Road to Liberty: Valley Forge

Washington and his troops braved a brutal winter in an encampment at southeastern Pennsylvania’s Valley Forge from December 19, 1777 to June 19, 1778. Through a combination of disease, malnutrition, and dreadful cold, an estimated 1,700 to 2,000 soldiers died at the camp. The hearts of the men who suffered there were strengthened by their faith in God and their loyalty to General Washington. In General Orders issued on March 1, 1778, Washington assured his men: “Your General unceasingly employs his thoughts on the means of relieving your distresses, supplying your wants and bringing you[r] labours to a speedy and prosperous issue.” With more than three years left to go in a war for independence, Washington sustained troops confronted by the horrors of war with the promise of victory through perseverance.