Last updated: January 16, 2025
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From the Journals of Valley Forge: December 1777
NPS Image / G. Purifoy
December 15
"The army cross’d the Schuylkill on the 13th and has remained encamped on the heights on this side. Our truly republican general has declared to his officers that he will set the example of passing the winter in a hut himself. The precise position is not as yet fixed upon, in which our huts are to be constructed; it will probably be determined this day; it must be in such a situation as to admit of a bridge of communication over the Schuylkil for the protection of the country we have just left; far enough from the enemy not to be reached in a day’s march, and properly interposed between the enemy and the most valuable part of this country on this side Schuylkil."
—letter from Lieutenant Colonel John Laurens to his father Henry Laurens four days before the Continental Army marched into Valley Forge
December 16
Cold Rainy Day, Baggage ordered over the Gulph of our Division, which were to march at Ten, but the baggage was order’d back and for the first time since we have been here the Tents were pitch’d, to keep the men more comfortable. Good morning Brother Soldier (says one to another) how are you? All wet thank’e, hope you are so (says the other).
December 17
“If the Recruits intended for Lees and Jackson’s Regiments have not had the small pox, and are not marched when this reaches you, I desire they may be inoculated before they join the Army. After the repeated directions, which I had given to have All the Recruits who had not had that disorder innoculated the moment they were inlisted, I was ... mortified to find the fine detachment of Men that came forward under Lt Colo. Smith rendered intirely useless for this Campaign by my Orders not being attended to. By the time they reached the Camp the small pox broke out upon them, which obliged me to send the whole into the Hospital, as those who were well were not more than sufficient to nurse the sick.”
—letter from General George Washington to General William Heath
December 18
“The Colonels, or commanding officers of regiments, with their Captains, are immediately to cause their men to be divided into squads of twelve, and see that each squad have their proportion of tools, and set about a hut for themselves: And as an encouragement to industry and art, the General promises to reward the party in each regiment, which finishes their hut in the quickest, and most workmanlike manner, with twelve dollars—And as there is reason to believe, that boards, for covering, may be found scarce and difficult to be got—He offers One hundred dollars to any officer or soldier, who in the opinion of three Gentlemen, he shall appoint as judges, shall substitute some other covering, that may be cheaper and quicker made, and will in every respect answer the end.”
—General Orders issued by George Washington ahead of the army's to march to Valley Forge the next day
December 19
“This morning was a Sever Cold one, as it Cleared off last Evening with a Strong Norwest wind which blew So that it blew our fires into Some of our [brush] huts and burnt them Down, it broke down one tree across a tent where five men lay asleep but providently hurt but one man and he had his thigh broke.
We Recd. orders this morning to march as Soon as possible and before ten oClock the whole Army was a marching, pleased with the thoughts of going into winter Quarters. Though in the woods, we marched all the day without provisions as there was none to be drawn in this morning and neither Could we get any at night, we marched but about Eight miles this day, being plaged so bad With our waggons as the Roads was Excessive Bad and our horses very poor and weak, we Turned into the woods about Sunset, where we built us fires, and encampt by them that night often Eating our Supper of raw Corn which we got out of a field man by our encampment one Accident happened this Day a waggon overpl and killed one woman”
—diary of Colonel Israel Angell of the 2nd Rhode Island Regiment on the day the Continental Army arrived at Valley Forge
December 20
We the subscribers being appointed a Committee to Inspect the Beaf drawn for Genl Learnard’s Brigade, under the Command of Colo. Bailey Commandant, we have examianed the Beaf and Judge it not fit for the use of human beings, unwholesome & destructive to nature for any person to make use of Such fude.
December 21
Preparations made for huts. Provisions Scarce. Mr. Ellis went homeward – sent a Letter to my Wife. Heartily wish myself at home, my Skin and Eyes almost spoil’d with continual smoke. A general cry thro’ the Camp this Evening among the Soldiers, “No Meat! No Meat!” Immitating the noise of Crows & Owls, also, made a part of the confused Musick.
