Today we went to Valley Forge battle site which took place during the third winter out of the eight year war.
There are four reasons as to why Valley Forge was so important during the Revolutionary War.
- Highest Death Total- due to harsh weather which in turn, caused diseases.
- During this battle, the French stepped in to support the Continental Army, which then classified the war as a World War.
- The arrival of German, Frederich Von Steuben, who turned thirteen armies into one.
- Iron-Ore deposits found in the “forge sites”, made the colonies self-sustaining because they manufactured their own iron products. Which is how the area got its name, “Valley Forge”.
“…forge of our Republic’s iron core.”- Gerald Ford
The Valley Forge National Park is absolutely gorgeous. With the rolling, green, lush fields and the dense woods with beautiful trees, makes it hard to believe that it was the site of such a deadly and devastating part in our history.
We visited cabins that are replicas of the cabins the Patriotic soldiers built and lived in. The most memorable site we visited was the headquarters of George Washington. Inside the house was his office. The staircase going up to the second floor contained the ORIGINAL hand rail. Talk about “touching history”! Makes one wonder who’s hands actually held on to that railing! History, I tell ya!
Being able to stand at Washington’s headquarters and envision the peacefulness and serenity of the area, is an experience I will never forget.
At the visitors center, we got to go to the archives vault. Wow! There was the original drilling manual that Steuben wrote and had published. There was a nine page letter that George Washington wrote that had his signature.
Students,
A book of recommendation, “Private Yankee Doodle”- a book about the accounts of a teen soldier who joined the Continental Army at the age of fifteen. It is a non-fiction book based on his actual journal entries. I bought two copies. Please let me know if you would like to borrow it.
Thank you, Bryanna and Tyler, for responding to my blog. Please continue to follow my journey and respond to my posts. I love hearing from you.
Valley Forge field with Soldier Cabins
