Forge

Left New York City this morning with hubby driving.  Not too bad and got to New Jersey within 25 minutes.  Drove to Valley Forge, Pennsylvania.  

This is painting of the winter at Valley Forge, 1777-78.  The Continental Army was losing the battle to the Brits. 

The Army retreated to this valley in Pennsylvania about 20 miles north of Philadelphia in December, 1777, to re-group and "keep an eye on the British that had conquered Philadelphia."  There were 12,000 men to begin with and six months later there were 6,000.  The 13 states were represented here and each squad was responsible to build their own huts of logs and chinking.  

These were the ovens they built, continuously baking bread (when they had flour) for the soldiers.



I even found an "old barn" on the grounds!

Behind one of the farm buildings, I found this gate!  It has Valley Forge written on gate.  

Below is a close-up!  What a treasure to find!

This is house that George & Martha Washington stayed in after one of the local farmers offered it to them.  He stayed in canvas tents with soldiers until then.  Also, due to Martha being willing to be vaccinated with small pox vaccine, many soldiers followed suit...saving many a soldier from early death.

Illness and starvation was one of the biggest contributors to the Army going from 12,000 to 6,000 in six months.  There was not a battle fought in Valley Forge.

Beautiful Valley!

Over 100 years ago, The Daughters of the American Revolution built this Washington Memorial Chapel with beautiful stained glass windows.

They also build a carillon which was playing when we left the park.  Beautiful ending to our day!