December 22
"According to the saying of Solomon, hunger will break thro’ a stone Wall; It is therefore a very pleasing Circumstance to the Division under my Command, that there is a probability of their marching. Three Days successively, we have been destitute of Bread. Two Days we have been intirely without Meat. It is not to be had from the Commissaries. Whenever we procure Beef, it is of such a vile Quality, as to render it a poor Succeedanium for Food. The Men must be supplied, or they cannot be commanded."
—letter from Brigadier General James Mitchell Varnum to General George Washington
December 23
Fine weather and Nothing Remarkable happened Except one womans being Drummed out of our Camp to day by order of a Court martial for stealing.
December 24
Party of the 22d not Returned. Hutts go on Slowly – Cold and Smoke make us fret. But mankind are always fretting, even if they have more than their proportion of the Blessings of life. We are never Easy, allways repining at the Prividence of an Allwise & Benevolent Being, Blaming Our Country or faulting our Friends. But I don’t know of anything that vexes a man’s Soul more than hot smoke continually blowing into his Eyes, & when he attempts to avoid it, is met by a cold and piercing Wind.
December 25
By a Letter from the Eastward, a Ship arrived at portsmouth [New Hampshire] about the last Ulto, in Seventy five days from Marseilles with Forty eight Brass four pounders — 19–Nine Inch Mortars — 4110 Stand of Arms — 9 Tons of Powder, & 61051 lb. of Sulphur — 2500 9 Inch Shells & 2000–4 lb. Balls for the United States. This is an agreable event, as it is a recent proof of the friendly disposition of the French Nation.
December 26
"…I trust that when your Excellency reflects upon the unhappy and Distressed situation that some of the Inhabitants are reduced to — you will see the necessity, as well as justice of Adopting this measure, and Ordering the Quarter Masters and Commissaries, to be more Circumspect in future and to Settle with and pay the Inhabitants for what has been taken from them... which the people say they experience almost on every Occation — and which you may rest Assured is one great cause of the Unwillingness of the Inhabitants to supply this Army."
—letter from Brigadier General Anthony Wayne to Commander-In-Chief George Washington
December 27
I might have mentioned That Some of the Brigades who were to furnish me with Carpenters Sent me Taylors who had never used an axe in their Lives & kept their good Carpenters at home to Build Hutts
December 28
"…many of them who depend entirely on their Money, cannot procure half the material comforts that are wanted in a family – this produces continual letters of complaint from home. When the Officer has been fatiguing thro’ wet & cold and returns to his tent where he finds a letter directed to him from his Wife, fill’d with the most heart aching tender Complaints, a Woman is capable of writing – Acquainting him with the incredible difficulty with which she procures a little Bread for herself & Children – and finally concluding with expressions bordering on dispair, of procuring a sufficiency of food to keep soul & Body together through the Winter – that her money is of very little consequence to her – that she begs of him to consider that Charity begins at home – and not suffer his family to perish with want, in the midst of plenty. When such, I say – is the tidings they constantly hear from their families – What man is there – who has the least regard for his family – whose soul would not shrink within him?"
—diary of the surgeon Albigence Waldo
December 29
the weather is very Cold & we have not Done building Huts yet
December 30
Eleven Deserters came in to-day – some Hessians & some English – one of the Hesns took an Ax in his hand & cut away the Ice of the Schuylkill which was 1 ½ inches thick & 40 Rod wide and waded through to our Camp – he was ½ an hour in the Water. They had a prominse when they engag’d that the war would be ended in one year – they were now tired of the Service.
December 31
"Compare this with Mister Conway’s Letter to General Gates in which he writes — ‘What pity there is but one Gates. but the more I see of this Army the less I think it fit for action under its actual Chiefs & actual discipline — & wish I could serve under you.’ The whole Letter contains charges against General Washington of a very high nature — Mister Conway was always one of General Washington’s Council & lived upon terms of respect & friendship with him. from such Comparison this conclusion must be drawn. General Conway — was guilty of gross hypocrisy or gross & unpardonable Insult when he wrote the within Letter."
—note to George Washington written by Henry Laurens, the President of Congress on a copy of a letter from Thomas Conway