George Washington’s Continental Army spent the winter of 1777–1778 at Valley Forge in Pennsylvania.
The army entered the encampment on December 19, 1777, after British forces captured Philadelphia. Valley Forge offered high ground, defensible terrain, and a position close enough to monitor British activity in the occupied capital.
The encampment lasted six months, ending on June 19, 1778. Soldiers built log huts and endured shortages of food, clothing, and equipment. Disease and inadequate supplies caused nearly 2,000 deaths during the winter, although the army remained an effective fighting force.
Valley Forge is often remembered only as a story of suffering, but it was also a place of organization and training. Inspector General Friedrich Wilhelm von Steuben helped standardize drills and discipline, strengthening the army before it marched away in June.