Valley Forge was the Pennsylvania winter encampment of George Washington’s Continental Army in 1777–1778.
The army arrived at Valley Forge in December 1777 after British forces captured Philadelphia. The site, about 18 miles northwest of the city, offered a defensible position near the British army while the Continental soldiers built huts and organized their camp.
The winter brought shortages of food, clothing, and supplies, and thousands of soldiers became ill. The hardships became a lasting symbol of sacrifice, although the army’s total situation was more complex than the popular image of universal starvation suggests. Soldiers remained an organized fighting force and emerged better trained.
Prussian officer Friedrich Wilhelm von Steuben helped train the troops at Valley Forge. His drill instruction improved discipline and battlefield coordination before the army left the encampment in June 1778.