While there was no actual fighting, any Valley Forge tour will tell you that the six-month period the Continental Army spent camped there was one of the most pivotal moments of the American Revolution. 1777 had been a difficult year for General George Washington, having lost both New York and Philadelphia to British forces, but the encampment at Valley Forge allowed him to make full use of his impressive organizational and logistical skills, transforming his army into a properly trained fighting force able to face British regulars head-on.
While the militiamen who made up the Continental Army were brave and passionate fighters, many of them were severely undertrained, and they struggled to operate cohesively as a single force. For the most part, militias were made up of volunteers rather than professional soldiers, and they couldn’t stand up to the practiced efficiency of British troops. Washington had leaned heavily on asymmetrical warfare to make up for the inexperience of his men, but it had become clear that more training was necessary to win the war.
For this, Washington and the Continental Congress turned to Baron Friedrich von Steuben, a Prussian aristocrat and decorated military officer. An openly gay man, Baron von Steuben had served with distinction in European wars but struggled to find steady employment on the continent. It was Benjamin Franklin, acting as a Congressional envoy in Europe, who convinced von Steuben to take his talents to the American colonies. Upon his arrival, the baron quickly earned General Washington’s respect and set to work drilling his troops. Over the course of several months, Baron von Steuben’s training and Washington’s organizational overhaul successfully turned the Continental Army into a European-style military force, capable of taking on British troops.
The training at Valley Forge immediately paid dividends, earning the Americans victories at Monmouth and Saratoga. The Saratoga campaign was the first significant military victory for the colonists, forcing the surrender of about 6,000 British troops. Most importantly, these triumphs convinced the great powers of Europe that the Continental Army was capable of actually winning the war, earning much-needed alliances with the French and Dutch.
To learn more, check out our Valley Forge Self-Guided Driving Tour, or you can sign up for Action+ and gain access to over 100 tours for a single yearly price.
