Valley Forge was the Continental Army’s winter encampment from December 19, 1777, to June 19, 1778. The site lies about 18 miles northwest of Philadelphia in Pennsylvania.
General George Washington selected Valley Forge after British forces captured Philadelphia during the 1777 campaign. Its elevated position protected the army and helped it monitor routes between the British-held city, Congress, and American supply areas. Roughly 12,000 troops gathered there during the winter.
The encampment became famous for shortages of food, clothing, and other supplies, as well as illness and severe winter conditions. Soldiers built huts and endured difficult months, but the army remained organized rather than being destroyed by the hardship.
Valley Forge also became a place of military training and reorganization. Baron Friedrich Wilhelm von Steuben helped drill the troops in standardized formations and battlefield procedures. When the army left in June 1778, it was more disciplined and prepared for continued fighting.